Sex, Violence and Shame

In The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison creates a relationship between sexual violence and shame. Each character’s first sexual experience is linked with violence. The sexual experiences within the novel stem from hatred, disempowerment due to racism and internalized hatred of blackness. Black men have been emasculated by the white community and have absolutely no power in the white public sphere. The only place black men had power was in the private sphere where they were able to control their wives and children. Black men’s disempowerment within the white community adds to the violence against women within the novel. Sexual violence is connected to shame and humiliation due to the lack of power. Focusing mainly on Cholly and Pecola’s first sexual experiences helps to show how racism and internalized hatred are the cause of sexual violence.

The story of Cholly’s first sexual experience with Darlene allows insight into the internalized hatred that originates from a racist social structure. What begins as a young and innocent experience turns violent and humiliating for Cholly. The two white men that appear tell Cholly that he must continue having sex with Darlene and to “make it good” (148). Cholly places all his hatred for his lack control over the situation on Darlene. He never considers hating the white men but only hates “the one who had created the situation, the one who bore witness to his failure, his impotence. The one whom he had not been able to protect, to spare, to cover from the round moon glow of the flashlight” (151). Cholly is filled with shame and humiliation for not being a “man” and protecting himself and Darlene from the white men. However, he knows that he would never be able to fully protect himself or anyone due to the racist society they live in. Do you believe the word “one” is directed toward whiteness or is Cholly blaming himself? Is it both?

This story is helpful in understanding his motives for raping Pecola. Cholly approaches Pecola while she is in the kitchen with a mix of emotions consisting of “revulsion, guilty, pity, then love” (161). His memories of Darlene and the feeling of no control resurface and cause him to take advantage of his daughter. This violent scene is uncomfortable to read and ends with Pecola awaking in pain and shame cast from her mother. Each sexual experience ends in humiliation, pain and shame. The white men took advantage of Cholly because it was socially acceptable and Cholly forced himself on Pecola to gain his control back. How does Frieda’s first sexual experience fit in with Pecola and Chollys?