Text and Background Information
Related Reading and Assignments
Text and Background Information
The Bluest Eye at The Luminarium Links to literary criticism, study questions, and commentary on The Bluest Eye
Oprah’s Book Club Page for The Bluest Eye
Why Everyone Should Read The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison explains her reaction to the word “beautiful” and why it has hurt young women.
Brooklyn College English Department – The Bluest Eye Department website with commentary and analysis
Shmoop: The Bluest Eye A snarky hipster-style analysis by PhD students from Stanford, Harvard, and Berkeley; the facts are right, the tone is less than academic
Bluest Eye Vocabulary Lists on Google Classroom.
The Bluest Eye Vocabulary 1 Quizlet
The Bluest Eye Vocabulary 1 Sentence Completion Quizlet For best results, use the “test” option and select “multiple choice”
The Bluest Eye Vocabulary 2 Quizlet
The Bluest Eye Vocabulary 2 Sentence Completion Quizlet For best results, use the “test” option and select “multiple choice”
Related Reading and Assignments
Map of American English Dialects A map of American English dialects by location
Black English Linguistics Controversy – This clip from the documentary “Do you speak American?” discusses the landmark 1979 court case (MLK Jr. Elementary school kids vs. Ann Arbor MI school board) which found that the black children in the school were being discriminated against based on their language. This decision recognized African American English or “Ebonics” as “the home language” of these children and ordered the teachers to “use knowledge of African American English (AAE) in teaching the children how to use standard English.” It was set a precedent for the 1996 Ebonics controversy in Oakland, CA.
African American English in the Classroom This clip from the documentary “Do you speak American?” demonstrates how many California schools (in the wake of the 1996 Oakland, CA Ebonics controversy) use knowledge and structure of African American Vernacular English (AAVE or Ebonics) in the classroom as a tool for teaching children (who are speakers of non-standard dialects of English, such as AAVE) how to speak and use the standard American English dialect.
Quvenzhané – Text Analysis Model Essay Use this model essay as a refresher course in writing the text analysis.
Alabama Legislator Bill Holtzclaw Calls On Schools To Ban Toni Morrison Book August 2013
The Bluest Eye: Banned Since its publication, the book has consistently landed on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books. So why teach it?
Bluest Eye Banned: Why Parents Want Toni Morrison’s Book Out of Schools
The Bluest Eye Character Identification Quizlet
The Bluest Eye Quotes Quizlet You should be able to explain these quotes and identify their significance. Review your study guides and class notes for other quotes we have discussed.
Bluest Eye Motifs and Symbols from Class
The Bluest Eye Symbols and Motifs Quizlet
The Bluest Eye Literary Terms Quizlet
Bluest Eye Themes from Class Discussion
Allusions in The Bluest Eye The novel’s cultural references cited and explained