1) Summary of main arguments
2) Something surprising or interesting learned
3) Agree/disagree with the ideas and then apply this to a scene or example from the book (one not mentioned by the critic). Please try to disagree at least once with a critic. At the top, include how many pages, the bibliography information, which summary.
Author Criticism I: Keith E. Byerman I have a hard time sympathizing with characters who brutalize others as well. In Beloved though, Paul D is definitely a victim, but he also takes advantage of a young girl. At what point in our world do we forgive and need to forgive? On the other hand, is Mr. Byerman misinterpreting the text because he WANTS to be sympathetic? What was the critic saying about images? 10/10
Page 3-11= 9 Pages Summary
Keith E. Byerman's criticism lies on Toni Morrison's use of grotesque images is to 1) convey her message and 2) to grab the readers' attention. Often times, it is hard to create an image simply through words; therefore, at times, word cannot impact the reader. However, Toni Morrison does catch the readers' full attention and her strategy is to create grotesque images; to leave an impression in the reader's mind. In order to create these images, Morrison generalizes the black people as a group in society living an insecure and unhappy life. Morrison lucidly describes them as a voiceless sector in society. However, at the same time, Morrison creates two differently characterized black girls: Claudia and Pecola. Claudia lives a more stable life than Pecola despite the same repression they face in society. Moreover, Pecola's intensely unstable life creates the grotesque image. Pecola gets raped by her own father, Cholly, and faces a miscarriage. In addition, at the end of the story she goes insane and thinks that her eyes are blue like her idol Shirley Temple. Rape. Miscarriage. Insanity. These three aspects are the extreme images that Morrison creates to leave a impression in the reader's mind; to divulge the serious problem of racism. As Byerman mentions, Morrison's distortions represent the twisted American society.
Something Surprising or Interesting Learned
In this critical writing, Byerman draws a comparison between Claudia and Pecola, the two black girls in the novel, The Bluest Eye. As he mentioned, I realized that Claudia was more confident and stable than Pecola, but I never knew she had accepted and obeyed the racism existing in her society. I always thought, before reading this article, that Claudia was the character that fought through all odds to get her point across. To me, it seemed like she was the ideal idol for black people. However, to find out about her obedience to the dominant currency surprised me and made me realize that Toni Morrison is conveying the message that even the most confident black people cannot avoid society's invisible rules.
Agree/Disagree
Byerman speaks about the sympathy Morrison creates for Cholly. Moreover, Byermn titles Cholly as another victim of racism and society's repression. This is ironic because Cholly is the drunk man that abused his wife physically and caused her mental trauma while creating a gloomy atmosphere for his son and daughter, Pecola. When reading this book, I always thought that Cholly was the core of many problems within the story as he disrupts the harmony that used to exist in the family. And also, I can't justify his actions; he raped his own daughter, he made her pregnant. It may be that Cholly went through emotional difficulties due to social class conflicts and just the society neglecting him general yet his actions can not be justified. Therefore, I can't find or gather any sympathy for Cholly. Byerman sympathizes Cholly as a victim and justifies his sexual abuse as his longing for his wife,who is enraged with him and is no longer willing to keep the marriage due to his abusive and drinking habits. Longing for his wife and sexually abusing his daughter, Pecola, cannot correlate. Sexual abuse is amoral in every way; hence, no sympathy can be generated for Cholly. As a result, I disagree with Byerman's sympathy for this character.
Page 13-20= 8 Pages Several awkward places due to grammar: "elude from it," "impossible to occur. . .". Strong disagreement and your reasons. 9/10 Summary
Miner believes that Pecola's life would be different if she were to change what she sees. Pecola is described as a girl who is afraid of reality and who wishes to elude from it. Hence, she filters the negatives in her life and hides from it. When she sees her family beating each other up and fighting continuously, she hides under a quilt to hide from it. Pecola continues to just ignore or hide from what's on her plate even at school when the kids talk about her father, Cholly. This girl refuses her reality because she has a strong impulse to live her idealistic life, which is a white person's life-- something impossible to occur. Yet, she believes in miracles. She thinks that if she avoids and ignores what people say, she can eventually reach her goal. Hence, she covers her eyes from whatever she doesn't want to see. Nonetheless, this is futile as she can still hear what people speak about her and her family. When Maureen calls her ugly, it finally hits Pecola that she cannot simply just hide from reality and her condition. As a result, she wants blue eyes because she believes that having blue eyes will help her see the world in a better way or the eyes will bring her a better world, the white people's world. Yet, as Miner said "If Pecola were to see things differently, she might be seen differently."
