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Unit5TheAfricanAmericansSectionCPost-readingQuestions:HowmuchdoyouknowabouttheAfricanAmericansindifferentfieldsofAmericansociety?e.g.political,sports,literature,entertainment,etc.ToniMorrison(1931-)anAmericannovelist,editor,andprofessor.Hernovelsareknownfortheirepicthemes,vividdialogue,andrichlydetailedcharacters.Herthemes:TheterrorandtraumaofracialoppressionThecomplexbehavioroflivingundergenderandracialconflictsThepsychologyofsurvivalNobelPrizeinLiterature1993(thefirstblackwomantowinit)MagicRealismNovelsTheBluestEye(1970)Sula(1973)SongofSolomon(1977)NationalBookCriticsCircleAwardTarBaby(1981)Beloved(1987)PulitzerPrize&AmericanBookAwardJazz(1992)Paradise(1997)Love(2003)AMercy(2008)Home(2012)GodHelptheChild(2015)TheBluestEye(1970)ItisMorrison'sfirstnovelandwaswrittenwhileshewasteachingatHowardUniversityandraisinghertwosonsonherown.ThestoryisaboutayearinthelifeofayoungblackgirlnamedPecolawhodevelopsaninferioritycomplexduetohereyecolorandskinappearance.IttakesplaceagainstthebackdropofAmerica'sMidwestaswellasintheyearsfollowingtheGreatDepression.TheBluestEyeistoldfromtheperspectiveofClaudiaMacTeerasachildandanadult,aswellasfromathirdpersonomniscientviewpoint.Becauseofthecontroversialnatureofthebook,whichdealswithracism,incest,andchildmolestation,therehavebeennumerousattemptstobanitfromschoolsandlibraries.ClaudiaandFriedaMacTeerliveinOhiowiththeirparents.TheMacTeerfamilytakestwootherpeopleintotheirhome,Mr.HenryandPecola.Pecolaisatroubledyounggirlwithahardlife.Herparentsareconstantlyfighting,bothphysicallyandverbally.Pecolaiscontinuallybeingtoldandremindedofwhatan“ugly”girlsheis,thusfuelingherdesiretobeagirlwithblueeyes.ThroughoutthenovelitisrevealedthatnotonlyhasPecolahadalifefullofhatredandhardships,butherparentshaveaswell.Pecola’smother,Paulineonlyfeelsaliveandhappywhensheisworkingforarichwhitefamily.Herfather,Cholly,isadrunkwhowasleftwithhisauntwhenhewasyoungandranawaytofindhisfather,whowantednothingtodowithhim.BothPaulineandChollyeventuallylostthelovetheyoncehadforoneanother.WhilePecolaisdoingdishes,herfatherrapesher.Hismotivesareunclearandconfusing,seeminglyacombinationofbothloveandhateChollyfleesafterthesecondtimeherapesPecola,leavingherpregnant.IntheendPecola’schildisbornprematurelyanddies.ClaudiaandFriedagiveupthemoneytheyhadbeensavingandplantflowerseedsinhopesthatiftheflowersbloom,Pecola'sbabywilllive;themarigoldsneverbloom.ThetitleTheBluestEyeisbasedonPecola'sferventwishesforbeautifulblueeyes.Herinsanityattheendofthenovelisheronlywaytoescapetheworldwhereshecannotbebeautifulandtogettheblueeyesshedesiresfromthebeginningofthenovel.SongofSolomon(1977)ThisbookwontheNationalBooksCriticsAward,waschosenforOprahWinfrey'spopularbookclub,andwascitedbytheSwedishAcademyinawardingMorrisonthe1993NobelPrizeinliterature.In1998,theRadcliffePublishingCoursenameditthe25thbestEnglish-languagenovelofthe20thcentury.ItfollowsthelifeofMaconMilkmanDeadIII,anAfrican-AmericanmalelivinginMichigan,frombirthtoadulthood.BorninMichiganin1931bymiraculousmeans,Milkmanisagiftedchilduntilhelearnsattheageoffourthathumanscannotfly.Changedbythisrevelation,hegrowsupaspoiled,self-centeredchild.Tornbetweenthemagical,spiritualworldofhisfather’ssister,Pilate,andthatofhisgreedyproperty-owningfatherMaconDead,MilkmanfollowsinthefootstepsofhisfatherandbecomesMacon’sassistant.Burdenedbyhisparents’unspeakableconfidencesandtroubledbyhislovelesshousehold,heseekssolaceathisAuntPilate’sandbyspendingtimewithhisbestfriend,GuitarBains.Livingaspoiled,infantileexistenceuntiltheageof31,Milkman’ssolereasonforbeingistoseekpleasure.Aftera14-yearrelationshipwithPilate’sgranddaughter,Hagar,Milkmandecidestoendit.Hagarrepeatedlytriestokillhim.GuitarfurthercomplicatesMilkman’slifewhenheconfessestoMilkmanthatheisamemberofaradicalorganization,theSevenDays,thatavengesthedeathsofinnocentblacksbyrandomlykillingwhites.Lackingasocialconsciousnessandfedupwiththeseriousnessoflife,Milkmandecidesheneedstoseparatehimselffromhisoppressiveworldbytraveling.WhenMaconsuggeststhatMilkmanstealasackofgoldfromPilate’shouse,Milkmanseesthegoldasawaytofinancehistripandfinallybeindependent.MacontellsMilkmanthatthegoldisdiscoveredfromacavewhereheandPilatelivedinthecaveforseveraldaysaftertheirfatherwasmurderedbyawhitefamilywhowantedtheDeadproperty.Pilateargueditwasmorallywrongtokeepit.ButMaconbelievesPilatewentbacktothecavetoretrievethegold.Withoutexpressinganyconcernforthemoralityofhisactions,MilkmanagreestostealthegoldwiththehelpofGuitar,whowantsthemoneytofinancehisorganization.Afterstealingthesack,theydiscoveredthereisnogold,onlythebonesofthewhitemanMaconkilledinthecave,thebonesthattheghostofMaconDeadItoldPilatetogobackandretrievebecause“Youjustcan’tflyonoffandleaveabody.”MaconsuggeststhatthegoldmuststillbeinthecaveandMilkmanagreestosearchthecaveforthegold.LaterheconcludesthatthebonesinPilate’ssackmustbethoseofPilate’sfather.Lessinterestedinhisfamilyhistorytheninfindingthegold,Milkmanproceedstothebirthplaceofhispaternalgrandparents.Intheall-blacktown,hefindsthemenhostiletowardhisurbanmannersMi