Bluest Eye Lesson Plan

What power dynamics have you noticed within these last sections? Who has power over who in The Bluest Eye?

The most obvious power dynamic is between the children and the adults. Claudia and Frieda have a deep love and respect for their mother, but they also fear her. They make decisions based on whether she will be angry. They understand that they have very little power and agency in their lives. The same was true of Cholly in his relationship with Aunt Jimmy. Another power dynamic is the one embedded within racism. Even though there are no named white characters, the racial hierarchy in the United States, particularly at that time, is evident in the lives of the black...