Racism Against American Blacks as Portrayed in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

ABSTRACT

Among many social problems occurring in this world, racism is the most controversial problem because Racism is often used to justify one’s position in society. Racism is commonly discussed by many sociologists, anthropologists and even artists. Toni Morrison is one of the artists who chooses her problem for her novel entitled The Bluest Eye.

This study is aimed at finding the forms of racial attitude, the efforts of
American black to reduce racism and comparing between the phenomena of racism found in the novel and in the real life of American society.

In this study, the writer applies genetic structuralism literary criticism approach to analyze the novel. Genetic structuralism analyzes the literary work from two point of views; intrinsic and extrinsic element. It connects literary structure and society structure through the view of the world or ideology that is expressed. The primary data are taken from the novel The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. The secondary data are taken from many books, articles and texts dealing with racism happened in the United States, especially in Lorain Ohio around 1941 which are related to the racism.

Based on the writer’s analysis, racism portrayed in the novel, the writer finds (1) the forms of racial attitude, namely forms of acceptance such as amalgamation and pluralism, and forms of rejection such as prejudice, discrimination, segregation, expulsion, and extermination. (2) American black efforts to reduce racism are divided into three efforts those are through education, communication and movement. (3) After comparing and contrasting the phenomenon of racism against American black as portrayed in the novel and as reflected in the real life of American society, especially in Lorain Ohio, the writer concludes that the novel truly reflects the phenomenon of racism against American black which occurs in both before and after the passing of Civil Right Act of 1941.