The Bluest Eye: Socratic Seminar Questions

1. Like in "Trading Places", do you think Pecola is just a result of bad environment? Or is there another reason why her life played out as it did?

2. Do you think standards of white beauty exist today? If so in what way?

3. Do you think a certain gender is more understanding to race?

4. Do you agree with the way sex is portrayed in the novel?

5. Is the way Pecola's life plays out an accurate depiction of a black girl in the time period?

6. What in your opinion would be the best way to fight racism for Pecola?

7. What do the blue eyes represent other then Pecola's wish to be beautiful? What does it tell us about Pecola herself?

The Standard of Beauty

 Beauty can be best defined as the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind. There is no conversation of black or white in that definition. In the past and still today, people have set the standard of beauty to simply white beauty. From the media telling white women how they look is beautiful, and that it's even "correct", clouds the images of black women when they look in the mirror (Tracy par 3). Seeking this approved beauty, black women will straighten their hair, apply light shading makeup, and even get surgeries to alter the shape and attributes of their face. The media has actually accomplished the feat of convincing people to what is beautiful and what is not. Granted many white women struggle to be beautiful and find their own beauty, they are constantly reassured by society and the media that their attributes are classic or the "ideal" (Tracy par 3). 

    The Bluest Eye shares this standard of beauty. The main character in the book, Pecola, believes she is an ugly black girl. She desperately yearns to fit the white standard of beauty that has been set by her society. The black female adults in the book have learned to hate the blackness of their bodies and essentially take it out on their children. It is portrayed that once a black girl reaches a certain age it is expected that she will learn to hate the color of her skin and embrace racial self loathing. Pecola relates beauty to being loved. She thinks if she can alter the way she looks to the way people want her to look, people will love and respect her. This is where the "Bluest Eye" gets its title. Pecola wishes she has blue eyes to make her beautiful so she will be loved and respected and escape her life of cruelty. 

    It is hard to escape from beauty no matter what culture you are. Though people strive for certain white attributes, whether you're white, black, yellow, red, or green, everywhere you go aspects of beauty will impact you. It is a fact that if you are not as pretty or good looking you will not be treated as nicely or with as much respect in the world; especially for women. Beauty culture is completely two faced. The media and society preaches this "natural beauty" while at the same time you will never see a model on a magazine cover without being botoxed, airbrushed, or showered with makeup. So why does the world struggle to see what is actually beautiful and what is not? The image of beauty has been labeled by a standard, thus causing so much confusion and struggle to the victims "seeking" to be beautiful. 

Will and Grace

Television today seems to lack a certain level of reality when it comes to homosexuality. Shows do not really depict gay men or women very often or in a real sense. Most programs keep their shows relating to a heterosexual lifestyle and stay out of the realm of homosexuality. This heterosexism is very common to see in television, but not in the real world.
Few shows portray gay characters in a regular sense, but one comes to mind. Will and Grace was a show that broke many barriers of straight vs. gay. This show was the first network series to have more then one homosexual character as principal characters in the plot. The two main gay characters were Will Truman and Jack McFarland. Will was a lawyer and did not fit the normal stereotypes of a gay man. He was not flamboyant or loud, he just went along with his life like a straight man would except his sex life was different. Jack on the other hand was the complete opposite. He was a struggling actor, singer, and dancer who went from boyfriend to boyfriend and fit every gay stereotype one could think of. Jack was very concerned about how he looked all the time and talked in a very high pitch feminine tongue. Will and Grace was set in New York City. This was a smart decision because the city is very liberal and makes the most sense for a show like that to take place there. Homosexuality is embraced in the city and people can live happily being openly gay.
Will and Grace was a rare kind of show. Nothing else on TV contained more then one gay character, especially those that the show mainly revolves around. It was a big step in societal culture. It gave people at home a chance to see beyond their heterosexist lives and glance at the life of two gay men. It was a gateway for people to experience the struggle, the reality, and the normality of a homosexual lifestyle.