What Growing Up Is All About

I finished, and as I was wrapping up, I kept in mind the formerly listened to interview. Particularly, her description of Pecola, the sixteen year old. I think this book is about society… clearly; however, I think Toni Morrison focused on the dangers of growing up. Morrison's description of being sixteen as "vulnerable-and imaginative" because to a young woman the world is "open and threatening" is exactly the sense that she is trying to convey in The Bluest Eye. Particularly, I think she uses the various characters' profiles to allude to the different dangers that society holds, specifically those very accessible in the journey of identity search that is being a teenager.

Geraldine and Junior- Geraldine, a self-hating black woman who obsessed over cleanliness and despised blacks. Her obsession for cleanliness is metaphorical for her adoration of whites, which therefore, suggests that blacks are dirty. Her poised behavior has stemmed from her lever of restriction on herself and her emotions which make her cold and distant from her family. She can only open up to her black blue-eyed cat which is again a metaphor for what she (and Pecola) long to be: a beautiful, semi-white-because-of-her-blue-eyes black person. Because of his mother's indifference, Junior not only hates himself for being black but holds a grudge towards his mother for forcing it on him by not letting him play with other "niggers" and things of the sort. He is then reduced to scapegoating which is clearly not a healthy behavior. Geraldine and Junior's behavior warns against self-hatred, or low self esteem, and misdirected emotions and the importance of affection.

Cholly Breedlove- This man suffered abuse throughout his whole life. From his mother's abuse to his fathers abandonment, the lack of love and sense of belonging starts what will later create a problematic man. His aunt, being the only person to express affection towards him, was indirectly the rock keeping him grounded. After her death, he suffered the embarrassment of having the very private experience of losing his virginity becoming forced and public. After this loss of dignity and the pressure by his wife to get money, Cholly recurred to drinking, which I think is because he mis-associated it with a cure because a type of liquor was his aunt's medicine before her death. His antisocial behavior signals his dangerous freedom because of his indifference and resentment towards society. Cholly warns us of the importance of love, strong character and coping with tragedy in growing up.

Pauline Breedlove –Pauline's from small town to big city story is he metaphor for the situation teenagers are in. We're all of a sudden thrown from our child-like lifestyles to adulthood. Paulie's need to fit in caused by her susceptibility to media warns of such behaviors in growing up as the need for economic independence and lifestyle surge.

Soaphead Church- A light skinned pedophile of mixed man obsessed with dirt and decay. The fact that he is a minister who didn't really want to be a minister in the first place and deliberately lied to Pecola for his own gain fake to Pecola, is Morrison's  critique towards religion. The falsehood and sense of insecurity created by this character suggest that religious figures, and ultimately all authority figures are to be questioned because truly, who has the authority to be completely right? Who can we really trust?

Lastly, Pecola- symbolizes us as readers because we have to be taught/warned about the dangers and quirks of growing up properly according to Morrison. Pecola, by being a child with an adult mentality is the very basic description of an adolescent. This makes vulnerable to society's abuse, and Morrison by having her be assaulted, tricked, and abused by the formerly mentioned characters, illustrates the blows society takes on a young adult.

*The lessons taught by each character are in italics*