Self-Appreciation

"... The devastation that  even casual racial contempt can cause"(Morrison 210)...

     From the start of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, it becomes painfully obvious to the reader that Pecola would have been spared from the agony she lived through simply with a stronger value of herself and her heritage. Instead, images of Shirley Temple and other white representations of beauty bludgeon Pecola into believing her black skin is a curse and "curtail [her] freedom" in every way (Morrison 121). The "emotion of years of unfulfilled longing" has left a void in Pecola's life (Morrison 21). 

    You will familiarize yourself with racist practices in the media, stereotypes experienced by individuals on a daily basis, and research about ancestry. By educating yourself about the racism that is still alive today in America, you will be able to have intelligent discourse about the subject. The goal of your research is to shed light on the fact that the media doesn't always portray "beauty" and to build self-confidence in order to achieve the "small triumphs" of self-appreciation seen in The Bluest Eye (Morrison 63). 

Before completing the following tasks, follow the links to the respective webpages and read the articles on my delicious page in order to expand your knowledge base on racism and ancestry. Use your unique stand on each subject to make your blog posts interesting over the next few days.  

Assignment Tasks: 

1. Comment on Jake's Blog about ancestry (brief paragraph) 

2. Find a blog about racism in the media that you disagree with and leave a comment (brief paragraph)

3. Make an entry to your blog about your own identity and heritage(1 page) 

For an additional source of information, search "Blast The Right" in iTunes and subscribe to Jack Clark's free activist podcast