Something Surprising or Interesting Learned
After reading Miner's critical views of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, I realized that the eye is major symbol in the novel. Miner focuses on how Pecola tries to control her sight to manipulate her reality, but after all, all she is doing is just simply escaping from her reality (or at least she tries to). Therefore, I realize that the eyes represent reality. Eyes observe reality and when eyes are hidden or covered, so is reality. Moreover, in the novel, people with blue eyes seem to have a perfect life. Hence, the blue eyes represent a ideal reality, the one that Pecola so desires for. Although the way people perceive things may differ, it is the eyes that create reality, that show reality. And because Pecola hates reality, she covered her eyes; because Pecola wanted a better life she was desperate for blue eyes.
Agree/Disagree
Miner emphasizes how Pecola's life could have been different if she changed the way viewed her life. Pecola was a quiet black girl unlike Claudia. She had an idol, Shirley Temple, who gave her hope in life. Yet, this hope led her to an impossible hope: to have blue eyes, to live the white people's life. I think Pecola could have gotten more out of her life if she were to view things differently. Pecola hid from her own reality by covering her eyes and her eyes simply viewed her life with a shade. Evidently, Pecola's life was harsh; perhaps too severe for a young girl to take. However, covering her eyes didn't help either as it also blocked out all the sunlight-- it made her ignore the positive aspects in her life. For example, although Claudia is black, she lives her life more confidently and happily. There was racism but there wasn't a rule that declared the black people to live a miserable life. And it was Pecola's envy of blue eyes that created a impulse to ignore the rest; to ignore her life. Nonetheless, reality doesn't change. Although Pecola tried to hide from her family troubles and other kids' negative remarks, she knew about them and heard about them so all of them built up in her inner senses whether she covered or uncovered her eyes. Therefore, if she was to open her eyes, she would have found better ways to enhance her life. And perhaps, her attitude would have created a better life for her and would have altered the way people viewed her.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Chelsea House, 1990. Print.
Miner, Madonne. "MAdonne M. Miner on Rape, Madness, and Silence in the Novel." Toni Morrison (2000): 13-20. Print.
10/10
Racism and Mental Health: Kamaldeep Bhui and Premila Trivedi
Page 1-14; 71-83: (total)= 27 Summary
Racism has many effects and some are more serious than others. It is indubitable that racism exists in society, but it's effects aren't fully exposed. Evidently, racism separates different groups and categorized some higher than the others. Yet, this isn't it; it's not simply the matter of feeling belittled or degraded. A person is born with his or her own identity and this is developed throughout life. However, racism impedes strengthening of this identity. Black people are often born with an automatic identity: minority. Despite the efforts to fight against the stereotypes and reserve a unique identity, racism and society's obedience to it eradicates these efforts. Hence, due to racism, many people encounter a confusion in their entity-- they don't know who they are. Moreover, people treat them differently solely based on their skin color, which drops them in even more confusion. As a result, due to racism, people face mental problems. They are lost, but they know they are degraded and they know they can't be the person they are willing to be. Racism enervates its victims and sucks out the happiness and confidence in them. Therefore, these people feel repressed and they lack confidence. Such negative effects cause the black or other minority people to step away from the main society and become socially excluded. Racism triggers countless violent actions, but these are temporary unlike the effects on mental health, which are long-lasting and which leave people with no voice. Racism makes the minority groups feel worthless for no apparent reason but their skin color.
