LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 1 January 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.

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Maternal Images: Reading Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

Monika Singh, M.A., M.Phil. (English)

Cover page of Bluest Eye

Abstract

The present paper explores the maternal images as portrayed in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. The analysis highlights the irritatingly negative attitude of African American motherhood which stems from the deep disappointment and negligence in the lives of these women. Still, there are a couple of mothers who derive their inspiration from African values and cultural practices and offer a resistance against the maternal stereotype imposed by the white literature. The basic tenet of the paper is to stress the construction of the stereotypes of black motherhood as an ideological tool to control and define the black mothers in American society. Confronted with the reality that the patriarchal order around which society is structured does not allow black women equal access at par with their white counterparts. Numerous black children have suffered at the hands of many black females, but when their dividends are dependent on class, race, and social status, it becomes impossible to fulfill their roles as mothers.

Key Words: Maternal Images, African American Motherhood, Stereotypes, Patriarchy

Aspects of the Portrayal of Motherhood

Portrayal of motherhood has always been one of the most dominant preoccupations of all the Black women writers as it finds its vivid and graphic manifestation in their works. These writers build upon black women’s experience of and perspectives on motherhood to develop a view of black motherhood in terms of both maternal identity and maternal role. Their perception of motherhood is radically different from that of dominant culture where Black motherhood has been used as a distinctly complex ideology to control Black women. They have been assigned certain stereotypes as breeder, concubine, sapphire, mammy, and mule and projected as more eager for motherhood than their white counterparts in most of white literature. Furthermore, the white literature also endorses their capability as mothers as compared to the white women “…all black women became superhuman mother, not only for their own people, but for white people as well. More than white women, it is assured, black women look to motherhood as their chief justification in life; and more than white women, they are physically and emotionally capable of handling the responsibilities with it” (Wade-Gayles, 59).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Monika Singh, M.A., M.Phil. (English)
Department of English and Modern European Languages
University of Lucknow
Lucknow 247667
Uttar Pradesh
India
singh.monika.lko@gmail.com
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