The Bluest Eyes

I'm reading The Bluest Eyes written by Toni Morrison. This book has a tight hold on me with the issues of self hatred, racism, and life as an African American girl. It's easy to say, "I hate my nose because it's so big", but when you live your life knowing everything about you; your family, your life, and more over yourself, you wallow in self hatred. This character is Pecola, who constantly finds herself praying for blue eyes.

In this book, blue eyes are cast on a higher standard than any other dream an African American girl could have. Blue eyes belong to "Shirley Temple, Mary Jane on Mary Jane candies, and Jane in the primer school" but not to black girls. Blue eyes signify everlasting happiness and acceptance in a harsh world and with insults hurled your way at school and in the eyes of strangers, blue eyes are the only escape. 

Pecola believes with blue eyes teacher would actually look at her, in her eyes, and people would have to be nice to her. The white girls never had to bear the harsh stares and gestures Pecola did, especially with her "unusual ugliness", so they joined in the taunting, never wanting to be the one ostracized and jeered.

In our lives, blue eyes are the things we want to make ourselves look or feel better, because we expect them to give us the things we pray for . We think "If I only had a car, i wouldn't be late for school" but why can't we be thankful for the things we have, or lack of, and think of them not as a burden but a blessing. This blued blessing sets us apart and makes us different inside and out, because you can try to change your outward appearance, but know you deserve more than the image you're trying to portray.