Reliving Reflection

            Race has come up multiple times in our discussions. Think of "The Meaning of the July Fourth for the Negro", The Lone Ranger, and "Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at Woodstock". Our in class discussions, however, are the most interesting parts, because unlike many of the other topics, not everyone agrees on the same ideas. While others might say that race is obviously a social construct, parts of society tend to disagree. Next up on this journey of discovery is the book, The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison. Even though the foreword is just four pages, Morrison's passion and fire for the subject is clearly shown. The foreword opens up with a truth; all people know how it feels to be disliked. I love this opening because the first line already garners the support and sympathy of nearly every reader, no matter their differences. It's an issue that almost everyone can relate to. Nobody likes being disliked. Nobody. As she discusses her own story she also giver he own reasons for writing. She remembers a childhood conversation, in which, one of her friends wished that she had blue eyes. These anecdotes and personal thoughts give the novel verisimilitude. Her looking back on her childhood felt reminded me of The Glass Castle. The way the both revisit memories of the past and search for meaning. How Morrison tries to find meaning in her friend's statement and how Walls does the same for her Father's casino gambling and broken relationship. How they both end up profiling themselves, Morrison by race, and Walls by wealth. The two memoirs are not so different. Their reflective nature and deeper thinking are both qualities that I find most fascinating. Their books are ways for themselves "to peck away" at these questions that were asked long ago.

"I can say that my narrative project is as difficult today as it was then."