Rape in The Bluest Eye

4.1.4 Introvert in The Bluest Eye

Introvert is a character that people want to be alone all the time. It is not always because they like it but it is also because they are afraid to communicate with others. Introvert might be the cause of the isolation which is made by people around the victims. The character of introvert can be found on everyone, even on a child. An introvert child enjoys exploring their own thoughts and feelings, avoiding the social conversations. It is more to the inner world of a person himself. To all children, home is the first place of socialization and parents are the most powerful influences on children’s development. To what a child is developed is totally depended on both things. It is very important and crucial for parents to build a good relationship with their children. Knowing that he is loved for a child is also extremely essential. Those are things that will then develop children’s character. In The Bluest Eye, it can be seen how permissive Pecola’s parents are. Neither they are able to fulfill her physical needs nor they are able to fulfill her emotional needs. Feeling of unloved and isolated created Pecola becoming an introvert girl. As an introvert girl, Pecola is seen as a powerless girl who is easily bullied. However, this is not apart from the lesson which is taught by her mother. Learning from her mother about the ugliness of her blackness, she starts to dislike herself. Her parents especially her mom also embeds her with fear of life, which gradually leads her to become an introvert girl. The fear that she possess is indeed coming from her mother: . . . and into her daughter she beat a fear of growing up, fear of other people, fear of life. Morrison, 1970:102 This belief and the fear on her which is later on also affect the view of people to her. As she can’t see any good things about herself, she can’t bring out any good things, which makes people can’t see any of her good either. Consequently, when she is at school, her friends often mock her by making her as the victim of their joke. They use her to insult others. Also, they abash her and humiliate her using her blackness and her father. This negative teasing and comparisons which then also sway the growth of her introvert character. She also knew that when one of the girls at school wanted to be particularly insulting to a boy, or wanted to get an immediate response from him, she could say, “Bobby loves Pecola Breedlove Bobby loves Pecola Breedlove” and never fail to get peals of laughter from those in earshot, and mock anger from the accused. Morrison, 1970:40 They danced a macabre ballet around the victim, whom, for their own sake, they were prepared to sacrifice to the flaming pit. Black e mo Black e mo Ya daddy sleeps nekked Stch ta ta scth ta ta stach ta ta ta ta ta Pecola edged around the circle cyring. She had dropped her notebook, and covered her eyes with her hands. Morrison, 1970:55 Outside the school as well, she is emotionally abuse by words which is given to her. She is called with “nasty little black bitch”. “Bitch” is a “female dog”, which is very rude to scold someone with it. It is usually refer to impropriate woman too. While using “nasty” which means “dirty and disgusting” plus black made that phrase become ruder and more hurt especially to a child. “Get out,” she said, her voice quiet. “You nasty little black bitch. Get out of my house.” Morrison, 1970:75 Yet, the more humiliating part is when even her mother calls her “crazy fool”. As a mother who is supposed to protect her daughter, she makes her feel guilty and unloved by caring more on the beauty of her floor rather than her daughter. And when Pecola was knocked down by her mother in front of her friends, it is also shown that her mother doesn’t love her. She is mentally abused in front of her friends. In addition, when her mother prefers to calm the whites’ daughter down to her, Pecola’s mother sees her as an ugly girl indirectly, who isn’t worthy to be loved. “Crazy fool . . . my floor, mess . . . look what you . . . work . . . get on out . . . now that . . . crazy . . . my floor, my floor . . . my floor.” Her words were hotter and darker than the smoking berries, and we backed away in dread.” Morrison, 1970:87 We remembered Mrs. Breedlove knocking Pecola down and soothing the pink tears of the frozen doll baby that sounded like the door of our ice box. Morrison, 1970:148 Commonly, scars which are afflicted by a child will not be as painful as the wounds which are left on the child’s heart and mind. A child, like Pecola, who is not only suffer various physical and sexual abuses, but also psychological abuses either from insiders or from outsiders will somehow become more afraid to get along with others. She will eventually lose her faith on everyone and will turn into an introvert girl for no one is able to be trusted and to be depended on.

4.2 Adults’ Failures

Adults’ Failures mean any failures which are made by adults. Adults are normally seen as mature human beings who are able to protect children and are able to be a good role model with the privilege that they have. However, this privilege is often misused. For instance is the privilege which is possessed by the Soaphead Church in The Bluest Eye. As an adult who is labeled as the Soaphead Church, he is recognized as God’s messenger and God’s mediator. Thus, he is supposed to help