She received the national book critics circle award, the pulitzer prize, and in 1993 she was awarded the nobel prize in literature. I did not write this book, i am mearly sharing it for educational purposes only. It is the story of elevenyearold pecola breedlove a black girl in an america whose love for its blond, blueeyed children can devastate all others who prays for her eyes to turn blue. Each are in fine condition contained in a fine slipcase.
Toni morrisons novel, the bluest eye is about social acceptance and not fitting in. The bluest eye oprahs book club by morrison, toni and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The bluest eye is morrisons first novel written in 1970. Jul 24, 2007 toni morrison is the author of eleven novels, from the bluest eye 1970 to god help the child 2015. Miss morrisons prose is so precise, so faithful to speech and so charged with pain and wonder that the novel becomes poetry.
The bluest eye, published in 1970, is the first novel written by toni morrison, winner of the 1993 nobel prize in literature. Aug 09, 2019 toni morrison gives insight into her works paradise and the bluest eye, criticizes sloppy criticism, and explains the challenge of writing about race for africanamerican writers. Toni morrison s first novel and a landmark in africanamerican literature the bluest eye is an inquiry into the reasons why beauty gets wasted in this country. The bluest eye vintage international kindle edition by. The bluest eye by toni morrison and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at abebooks.
Morrison was an africanamerican novelist, a pulitzer and nobel prize winner whose works are praised for addressing the harsh consequences of racism in the united states. Toni morrison is the author of eleven novels, from the bluest eye 1970 to god help the child 2015. The importance of this book goes beyond its value as a work of literature. I had to read it for an exam and my teachers description sounded quite good. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the bluest eye vintage international. In the book, morrison utilizes a firstperson story to convey her views on racial inequality. Each volume of this special slipcased edition are inscribed by toni morrison.
The bluest eye by toni morrison 568 words bartleby. In novels including beloved and the bluest eye, acclaimed author dramatised africanamerican experience with fierce passion love is never any better than the lover. Citation manager available free to all rutgers students and faculty. Newsweek in the first ranks of our living novelists. Toni morrison gives insight into her works paradise and the bluest eye, criticizes sloppy criticism, and explains the challenge of writing about race for africanamerican writers. In the bluest eye, toni morrison tells the story of a little black girl who thinks that if she can live up to the image of the blueeyed shirley temple and dick and jane that she will have the perfect life that they have. The bluest eye my first novel of toni morrison suggested by my senior when i asked a novel for improving my writing. Mar 21, 20 toni morrison discusses the origins of her first novel, the bluest eye, while visiting her alma mater cornell university. It tells the tragic story of pecola breedlove, a young black girl growing up in morrisons hometown of lorain, ohio, after the great depression. The bluest eye is toni morrisons first novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and boldness of vision. Like all of our waste which we dumped on her and which she absorbed. Set in the authors girlhood hometown of lorain, ohio, it tells the story of black, elevenyearold pecola breedlove. However, i am a little bit disappointed now after reading it.
The bluest eye by toni morrison, first edition, signed. The bluest eye is toni morrison s first novel, published in 1970. A novel by toni morrison and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Toni morrison discusses the origins of her first novel, the bluest eye, while visiting her alma mater cornell university. Toni morrison interview on the bluest eye and paradise. The bluest eye pdf summary toni morrison 12min blog. It is the story of elevenyearold pecola breedlovea black girl in an america whose love for its blond, blueeyed children can devastate all otherswho prays for her eyes to turn blue. Wood, i have found the bluest eye to be completely lucid since i first read it back in 1970. The bluest eye is the first novel by american author toni morrison.
Nineyearold claudia macteer and her 10yearold sister, frieda, live with their parents in an old, cold and green house. Soaphead church here is the house the gift of the dolls. It is set in 1941 in the small town of lorain, ohio, and tells the story of an 11yearold negro girl, pecola breedlove, who becomes pregnant to her father cholly. Toni morrisons first novel and a landmark in africanamerican literature the bluest eye is an inquiry into the reasons why beauty gets wasted in this country. Michael wood, an authentic literary critic, made the best comment on this lucid and eloquent narrative that i have ever seen. The bluest eye by morrison, toni and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Jun 01, 1970 the bluest eye is toni morrison s first novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and boldness of vision. Octavo, 6 volumes, original cloth bound with slipcase. The bluest eye by toni morrison and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. As moving and as poignant as morrisons other highly acclaimed works the bluest eye is a must read for anyone interested in the topics of race relations, poverty, and privilege and oppression dynamics. Miss morrisons prose is so precise, so faithful to speech and so charged. Toni morrison, the author of the bluest eye, centers her novel around two things. All of usall who knew herfelt so wholesome after we cleaned ourselves on her. Morrison is perhaps the finest novelist of our time.
And all of our beauty, which was hers first and which she gave to us. The bluest eye is a story of pecola, and her friends, their observations of everyday life, injustice, how they are treated, all this done from young girls eyes. Nobel prizewinning author toni morrison talks to emma brockes about being a single mother, the death of her son and why love doesnt last. The novel is about a girl named pecola who is black, lonely, and comes from a poor family. The bluest eye is toni morrisons first novel, published in 1970. Originally published in 1970, the bluest eye is toni morrisons first novel. Toni morrison s first novel, the bluest eye, was published by holt, rinehart, and winston in 1970 while morrison was an editor for random house in new york city. Apr 27, 2000 the bluest eye is toni morrison s first novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and boldness of vision. At once intimate and expansive, unsparing in its truthtelling, the bluest eye shows how the past savagely defines the present. The bluest eye oprahs book club by toni morrison and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Essay about racism and sexism in the bluest eye 1798. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. In the beginning, it was kind of tiresome because toni morrison is very descriptive and writes a lot, but there is a reason why she does that. The bluest eye vintage international by toni morrison. Very good in very good dust jacket protected in a removable mylar cover. As toni morrison has become one of americas most celebrated contemporary authors, her first novel the bluest eye, published in 1970, has gained increasing attention from literary critics.
