The Power of Ads

The questions that one may ask themselves while reading this novel are, how can one hate oneself so much that they attempt to look, act, think like someone they are not?  To desire something so far from their reach that’s not even worth wishing for? How can they deny the simple things that make one happy to just please society? Morrison’s answer is advertisement of what the majority see as acceptable through the media, magazines, etc.

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In her novel, The Bluest Eye, Morrison points out to her readers that because of all the attention white American girls and women had during the 40’s, it had an undeniable negative effect on the African American female community, like it does to Pecola, Geraldine, Pauline, and to some extent, Claudia.  In this heart-breaking novel, Toni Morrison answers the “how” to the “why” her main characters are they way they are due to society’s perception of beauty.  For one, the advertisements have a major role in manipulating the minds of little black girls, such as the characters in Morrison's novel.  One of the main characters, Pecola, thought that if she had blue eyes, everyone would like her, approach her, and not be repulsed by her.  She desired to have blue eyes because she saw that being like them, the “pretty” girls, was the only way to beautiful during those times.  Not only did she see beauty in them, but she also saw a greater power in the blue eyes: that with blue eyes, the bitter and violent fights her parents had would stop because they would say, "Why, look at pretty-eyed Pecola. We mustn't do bad things in front of those pretty eyes.” (46). Pecola did not feel beautiful due to those reasons and in result, her insecurity was visible to others around her.  Her low-confidence in herself allowed black boys and girls to pick on her, ignore her, and treat her differently. Pecola, however, is not the only one craving to be more like the white girls, Geraldine is also on that same boat.

Morrison, interestingly enough, starts the chapter about Geraldine by introducing her as “they”.  By presenting Geraldine as “they, Morrison tries to point out to her readers that there was a social pressure for “colored” women (Black women who imitated white women).  They are expected to embrace the majority, and disregard their individuality to be accepted and allie themselves with the women superior to them, white women.  For example, like many white people in the 40’s, Geraldine is against trying to connect with black folks because they were known as dirty, uncivilized, and a minority to the white men and women.  This hatred of her own kind, leads to self-loathing, a major issue during this time for African Americans that Morrison emphasizes to her readers in this chapter about Geraldine in particular. By hating her own skin, Geraldine becomes very insecure with her body and is afraid of feeling dangerous, risky, exciting, and so on.  By both being disgusted by black men and women and her insecurity, she is incapable of enjoying sexual intercourse with her own husband.  Something that is supposed to be so beautiful and natural is bluffed and meaningless. She wonders, however, “what it would be like to have that feeling...”, but does not allow herself to feel such feelings or desires because she wants to keep her reputation of a clean and civil woman, as colored women were supposed to act (85).

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Nowadays, society see’s beautiful as having the perfect body, skin, hair and, of course,clothes.  Not too much different than 72 years ago, but it has been over exposed now that everything gets around much quicker for everyone around the world to see.  For example you have the magazines such as Seventeen, People, Cosmo, J-14, and tons more that talk about being fit and having the “summer bod” to have all heads turning.  For the majority of all those magazines, their models are skinny, tall, have the ideal body and their skin is flawless.  However, they will be and are photoshopped, which has us believe that people could possibly look like angels or something close to that. And though a lot of its readers know they are photoshopped, they still aim for the goal to have all those “perfect” traits.  Another example is the Victoria Secret models.  Girls obsess to have what they have, to be able to walk in a tiny, ityy-bitty bikini and not have to worry about belly rolls or legs that jiggle like jello. Third, movies, commercials, and T.V. shows also play a big part in the mind-controlling business of advertising.  In most, if not all movies that are of love or for teens specifically, somehow always have the main girl and guy be absolutely flawless.  Of course, after fantasizing to have that one cute guy fall for her, she wants to be like the girl in the movie, perfectly desirable. With T.V. shows its a little different.  Soem reality T.V. shows are meant mostly for entertainment, but unconsciously its advertising to its audience how to behave, appear, and think.  Evidently, these T.V. shows such as Jersey Shore, Bad Girls Club, Super Sweet Sixteen, and many more have had an effect on girls, especially, with other shows that show the outcome of these behaviors with 16 and Pregnant and True Life.

The pressure that society a couple years ago, and even now, was putting on teen girls and women had unfortunately caused a lot of issues that back in the 40's were not very known or even done.  More and more girls had become anorexic trying to reach the ideal body, which in many cases have lead to extreme situations having to be done to them or the disease would even cause an early death.  Not only this but for old and young women, plastic surgery was becoming very popular, still is. These choices were and are not made because they actually were in real need of it, but its done to change their appearance to look and feel more like the celebrities and models in perfume, swimsuit, clothing commercials and magazines. Today, society and the media are the little devil whispering in their ears to tell them what is beautiful, and that they are not it and will not be until they have exactly what the beautiful girl in the magazine has. But I cannot say it hasn't gotten better, because it has.  Now, not only women but also men have been realizing the dangers of the media and how much power it has over the minds of young girls, in particular.  In addition there have been sections in magazines and some shows about how to bring yourself up, how to be confident without having to change your looks.  But a lot of girls still want perfection, and its something Toni Morrison suggests we pay close attention to; that the insecurity that Morrison expresses with her readers of what African American women felt during many decades, especially in the 40's, is now in the minds and souls of the black, colored, white, young, and old. It gets to a point were young women and teens try so hard to impress and imitate idolized models and actresses, that they do whatever it takes to get there, and what takes to get there isn't always the best or safest choice.