Something Surprising or Interesting Learned
Racism isn't hard to find in society and despite the efforts, it's a hard thing to eradicate. However, I didn't think that racism would affect children as well. As I read this article, there was an example about a black girl feeling worthless in the playground simply because of her skin color. This situation was similar to Pecola in The Bluest Eye, who felt ugly and worthless because she wasn't white like Shirley Temple. It surprised me greatly that young children have to go through racism at such a young age. Why should they feel worthless? Every child is worthy in his or her own way. It's disturbing to learn that young minds are impeded from growing because of racism's effect on their mental health. Children shouldn't be forced to accept racism as a "natural" thing.
Agree/Disagree
In this article, Bhui talks about a specific human characteristic: skin. The author claims that skin is just one of the many characteristics of human beings and one of the trivial ones to define a person. Yet, it is used to judge somebody before knowing them. It is used to stereotype somebody before asking their name. It is used to belittle somebody without saying a word to them. I agree with Bhui. Skin color has a big impact on physical appearance but it's a minimal characteristic in a person. The skin color really means nothing and says nothing about the person standing in front of you. Yet, unfortunately, I also have to agree with the author that this characteristic is overused to define somebody. A person shouldn't be recognized by their skin color. Such actions prevent these people from being warm and nice to strangers. These actions prevent these people to step into society with confidence. It's important to find positive relations with others without simply observing their skin color. Why step away from somebody because they are black? Judging people by their color creates severe pain in them and a feeling of worthlessness. As Bhui mentioned, there is no reason to racism.
Bibliography
Bhui, Kamaldeep, Racism and Mental Health: Prejudice and Suffering. London and Philadephia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Questia.Web. 7 Feb 2010.
Bhui, Kamaldeep and Trivedi, Premila, "Feeling of Racism, Social Exclusion and Mental Health." London and Philadelphia. Bhui, Kamaldeep. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
2) Something surprising or interesting learned
3) Agree/disagree with the ideas and then apply this to a scene or example from the book (one not mentioned by the critic). Please try to disagree at least once with a critic. At the top, include how many pages, the bibliography information, which summary.
Author Criticism I: Keith E. Byerman I have a hard time sympathizing with characters who brutalize others as well. In Beloved though, Paul D is definitely a victim, but he also takes advantage of a young girl. At what point in our world do we forgive and need to forgive? On the other hand, is Mr. Byerman misinterpreting the text because he WANTS to be sympathetic? What was the critic saying about images? 10/10
Page 3-11= 9 PagesSummary
Keith E. Byerman's criticism lies on Toni Morrison's use of grotesque images is to 1) convey her message and 2) to grab the readers' attention. Often times, it is hard to create an image simply through words; therefore, at times, word cannot impact the reader. However, Toni Morrison does catch the readers' full attention and her strategy is to create grotesque images; to leave an impression in the reader's mind. In order to create these images, Morrison generalizes the black people as a group in society living an insecure and unhappy life. Morrison lucidly describes them as a voiceless sector in society. However, at the same time, Morrison creates two differently characterized black girls: Claudia and Pecola. Claudia lives a more stable life than Pecola despite the same repression they face in society. Moreover, Pecola's intensely unstable life creates the grotesque image. Pecola gets raped by her own father, Cholly, and faces a miscarriage. In addition, at the end of the story she goes insane and thinks that her eyes are blue like her idol Shirley Temple. Rape. Miscarriage. Insanity. These three aspects are the extreme images that Morrison creates to leave a impression in the reader's mind; to divulge the serious problem of racism. As Byerman mentions, Morrison's distortions represent the twisted American society.
Something Surprising or Interesting Learned
In this critical writing, Byerman draws a comparison between Claudia and Pecola, the two black girls in the novel, The Bluest Eye. As he mentioned, I realized that Claudia was more confident and stable than Pecola, but I never knew she had accepted and obeyed the racism existing in her society. I always thought, before reading this article, that Claudia was the character that fought through all odds to get her point across. To me, it seemed like she was the ideal idol for black people. However, to find out about her obedience to the dominant currency surprised me and made me realize that Toni Morrison is conveying the message that even the most confident black people cannot avoid society's invisible rules.
