Toni Morrison wrote this novel in 1970, when racial tensions were high and the model of white beauty was accepted as the norm, but even now in today society we can see that it still applies to our culture. ... In the same manner, Pauline Breedlove's personal history is shown to have played out in extreme measure, in life of her daughter. ... Nature is a recurring theme in the story and plays an important role in positing why Pecola is rejected. ...

• Word Count: 2499
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography

John Kotre's How Memory Speaks describes memory as: "A scene we experience for a moment-and only once-remains clear in our minds for a lifetime, yet we forget the looks of things we see and touch almost every day." ... Memory plays a crucial role in the major themes of The Bluest Eye. ... "The time you won your town the race/ we chaired you through the market- place/ Man and boy stood cheering by/ and home we brought you shoulder high/." ... Does memory provide a means to integrate ourselves into a future of our own devising or does it chain us to an unchangeable past? ...

• Word Count: 1615
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School