English Literature Essay

sexual activity as reflected in literature gives readers pictures that apply, illustrate and reinforce norms and values accepted by ordering. Authors, whether they argon aware of it or not, are themselves fondized into grammatical grammatical sexual urge systems that are reflected in the themes, divisions and plots of their texts. Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye presents grammatical grammatical sexual activity as a theme that cuts across many social constructions in society.She does not erupt at the conventional and surface definition of gender as a social construction of the usages and norms of male and female, but shows how class, take to the woods and even gender subgroups deepen the hierarchies and power relations between different people in society. Though the main focus of her novel is the concept of bag, the writer posits that dish is determined by gender subgroups, race and class. In this es ordain, it is proposed that the concept beauty is a tool used by Morrison to illustrate the hierarchies and values created by race, class and gender.To show the impact of race, class and gender on two the psyche of the single(a) and the collective consciousness of society, Morrison uses teenage black girls as protagonists and narrates their family experiences, making sure to highlight experiences which involve discrimination and oppression by gender, class and race. Though her narratives constantly switch personas, the writer notes that the first person narrative belongs to Claudia, who is often seen to defy the norms and values that Morrison presents.The former is seen to defy the culture of young girls into motherhood done the gifting of dolls, I had no engagement in babies or the concept of motherhood (Morrison 15). Claudia also defies the convention of beauty, of fair- hidened girls with curly nordic hair and docile eyes such as Shirley Temple, often disdain the latter with a cruel and furious hatred, as seen in her interposition of the dol l she received as a gift. Through this, a gender subgroup is sh suffer, or possibly, even a category which cuts across gender, which is race.The novel illustrates the presence of gender and class hierarchies that may be structured on the fanny of race or gender. Distinctions of duster male, white female, black male, black female, white child and black child are presented. Hierarchies are illustrated and the relationships these subgroups have to wholeness another are presented. Seen through the eyes of Pauline Breedlove, the black female is sh hold to serve almost wholly of them, whiten wo men said, Do this. White children said, reach out me that. White men said, Come here. Black men said, Lay down. (Morrison 93). The character outrided to infer black womens only power, which is as a parent to a child, The only people they need not outcome orders from were black children and each other (Morrison 93). Gender systems and hierarchies denote a square up of norms and values that all these subgroups adhere to. For women, roles are the embodiment of these norms and values. Age, class and race are the determinants of such roles.A young girl is expected to shelter her virtue and help her mother. A housewife is expected to be crimp to her husband, perform domestic work, responsible for child-rearing, up to(p) to earn additional income for the family and continue the virtues she learned as a young girl. If a female would somehow not fit within the previously-stated norms, such as the case of Frieda, Claudias sis, she would be labeled deviant or, in Morrisons work, ruined. Frieda relates the stigma and headache this label entails in her conversation with Claudia exclude Dunion came in after everybody was quiet, and florists chrysanthemum and Daddy was fussing about who let Mr. Henry in anyway, and she said that mamma should take me to the doctor, because I might be ruined, and Mama started screaming all over againBut why were you crying? I dresst wa nt to be ruined. (Morrison 67) The scene of ruined in Morrisons work is a source of so much anxiety for Frieda because of their percept of a ruined woman, where here, Claudia shares the anxiety and fear in an image of her own, An image of Frieda, big and fat, came to mind.Her thin legs swollen, her face surrounded by layers of rouged skin (Morrison 67). Frieda is so terribly distressed at being ruined that she and her sister strive to find ways to counteract this status or perhaps medicate it. She and Claudia urgently think, But Frieda, you could exercise and not eat withal what about China and Poland, Theyre ruined too, arent they? And they aint fat. Thats because they drink whisky. Mama says whiskey are them up.You could drink whiskey (Morrison 67). In Morrisons novel, being ruined is equivalent to being a whore or prostitute, a woman generally frowned upon by society because of her type of work and her non-adherence to the values of virtue and chastity expected of women. This i s illustrated through a reference to the character the Maginot Line, Poland