Books

new york: holt, rinehart, winston, 1971. signed second printing, 1971. the book which, per the "new york times," "cut a new path through the american literary landscape by placing black girls at the center of the story." morrison's debut novel is set in her hometown of lorain, ohio. taking place in 1941, it centers on pecola breedlove, a young african-american girl who is marked as "ugly" due to her dark skin and awkward mannerisms. this persistent social rejection leads her to develop an inferiority complex and a desperate desire for blue eyes, symbolizing her yearning for the beauty and status she associates with "whiteness." narrated primarily from the perspective of claudia macteer, pecola’s foster sister, the novel also incorporates third-person omniscient narration. morrison explores difficult and controversial themes, including racism, incest, and child molestation, which have led to the book being frequently challenged and banned in schools and libraries. signed…

The Bluest Eye is the first novel written by Toni Morrison. It was published in 1970 and is set in Lorain, Ohio, Morrison's hometown. The story is about Pecola Breedlove, an African-American girl who prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be considered beautiful and gain the affection and acceptance of her community.