This document contains discussion questions about Toni Morrison's novel "The Bluest Eye". It addresses themes in the novel like race relations, purity, and violence. It also analyzes Morrison's use of excerpts from Dick and Jane primers at the beginning of sections and the symbolism of a cat in the story. Finally, it discusses the perspective of seeing the story through different characters' eyes rather than the main character Pecola's direct point of view.

1. The Bluest Eye
Toni Morrison

2. Ideal Image
 Lupita Nyong’o Speech
 How might this relate to the novel
or “The Black Beauty Myth?”
 What characters might have similar feelings about
appearance? How do we know?

3. Black Beauty Myth
 Homage to my Hips
 http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179615
 Clifton Video
 http://vimeo.com/36987057
 How do we see these ideas reflected within Morrison’s
book?

4. Themes
 Women in poverty
 Race relations
 Innocence or Purity
 Pride
 Jealousy
 Sex and Shame
 Violence
 With your group,
examine your theme.
Find two quotes that are
relevant to the theme in
this section, and explain
why this theme is
important. Be prepared
to discuss.

5. Dick and Jane
 Why do you think Morison chooses to open each section
with words from this primer?
 What is significant about the blurring of the sentences?
 How do the words of the primer connect to the section?
 These primers were educational tools. Who is being
educated in this novel, and what is the subject?

6. The Cat
 How might the cat be symbolic?
 Why does Pecola like/ notice the cat?
 Why do you think Junior’s mom loves the cat so much?
 Why is the death of the cat significant?
 How does this tie in with the other themes of the novel?

7. Perspective
 We see this section from the point of view of several
characters. What does that add to the novel?
 Though we see Pecola through the eyes of other
characters, the story has not been told from her point
of view directly. How does this impact the novel? Why
would Morrison make this rhetorical choice?
 We also see groups of people lumped together in
sweeping descriptions of characteristics, personalities,
behaviors, etc. What purpose does this serve?

8. Blog Reel: Miley Cyrus and
Twerking
If there's one thing that bothered her about the fallout, it was the idea that
her performance was racist, or a "minstrel show," because, critics argued, she
appropriated a dance style common in black culture and used black backup
dancers like props. "I don't keep my producers or dancers around 'cause it
makes me look cool," she says. "Those aren't my 'accessories.' They're my
homies." Meanwhile, she argues, the idea that she's somehow playing black is
absurd. "I'm from one of the wealthiest counties in America," she says. "I know
what I am. But I also know what I like to listen to. Look at any 20-year-old
white girl right now – that's what they're listening to at the club. It's 2013. The
gays are getting married, we're all collaborating. I would never think about
the color of my dancers, like, 'Ooh, that might be controversial.' What do you
mean?" she says with a laugh. "Times are changing. I think there's a generation
or two left, and then it's gonna be a whole new world."

9. Find Out More
 http://jezebel.com/miley-cyruss-antics-are-being-
encouraged-by-black-peop-1377352058
 http://tressiemc.com/2013/08/27/when-your-brown-
body-is-a-white-wonderland/