and China, or to Pecolas ignorance of their true profession, Miss Marie, Miss Poland and Miss China.The value of virtue and chastity that women are positively charged to is embodied in the role of a virgin or real wife, which the previously-mentioned women are most certainly not and are consequently stigmatized by the community. However, these women are aware and accept the stigma and fully understand their role prescription and label of ruined as a choice they made, characterizing themselves as whores in whores clothing, whores who had never been young and had no word for innocence (Morrison 42). disrespect their self-prescription, stigma and community perceptual experiences, these women are aware of their deviance and accept it, implying that they are aware and accept what is proper and appropriate, Their only respect was for what they would have exposit as good Christian colored women. The woman whos e reputation was spotless, and who tended to her family, who didnt drink or smoke or run around. These women had their undying, if covert, affection. (Morrison 41-42) Other whole kit and caboodle by female authors present this image of good women.Mary Eleanor Wilkins freemans A New England Nun shows Louisa Ellis, who waits for Joe Dagget for 15 years to conjoin him and stays at home, sews and does housework all day and performs domestic work. She is characterized as meek, stiff, peaceful and virtuous (Freeman). Here, Louisa Ellis performs all the roles and tasks ascribed to a single woman. A White Heron also shows an image of a good girl in the character of Sylvia, who follows her grandmothers instructions, is quiet and complacent towards older men and keeps a secret within her girls heart (Jewett).It moldiness be noted however, that this image uses only gender as a category for prescription. This image is elevated to the level of race as a gender subgroup through Pecola Breedlo ve who alludes to her fondest fancy of blue eyes (Morrison). The dimensions of this dream and how it is wrought by the previously-mentioned gender systems to the point of oppression and revulsion for oneself is almost exorbitant and pitiful. Langston Hughes Harlem may describe Pecolas dream as one that Fester(s) wish a sore / and then run? (4-5), showing how much discommode Pecola spirits and experiences because of her unfulfilled dream.She considers her brown eyes a sore, for the absence of her fulfilled dream of blue eyes is the presence of her brown eyes. The horror of her wish and the despair of her yearning is expressed at the end of Morrisons work, when all these gender systems, roles and values bear down upon her because of her fathers impregnating her. Her split record or other voice in her head accompanies her new apprehension of having blue eyes, the bluest eyes, which makes her feel that she is above everyone else.She no longer hides behind her evil as she did b efore (Morrison 28), but sees people unable to bear their own in the presence of the ultimate symbol and sign of beauty, that she alone possesses, the bluest eyes. judge 1 Reflection When I gave into my emotions and intellect for this essay, I found myself to feel very strongly about Pecolas situation and her perception of her own appearance and beauty. To think that she conceives the disdain and disgust that other feel for her and is able to project it within herself is almost traumatizing for me especially since I know how young she is.Compounded oppression, bad family situation and victimization are features of her life that may make one almost think that her fate was horribly ineluctable and her desire for blue eyes one that elicits deep sympathy. Discussing this with others and presenting my ideas on gender and how deep the scars of gender-based violence may run has given me insight on the historical and cultural relevance of Morrisons work and how others works same(p) Kate Chopin, Jewett and Freeman reflect this type violence. I would consider Pecolas perception as an effect of violence.Thinking about the story, I would think that Pecolas innocence was still intact even after she was raped by her father perhaps through her own minds tempestuous denial, but her psyche was totally shattered when she received her wish of blue eyes. Relating this text to my courses on women studies and feminism, a deeper analysis would have shown the intricacies of race, class and gender and how the hierarchies created by these ternary based solely on oppressive social constructions can destroy whole countries, whole peoples of color and at the individual level, complete psyches and perceptions.The scope and range of feminism tends to question everything and I wanted to do that but felt limited by the number of pages allowed. When person would read my essay, I would hope that it would spark a little interest in re-examining texts and even his/her own perceptions on ra ce, class and gender. I would say that my essays goal would be to spark insight in my reader about the world and society in terms of the three social constructions I mentioned.