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Allegory
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Prologue Section 1
Explanation and Analysis—Dick and Jane:
Section 1 of The Bluest Eye's prologue is comprised entirely of text taken from the "Dick and Jane" early childhood books, to which Morrison alludes:
Here is the house. It is green and white. It has a red door. It is very pretty. Here is the family. Mother, Father, Dick, and Jane live in the green-and-white house. They are very happy. See Jane. She has a red dress. She wants to play.
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Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Shirley Temple:
Over the course of The Bluest Eye, Morrison introduces readers to several important White cultural icons, each of whom represents some kind of standard against which Black people are measured. One such cultural icon is Shirley Temple, to whom Claudia alludes in Chapter 1:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Frieda brought her four graham crackers on a saucer and some milk in a blue-and-white Shirley Temple cup. She was a long time with the milk, and gazed fondly at the silhouette of Shirley Temple’s dimpled face. Frieda and she had a loving conversation about how cu-ute Shirley Temple was.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Hollywood:
Peppered throughout The Bluest Eye are a series of references to White pop cultural icons—female celebrities, in particular, whom White-centric American culture hailed as the ideal. These women represent unrealistic standards to which all American women and girls are held, even if the tenets of the ideal are impossible for them to achieve. In Chapter 1, Morrison alludes to two such figures, Hollywood actresses Greta Garbo and Ginger Rogers:
Unlock with LitCharts A+“Hello there. You must be Greta Garbo, and you must be Ginger Rogers.”
We giggled. Even my father was startled into a smile.
“Want a penny?” He held out a shiny coin to us.
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