Agree/Disagree
Byerman speaks about the sympathy Morrison creates for Cholly. Moreover, Byermn titles Cholly as another victim of racism and society's repression. This is ironic because Cholly is the drunk man that abused his wife physically and caused her mental trauma while creating a gloomy atmosphere for his son and daughter, Pecola. When reading this book, I always thought that Cholly was the core of many problems within the story as he disrupts the harmony that used to exist in the family. And also, I can't justify his actions; he raped his own daughter, he made her pregnant. It may be that Cholly went through emotional difficulties due to social class conflicts and just the society neglecting him general yet his actions can not be justified. Therefore, I can't find or gather any sympathy for Cholly. Byerman sympathizes Cholly as a victim and justifies his sexual abuse as his longing for his wife,who is enraged with him and is no longer willing to keep the marriage due to his abusive and drinking habits. Longing for his wife and sexually abusing his daughter, Pecola, cannot correlate. Sexual abuse is amoral in every way; hence, no sympathy can be generated for Cholly. As a result, I disagree with Byerman's sympathy for this character.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. New York: Chelsea House, 1999. Questia. Web. 30 Jan. 2010.
Byerman, Keith. Intense Behaviors: the Use of the Grotesque in the Bluest Eye and Eva's Man . New York, 1999. Bloom, Harold. Chelsea House. New York, NY, 2010
Author Criticism II: Madonne M. Miner
Page 13-20= 8 Pages Several awkward places due to grammar: "elude from it," "impossible to occur. . .". Strong disagreement and your reasons. 9/10Summary
Miner believes that Pecola's life would be different if she were to change what she sees. Pecola is described as a girl who is afraid of reality and who wishes to elude from it. Hence, she filters the negatives in her life and hides from it. When she sees her family beating each other up and fighting continuously, she hides under a quilt to hide from it. Pecola continues to just ignore or hide from what's on her plate even at school when the kids talk about her father, Cholly. This girl refuses her reality because she has a strong impulse to live her idealistic life, which is a white person's life-- something impossible to occur. Yet, she believes in miracles. She thinks that if she avoids and ignores what people say, she can eventually reach her goal. Hence, she covers her eyes from whatever she doesn't want to see. Nonetheless, this is futile as she can still hear what people speak about her and her family. When Maureen calls her ugly, it finally hits Pecola that she cannot simply just hide from reality and her condition. As a result, she wants blue eyes because she believes that having blue eyes will help her see the world in a better way or the eyes will bring her a better world, the white people's world. Yet, as Miner said "If Pecola were to see things differently, she might be seen differently."
Something Surprising or Interesting Learned
After reading Miner's critical views of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, I realized that the eye is major symbol in the novel. Miner focuses on how Pecola tries to control her sight to manipulate her reality, but after all, all she is doing is just simply escaping from her reality (or at least she tries to). Therefore, I realize that the eyes represent reality. Eyes observe reality and when eyes are hidden or covered, so is reality. Moreover, in the novel, people with blue eyes seem to have a perfect life. Hence, the blue eyes represent a ideal reality, the one that Pecola so desires for. Although the way people perceive things may differ, it is the eyes that create reality, that show reality. And because Pecola hates reality, she covered her eyes; because Pecola wanted a better life she was desperate for blue eyes.
