KNOWLEDGE BROKERS: Friday, November 1st: Finishing the Novel!

Hello Everyone

Due today: You are responsible for up to page 192 in Toni Morrison’s the Bluest Eye; Vocabulary quiz today!

Due tomorrow: Have a fun weekend, anyone going to be with me at Twilight on Sunday?

For homework: Read over the blog to get a better understanding of the book so far.

A wilted marigold

The seasons in the Bluest Eye

This book is broken up into four different sections: Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer.

In keeping with the theme of growth and development, this four-part delineation follows the agricultural year where seeds are harvested in the Autumn, Winter is cold but also dormant and reflective, Spring is for prepared and sewing the fields, and Summer is meant for growth and tender care.

Can you make any connections to actions that have taken place following this seasonal format?

Here are some examples...

Autumn = Harvest of Pecola from her previous home,

Winter = Coldness of Geraldine

Spring = The rape of Pecola

Summer = ???

How do we feel for Pecola at the beginning of Summer? Why might Morrison start with a narration by Claudia? We learn through Claudia, in a way that we could not learn from Pecola herself, what the people in town think of Pecola and how they're treating her. Claudia's opening narration is also in line with the structure Morrison has maintained for the novel.

Questions to Consider while reading the last chapter:

Have we ever heard Pecola’s perspective before?
What new information or additional perspective to the novel’s themes does Pecola provide?
How do you feel about Pecola and Claudia’s view of beauty?

Questions from the Guided Notes Sheet that was handed out in class (as classwork):

What do you notice about Toni Morrison’s Voice?
What does the author’s voice add to your personal interpretation of this section?
Who is Pecola talking to; what are your guesses and what examples from the text can you use to support these guesses?
How do you feel about Morrison ending the novel this way; how do you think she intended you to feel? Try to use specific examples from the novel to support your thoughts.