The Bluest Eye

The Bluest Eye

Samuel Truesdell

9/4/08

AP Literature

The Bluest Eye

The Bluest Eye[CA1], by Toni Morrison, is a novel written from the perspective of Claudia, a young African American girl. Claudia is given dolls for Christmas, which are considered the perfect girl[CA2] for any young girl and the epitome of beauty within the society surrounding Claudia. Claudia feels nothing but hatred for these dolls, but is curious as to why they are so highly valued by everybody around her. Through the use of connotative diction, situational irony, and asyndeton set a tone of disgust. The theme of the this passage is that the doll leads Claudia to feel isolated and alienated.[CA3]

The narrator of the bluest eye uses connotative diction in order to set a tone of both envy and outrage. Whenever the doll is described by Claudia, the description is always be accompanied with adjectives with extremely negative connotation. Descriptions of the doll are accompanied by words such as "bleat", "unyielding", and "bone-cold". The whole purpose of a doll is to mimic a human baby as realistically as possible. All the words Claudia uses in reference to the doll have very inhuman [CA4]connotation, showing that Claudia in no way relates to the doll. However, when Claudia describes other reaction to the very same doll there is the complete opposite connotation used to describe the doll. When others speak of the doll such words accompany it as "beautiful", "sweet", and "dearness". All of these words personify[CA5] the doll and provide a contrasting effect to Claudia's opinion of the doll.

Another literary technique the narrator employs in order to set the tone is situational irony. The vast majority of the people surrounding Claudia hold dolls in extremely high regard and therefore it is expected that Claudia will value these dolls in a similar manner. However, Claudia could "not love it" the most she could do would be to "examine it to see what it was that all the world said was lovable". Another example of situational irony in the passage is that this doll is widely considered the very epitome of beauty externally is on the inside merely filled with sawdust and a metal disc to generate the "sweet and plaintive cry" mama. These examples show how Claudia's hatred and disgust of these dolls are amplified because everybody else fails to see what she can see so clearly. [CA6]This supports the theme of isolation[CA7] from the majority of the community and alienation from popular opinion of the doll throughout the passage.

A final tool the narrator uses in order to set the tone is the continuous usage of asyndeton. The narrator uses asyndeton in order to create a sense of overwhelming[CA8]. This is used both to accentuate the overwhelming amount of different people who view this doll so highly and also in order to emphasize the methodical and disgusted interactions between Claudia and her dolls. An example of the way asyndeton is used to stress the vast amount of people that highly value the doll is that " Adults, older girls, shops, magazines, newspapers, window signs girls, shops, magazines, newspapers, window signs"[CA9] all agreed this doll was the perfect present for any girl. An example of the way asyndeton is used to stress the overwhelming disgust and the methodical way in which Claudia views the dolls is that in order to gain insight into others feelings for the doll Claudia "traced the turned up nose, poked the glassy blue eyeballs, twisted the yellow hair". At a glance, once would think that the narrator uses asyndeton here in order to express subtle curiosity on Claudia's part. However, this is not curiosity but a form of masked rage.[CA10] Claudia insists on examining every way that this doll could be perceived as beautiful, not because she genuinely wishes to find this doll attractive, but because she is so disgusted by this doll she cannot even begin to fathom how anybody could find this doll attractive. Both uses of asyndeton in this passage show that is isolated in her feelings for the doll. The first use of asyndeton shows how she is very literally one of the only [CA11]people that doesn't find the doll attractive. The second usage of asyndeton displays how every way in which she doesn't find this doll attractive, is a way in which she is unlike everybody else.

The combination of asyndeton, situational irony, and connotative diction help set a tone of revolt and support the theme of the doll causing Claudia to feel isolated and alienated. This passage brings up the interesting concept that one can be driven to a perverted form of curiosity intermingled with disgust as a result of feelings of isolation and alienation. As a result of the pressure from Claudia's fears she was driven to an even further degree of hatred. This is an interesting reaction, because peer pressure normally drives people to conform to a social trend.[CA12]

[CA1]Use underling or italics for titles

[CA2]Girl-> gift

[CA3]That would be the summary, themes are like a more general version or that. So you might say the theme is that something so unifying and commonly loved by all others, causes one person who has a differing opinion to feel alienated….i think…

[CA4]Excellent use of contrast to make your point!

[CA5]I think this is okay to leave as is, but im not sure if the use of these words count as personification- because nonliving, objects can be beautiful too, for example.

[CA6]Nice clarity Sam, this paragraph looks great

[CA7]Yes! That counts as a theme/!

[CA8]Exactly!

[CA9]Good example

[CA10]Interesting,… maybe its both though. Like she’s curious to understand her rage… that’s why she searches for the beauty in it so much

[CA11]I don’t have it with me but I think the passage says she is the only one (in her community at least)…. And if you change this part of your sentence to say that, I think it adds a bit of strength.

[CA12]I really really like your conclusion up to here!! I feel like it starts by closing incredibly well but this last sentence causes readers to drift away from the story by becoming too general.