Agree/Disagree
Miner emphasizes how Pecola's life could have been different if she changed the way viewed her life. Pecola was a quiet black girl unlike Claudia. She had an idol, Shirley Temple, who gave her hope in life. Yet, this hope led her to an impossible hope: to have blue eyes, to live the white people's life. I think Pecola could have gotten more out of her life if she were to view things differently. Pecola hid from her own reality by covering her eyes and her eyes simply viewed her life with a shade. Evidently, Pecola's life was harsh; perhaps too severe for a young girl to take. However, covering her eyes didn't help either as it also blocked out all the sunlight-- it made her ignore the positive aspects in her life. For example, although Claudia is black, she lives her life more confidently and happily. There was racism but there wasn't a rule that declared the black people to live a miserable life. And it was Pecola's envy of blue eyes that created a impulse to ignore the rest; to ignore her life. Nonetheless, reality doesn't change. Although Pecola tried to hide from her family troubles and other kids' negative remarks, she knew about them and heard about them so all of them built up in her inner senses whether she covered or uncovered her eyes. Therefore, if she was to open her eyes, she would have found better ways to enhance her life. And perhaps, her attitude would have created a better life for her and would have altered the way people viewed her.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Chelsea House, 1990. Print.
Miner, Madonne. "MAdonne M. Miner on Rape, Madness, and Silence in the Novel." Toni Morrison (2000): 13-20. Print.
10/10
Racism and Mental Health: Kamaldeep Bhui and Premila Trivedi
Page 1-14; 71-83: (total)= 27Summary
Racism has many effects and some are more serious than others. It is indubitable that racism exists in society, but it's effects aren't fully exposed. Evidently, racism separates different groups and categorized some higher than the others. Yet, this isn't it; it's not simply the matter of feeling belittled or degraded. A person is born with his or her own identity and this is developed throughout life. However, racism impedes strengthening of this identity. Black people are often born with an automatic identity: minority. Despite the efforts to fight against the stereotypes and reserve a unique identity, racism and society's obedience to it eradicates these efforts. Hence, due to racism, many people encounter a confusion in their entity-- they don't know who they are. Moreover, people treat them differently solely based on their skin color, which drops them in even more confusion. As a result, due to racism, people face mental problems. They are lost, but they know they are degraded and they know they can't be the person they are willing to be. Racism enervates its victims and sucks out the happiness and confidence in them. Therefore, these people feel repressed and they lack confidence. Such negative effects cause the black or other minority people to step away from the main society and become socially excluded. Racism triggers countless violent actions, but these are temporary unlike the effects on mental health, which are long-lasting and which leave people with no voice. Racism makes the minority groups feel worthless for no apparent reason but their skin color.
Something Surprising or Interesting Learned
Racism isn't hard to find in society and despite the efforts, it's a hard thing to eradicate. However, I didn't think that racism would affect children as well. As I read this article, there was an example about a black girl feeling worthless in the playground simply because of her skin color. This situation was similar to Pecola in The Bluest Eye, who felt ugly and worthless because she wasn't white like Shirley Temple. It surprised me greatly that young children have to go through racism at such a young age. Why should they feel worthless? Every child is worthy in his or her own way. It's disturbing to learn that young minds are impeded from growing because of racism's effect on their mental health. Children shouldn't be forced to accept racism as a "natural" thing.
Agree/Disagree
In this article, Bhui talks about a specific human characteristic: skin. The author claims that skin is just one of the many characteristics of human beings and one of the trivial ones to define a person. Yet, it is used to judge somebody before knowing them. It is used to stereotype somebody before asking their name. It is used to belittle somebody without saying a word to them. I agree with Bhui. Skin color has a big impact on physical appearance but it's a minimal characteristic in a person. The skin color really means nothing and says nothing about the person standing in front of you. Yet, unfortunately, I also have to agree with the author that this characteristic is overused to define somebody. A person shouldn't be recognized by their skin color. Such actions prevent these people from being warm and nice to strangers. These actions prevent these people to step into society with confidence. It's important to find positive relations with others without simply observing their skin color. Why step away from somebody because they are black? Judging people by their color creates severe pain in them and a feeling of worthlessness. As Bhui mentioned, there is no reason to racism.
Bibliography
Bhui, Kamaldeep, Racism and Mental Health: Prejudice and Suffering. London and Philadephia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Questia.Web. 7 Feb 2010.
Bhui, Kamaldeep and Trivedi, Premila, "Feeling of Racism, Social Exclusion and Mental Health." London and Philadelphia. Bhui, Kamaldeep. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.