Toni morrison discusses the origins of her first novel, the bluest eye. The bluest eye was the first book written by toni morrison i read. Most of the novel is narrated by a young black girl, claudia macteer, who is part of a poor but loving black family in lorain, ohio, in the 1940s. In an afterword written more than two decades later, the author expressed her dissatisfaction with the books language and structure. Paperback the bluest eye by toni morrison estimated delivery 312 business days format paperback condition brand new description first published in 1970 by morrison, winner of the 1993 nobel prize in literature, the novel tells the story of 11yearold pecola breedlove, the nightmare at the heart of her yearning, and the tragedy of its. The author was toni morrison, the book was the bluest eye and the rapist was cholly breedlove, the unemployed, alcoholic and fatherless father of 11yearold pecola breedlove. As moving and as poignant as morrison s other highly acclaimed works the bluest eye is a must read for anyone interested in the topics of race relations, poverty, and privilege and oppression dynamics. Refworks lives online and stores your references until you need them.
Topics novel collection opensource language english. Having heard and read a lot about toni morrison in various online and offline magazines. The novel opens in the fall of 1941, just after the great depression, in lorain, ohio. A powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity, toni morrisons virtuosic first novel asks powerful questions about race, class, and gender with the subtlety and grace. Get an answer for explain the title the bluest eye. Like sula and song of solomon after it, the book seems to me successful in universal terms, even if one shares neither morrisons origins nor her ideologies.
The bluest eye 1970, the first novel by toni morrison. We dont need to tell you anything more but the fact that todays summary is a story about a black 10year girl back in the 1940s to make you realize that youll need some tissues and a lot of strength. Pecola only dreams about having blue eyes because she believes blue eyes would make anybody beautiful and. For the most part, the bluest eye exceeded my expectations throughout the middle and end of the book. Miss morrison s prose is so precise, so faithful to speech and so charged with pain and wonder that the novel becomes poetry. Toni morrisons first novel, the bluest eye, was published by holt, rinehart, and winston in 1970 while morrison was an editor for random house in new york city. Eleven yearold pecola breedlove wants nothing more than to be loved by her family and schoolmates.
Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blueeyed children in america. Due to its unflinching portrayal of incest, prostitution, domestic violence, child molestation, and racism. The bluest eye, published in 1970, is the first novel written by author toni morrison. She feels ugly following the world perception of beauty, which is associated with whiteness.
The bluest eye had been published in 1970 and three. In the pages prior to the fateful moment morrison had intertwined chollys narrative with those of others in his world, employing language so precise and subtle that it. Toni morrison is one of the finest writers in america today. Sunk in the grass of an empty lot on a spring saturday, i split the stems of milkweed and thought about ants and peach pits and death and where the world went when i closed my eyes. Analysis of the bluest eye by toni morrison al affiliation the bluest eye is a short emotional story revolving around the life experience of pecola, a young black girl seeking love within her family and social society. The bluest eye by toni morrison 19990304 toni morrison on. Set in morrisons hometown of lorain, ohio, in 194041, the novel tells the tragic story of pecola breedlove, a young african american girl from an abusive home. When i read page by page, beauty of story telling was revealed layer by layer, when i read few paragraph, again and again, beauty of the words sung a song in my mind. In toni morrison s the bluest eye, it is obviously illustrated by the story of an eleven year old black girl, pecola breedlove, who wants to have the blue eyes. The bluest eye, by toni morrison, encompasses the themes of youth, gender, and race. Bluest eye by toni morrison, first edition abebooks. It tells the tragic story of pecola breedlove, a young black girl growing up in morrison s hometown of lorain, ohio, after the great depression. Toni morrison has an amazing way of painting character personality, including their vulnerabilities and insecurities.
Set in the authors girlhood hometown of lorain ohio, it tells the story of black, elevenyearold pecola breedlove. Essay about racism and sexism in the bluest eye 1798 words. A six volume set consisting of the bluest eye, sula, song of solomon, tar baby, beloved and jazz. The african american civil rights movement had recently ended at the time the novel was written. It is the story of 11yearold pecola breedlovea black girl in an america whose love for its blond, blueeyed children can devastate all otherswho prays for her eyes to turn blue. The bluest eye, toni morrisons first novel, was published when she was thirtynine and is anything but a novice work. T he bluest eye is not only a story but an aweinspiring poem that confronts beauty itself and the consequences of beauty standards on individuals.
So, prepare for a great deal of pain and even more suffering. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the bluest eye and what it means. Toni is an acclaimed author who has won several awards for her writing including the noble prize in 1993. Pecola equates beauty and social acceptance with whiteness, so she longs to have the bluest eye. The bluest eye by toni morrison essay 14 words 6 pages. Dealing with references the bluest eye by toni morrison. The bluest eye send to printer morrison, toni 1970 a yemisi jimoh university of massachusetts amherst genre. Morrison explores and exposes these themes in relation to the underlying factors of black society. The bluest eye is toni morrison s first novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and boldness of vision. The bluest eye by toni morrison, first edition abebooks. The bluest eye 9780375411557 by morrison, toni and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great. Synopsis nobel prizewinning author toni morrison s the bluest eye is a story about the tragic life of a young black girl in 1940s ohio. The book itself shows marginal shelf rubbing and toning of the edges, just a hint of dust spotting to the textblock edges, otherwise the binding is strong and tight, the text is clean and unmarked, and the boards are bright.