If the past dictates the present and influences the future, then heritage is the foundation of a person’s identity. These roots can extend deep into ancestry or grow from different cultures. Either way, one certainty is that heritage is impossible to escape. The struggle with identity is a prevalent theme in the media, literature, and is accessible to people of all races. Jack E. White, a contributing writer for TIME magazine, is one of many looking to connect with his ancestry. In the article “In African-American Eyes”, White discovers how kinship and individuality are so closely intertwined. Before leaving for his anticipated journey back to his native land, White asked himself, “What does Africa mean to me?” To many, Africa may not be any more familiar than the distant tales of “the coups, the starving refugees, the monumentally mismanaged governments, the ugly dictatorships” (White Par. 5). These stories are hard for Westerners to imagine and can explain why the genetic link sometimes seems distant. As White traveled from country to country on his journey through his native land, feelings of belonging and empathy overcame him. He felt the pain of “all that was lost when our unwilling ancestors made their transatlantic voyage” (White Par. 8). After visiting Africa, the place he considers to be his “motherland”, White not only had a greater appreciation for his people but also felt more complete as an individual. White was able to fill the void in his core by embracing a defining characteristic of his individuality: his ancestry.
Being comfortable, or not being comfortable, in your own skin is a universal feeling. Race, religion, sexual orientation all are defining characteristics in a person, but should not be restrictive or bounding. In Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Pecola feels ugly because of her skin color. She has trouble fitting in with her peers and is ostracized from her community, but even more tragically, feels uncomfortable in her own skin. A lot can be accredited to Pecola’s insecurity: a lack of love at home, racism, naivety. Unlike Jack E. White, Pecola refuses to accept her inherited skin color as beauty. Her heritage is seen as inadequate and the lack of appreciation from the people surrounding her makes Pecola confused. In chapter 1 of The Bluest Eye, Pecola asks, “How do you get someone to love you?” This is reoccurring theme in the novel. Claudia, who is also confused, takes apart a doll to its core to see why it is so “lovable”. Because Pecola has no one in her life with a loving or embracing spirit, she cannot even love herself and does not embrace her inner beauty. Pecola feels incomplete and blemished and would rather be white with blue eyes. She is very fragile and the void in her heart is love. She cannot accept her heritage and this damages her. Pecola looks in all the wrong places for beauty. Instead of ignoring his heritage like Pecola, White sought answers. His trip back to Africa provided “greater knowledge and a powerful awareness” (White Par. 9). Hopefully as Pecola comes of age she discovers that out of all that defines her, no one or nothing can destroy her individuality.
Self-worth is the most important aspect of appreciating individuality and understanding the lineage of our ancestry. Although society has always influenced people, literature has tried to express that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In both Jack E. White’s article and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, beauty is not skin deep. Whether the answers are planted with the roots, or deep within the soul, ancestry cannot be ignored. Pecola’s naivety makes her question the existence of beauty. She has been convinced she flawed by being black. Fortunately for White, he has realized that skin color does not define him, but that his heritage is a defining part of identity. Both characters have struggled as a people throughout history but prove that an internal struggle can be more detrimental.
White, Jack E. "In African-American Eyes." Time Magazine 7 Sept. 1992. 25 Mar.
2009
This post was great. You had a terrific conclusion that really did a good job of connecting White and Pecola. You also have the best opening sentence I have ever read in my life.
ReplyDeleteThe opening sentence is magnificent. In my opinion, you should have just stopped after that because the rest is mediocre at best.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! The connection you made with between the article and the book is strong and is one that cannot be ignored. Your ideas are far-reaching, and you never know who is reading your work. Personally, you are giving me much to think about, and that is the point of good blog - to increase the knowledge of the online community. Don't forget your works cited though. 56
ReplyDeleteI really liked this blog post. It makes sense that accepting your heritage is a step to accepting yourself as an individual, but I think there is more to it than that. It's also a step in seeing yourself as a part of something much bigger and connected. Recognizing your heritage is recognizing that you're a piece of a really really really big family. Being Irish or Italian or Spanish makes you a part of something bigger, but at the same time it defines you as an individual when you're in a diverse crowd.
ReplyDeleteThis post is amazing. It really spoke to me and gave me a greater perspective of how ancestry can relate to individualism and also accepting yourself. The opinions you have about how accepting your ancestry relates to self-acceptance are true and are prevalent in past time periods and in modern time. Because ancestry is an individual trait (people can be irish, italian, african, and spanish), it is another quality that makes a person who they are.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your writing very much, Jake. I think your first sentence touches upon the age long debate of "nature vs nurture" and the following blog post raises some very interesting points and examples. I believe that ancestry, if we are taking it out of biological or psychological context, has dual purpose. Its first purpose is that it is something for people to identify themselves to. Its second purpose is that it is something for others to identify you with. People interpret their own ancestry, as well as the ancestry of others, in many different ways. Some people are proud of their ancestry and flaunt their alleged affiliations with pride, while others are ashamed of their ancestry and do their best to conceal it.
ReplyDeleteOh Jakee! I think your first sentence was quite insightful (unlike anything you have done in physics)! I think that it is unfortunate that Pecola could not love herself or her heritage. Being different is something to be proud of and to flaunt. She should not hide or be afraid to express her difference. Although many people have similar heritages, every family has a different group of ancestors they can learn about and be proud of. People are identified by their families and they should be proud of who preceded them.
ReplyDelete"Being Comfortable In Your Own Skin" - it really is easier said than done. As you pointed out, White finds solace in achieving the feat whereas Pecola continues to struggle with her identity. Both acknowledge their roots, which I believe is key to accepting and moving on from the who-am-I internal conflict. I'm not sure what measures will have to be taken for Pecola to come to peace with herself because this idea of ugliness is so ingrained; it is interesting to speculate what will be her turning point, her enlightening. Jake, this is a well-crafted essay - good job.
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