Pecola Breedlove's experiences in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye symbolize the internalization of sexism and racism. On the contrary, Anita Hill's willingness to stand up and speak out against a powerful male official represents the externalization of sexism and racism. Anita Hill lacks the self-hatred embodied by the character of Pecola, but in spite of her confidence and poise, lacks the power or wherewithal to undermine institutionalized sexism. Although Hill had an opportunity to make the personal political, her failure to convince members of the Senate about Clarence Thomas's misconduct highlights the ongoing struggles for all women and especially women of color to reclaim power. When The Bluest Eye was written, the prospects for women of color were even poorer than they were when Anita Hill testified. Yet the outcome of Hill's testimony proves that patriarchy remains entrenched in American society. A core similarity between Anita Hill's experience and that of Pecola Breedlove is the exploitative nature of their sexual experiences. Although Pecola was brutally raped and Hill less so, both of the male perpetrators use their sexuality as a weapon to control the women in their lives. Under oath, Hill claims that Clarence Thomas measured the length of his penis and called it "Long Dong Silver." Hill also tells the committee that Thomas directly referred to his sexual potency using graphic terms. Likewise, Cholly rapes both his wife and daughter in several scenes in The Bluest Eye,...
Thus, Morrison embeds double meaning into the title of the novel, which refers both to Pecola's desire for whiteness and to the black and blue eyes that result from being beaten.
Cultural identity formation theories reveal the intersections between race, class, gender, sexuality, status, self-concept, and power. Applying critical race theory and racial identity development models to social work can prove tremendously helpful and promotes the overall goals of the profession. It is not just about becoming more culturally competent and aware of structural racism and other factors that might be affecting clients; the work of increasing cultural competence means becoming
Bright Lights, Bobby Benedicto describes the urban gay subculture in Manila within the context of the "global scene." The points Benedicto makes in Under Bright Lights can be applied to variety of issues related to race, class, gender, and social power. Benedicto provides a sociological analysis of gay Manila primarily through a Marxist lens. The author endeavors to show how the "gay scene" has built itself unconsciously upon a
Race, Class, Gender Journal Word Count (excluding title and works cited page): 1048 Race, Class, and Gender is an anthology of articles that express various interpretation and insights of the relationship between race, class, and gender and how these things shape the lives of people and society. The topics and points-of-view offered in the anthology are vast and interesting. They offer a strong historical and sociological perspective on such issues as prison
The different "isms" such as sexism, heterosexism, and racism are creating very real schisms -- in our minds, and between people. The chasms of communication that are created by hatred and misunderstanding are socially constructed. They can be socially deconstructed too. Such rifts occur between groups of people and between whole cultures. In some pockets of the United States, social conservatism threatens to erase the social progress made since the
Harlem Renaissance was a true flourishing of African-American arts, music, and literature, thereby contributing tremendously to the cultural landscape of the nation. Much Harlem Renaissance literature reflects the experience of the "great migration" of blacks from the rural south to the urban north. Those experiences included reflections on the intersections between race, class, gender, and power. Many of the Harlem Renaissance writers penned memoirs that offer insight into the
American society does view identity and social belonging through intersecting lenses of race, class, and gender. The lenses through which people view society and themselves determine everything from self-concept to worldview and values. According to Lareau, lenses of gender and class are persistent because they are consciously and unconsciously transmitted through generations (747). The persistence of sociological lenses creates the illusion that race, class, and gender are deterministic, that they
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