Analysis of The Bluest Eye from the Perspective of Post-colonialism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/6je5dr85Keywords:
Cultural hegemony, post-colonialism, The Bluest Eye, Toni MorrisonAbstract
Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye centers on the tragic fate of Pecola Breedlove to reveal the self-destruction of the Black community resulting from the internalization of white aesthetic standards. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony from a post-colonial perspective, this thesis analyzes the alienation of Black identity, the estrangement of cultural identity, and the possibility of spiritual emancipation. It first elucidates how white cultural hegemony leads to self-hatred and identity alienation among Black subjects, and then reveals the mechanism by which racism is internalized and reinforced through intra-community victimization. Finally, by examining the resistant practices of the MacTeer family and the marginalized prostitutes, the thesis explores pathways toward cultural self-awareness and self-redemption. This study argues that the novel not only critiques the spiritual colonization of white cultural hegemony but also implies the potential for cultural self-restoration, offering significant literary insights for understanding identity construction and resistance strategies in the post-colonial context.
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