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How does racism reinforce ideas of self-hate and distorts the individual's perception of reality?

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In The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, racism reinforces ideas of self-hate and distorts perceptions of reality in the young African American girls in the story through whiteness being the standard of beauty.

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"The "folks" my mother was referring to was Pecola. The three of us, Pecola, Freida, and I, listened to her downstairs in the kitchen fussing about the amount of milk Pecola had drunk. We knew she was fond of the Shirley Temple cup and took every opportunity to drink milk out of it just to handle and see sweet Shirley's face." (Page 23)

Pecola does whatever it takes to get to see what "true beauty" is. By society's definition, whiteness is beauty. Pecola, knowing that she will never fulfill society's beauty standard, finds a sense of beauty elsewhere, specifically in the Shirley Temple cup. She drinks an obscene amount of milk just for another opportunity someone who is truly beautiful. The idea that being white is the only way to be beautiful distorts Pecola's perception of reality and reinforces ideas of self-hate as she will never feel beautiful in her own skin. She knows that no matter what, people will never think she is as beauty as Shirley Temple or other white girls are.

"The big, the special, the loving gift was always a big, blue-eyed Baby Doll. From the clocking sound of adults I knew that the doll represented what they thought was my fondest wish.” (Page 20)

The African American girls are confronted with the idea that whiteness is the beauty standard from all over. Even as gifts, Claudia is receiving a white doll as a constant reminder of what beauty is and gives her something to admire. However, Claudia doesn't admire the dolls. They reinforces the idea of self-hate due to the fact that she will never achieve what society considers beauty. Evident in Claudia's destroying of the dolls, systemic racism greatly impacts these girls and causes for them to hate their own skin, just because society tells them it isn't pretty.

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"I can't go to school no more. And I thought maybe you could help me... My eyes... I want them blue." (Page 174)

Throughout Pecola's life, she has always been taught that she isn't considered beautiful. She doesn't have white skin or blue eyes, meaning that she doesn't stand a chance compared to other girls in the eyes of society. This causes Pecola is hate own looks so much that she begs for Soaphead Church to change them. This need for change reinforces the idea that racism has created self-hate in these girls as they feel like they will never be beautiful. The girls are constantly thought of as ugly or just ignored because of their skin color.

"They are bluer, aren't they?... Bluer than Joanna's?... And bluer than Michelena's?" (Page 197)

Pecola has grown to hate her looks so much that she begs for blue eyes. However, once she believes that she receives the blue eyes, they aren't enough for her. This demonstrates how much Pecola has grown to hate her looks that no "change" towards beauty will ever be enough for her. The systemic racism that surrounds her has distorted her perception of reality, causing for her to believe that her eye color changed even though it did not. No matter what, Pecola and the other girls will never feel truly happy with their beauty because society is on the other side telling them that they will never be considered beautiful.

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""Get out," she said, her voice quiet. "You nasty little black bitch. Get out of my house." (Page 92)

Geraldine is a light-skinned woman has separated herself from the "dirtiness" from people with darker skins. This is evident in the way she treats Pecola. Racism in society has taught Geraldine to reject people with darker skin and to keep space between her and this specific group of people. By calling Pecola out based on her skin color, Geraldine is rejecting Pecola due to her skin color. This is another action that has developed self-hate in Pecola as no matter where she goes, she is reminded that she will never be beautiful because of her skin color.

"Black e mo Black e mo Ya daddy sleep nekked." (Page 65)

No matter where the girls are, racism is always present. Even walking home from school, Pecola was faced by boys who were bullying her due to her darker skin color. To them, because of what society has taught them, darker skin is accepted and racism is considered "normal" to the lighter skin kids. They have been taught to separate themselves from kids with darker skin. This manifests a great amount of self-hate into, not just Pecola but, all darker-skinned girls. They feel unhappy in their own skin as they are constantly being reminded by the lighter-skinned kids that they aren't good enough.

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""Crazy fool ... my floor, mess ... look what you ... work ... get on out ... not that ... crazy ... my floor, my floor ... my floor." Her words were hotter and darker than the smoking berries, and we backed away in dread. The little girl in pink started to cry. Mrs. Breedlove turned to her. "Hush, baby, hush. Come here."" (Page 109)

Pecola faces racism everywhere she goes, even in her own family. While her mother treats the white girls with affection and love, she treats Pecola very harshly and shows no love towards her own daughter. Pecola has no place where she is able to escape this systemic racism as it exists in her own family and the black community. This creates a great amount of self-hate in Pecola as she constantly feels like she will never be good enough, whether it's for society or her own mother. Furthermore, this racism distorts her perception of reality as it has convinced her that she will never be beautiful because she will never be white.

"The Breedloves did not live in a storefront because they were having temporary difficulty adjusting to the cutbacks at the plant. They lived there because they were poor and black, and they stayed there because they believed they were ugly." (Page 38)

Morrison uses this quote to show how the darker-skin characters of the story internalize the racism that they face throughout their lives. Because of the racism around them, the Breedloves now "believe" that they truly are ugly because of their skin color. This greatly shows how racism reinforces the idea of self-hate. Systemic racism in the lighter-skinned characters and in the black community itself has manifested a great amount of self-hate in the darker-skinned characters and has caused them to believe that they aren't beautiful or worthy because of their skin color.

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Systemic and internalized racism exist everywhere and manifest ideas of self-hate into young African American girls. Society has defined beauty as having white skin and blue eyes. Furthermore, all aspects of society, whether it is from light-skinned characters or within the black community, has taught these kids that their dark skin will never be considered beautiful. In many of the young girls, Claudia and Pecola for example, this racism has caused a great amount of self-hatred and a distortion of reality. These girls never feel beautiful in their own skin as they understand that society will never perceive them as beautiful. Pecola begs to receive blue eyes and when she is convinced she does, they aren't enough for her. To her, they have to be the bluest eyes possible or else she will never be pretty. All of this self-loathing and contorted reality stems from a constant reminder that light-skin is equivalent to beauty and that dark-skin will always be rejected. Whether it is Shirley Temple and the dolls or Mrs. Geraldine, the community that surrounds the young African Americans girls in the story continues to look down on dark-skin and ensures that the girls feel like they will never be enough.

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Great Job Molly

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