Racial and colonial oppression in Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston in The Bluest Eye and Their Eyes Were Watching God

Abstract

This paper mainly focuses on representing colonialism, racism and oppression in “The Bluest Eye” and "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston respectively. Racism advocates the superiority of a particular race or society, and it results in prejudice and discrimination towards a group of people based on their ethnicity and race. Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” and Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God describe the tragedy and pain of African Americans. This paper highlights the issue of white domination and oppression of African Americans. African American people were critically affected by the oppression and racism by the white people. They face discriminations due to their colour and alleged cultural inferiority. The so-called process of psychological and social restrictions makes African people to think themselves inferior. This paper will also highlight the colonial aspects that were faced by Black people. Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” and Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God mirror the terrible consequences of slavery on the African American people. Though slavery system is legally abolished, the effects of slavery within African communities are still very much present. This paper will examine the critical aspect of racism and oppression as well as the effects of slavery system on the African American people.