1970-06-01

1970-06-01

The Bluest Eye, published in 1970, was the first novel written by author Toni Morrison. The novel, which takes place in Lorain, Ohio, tells the life of a young African-American girl named Pecola who grows up during the years following the Great Depression. Set in 1941, the story reveals that due to her mannerisms and dark skin, she is consistently regarded as "ugly". As a result, she develops an inferiority complex, which fuels her desire for the blue eyes she equates with "whiteness". The point of view of the novel switches between various perspectives of Claudia MacTeer, the daughter of Pecola's foster parents, at different stages in her life. In addition, there is an omniscient third-person narrative which includes inset narratives in the first person. Due to controversial topics of racism, incest, and child molestation, there have been numerous attempts to ban the novel from schools and libraries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bluest_Eye