Interpretation Of Pecola's Neurosis

Toni Morrison is one of the most prominent and successful contemporary female writers in the world.She won the Noble Prize for literature in 1993 and became the first African American female writer who was awarded this honor.The Bluest Eye is Morrison's first novel.It focuses on Pecola Breedlove,a little black girl's afflictive childhood experiences in Ohio.Through Pecola,Morrison attacks the arbitrariness and cruelty of white aesthetic standard.In the white-culture-dominated society,Pecola dreams of owing a pair of blue eyes to save her from all the racial discrimination,bullying,and humiliation.Karen Horney is a prominent neo-Freudian and one of the leaders of the cultural school of psychoanalysis.From a new perspective,she relates her neurosis theory to social culture.According to her,neurosis is a mental disturbance caused by the resistance of neurotic person's inner conflicts and basic anxiety.It is the way neurotic person uses to make life bearable.Neurosis cannot be separated with neurotic person's social macro-environment and individual micro-environment.Many experts have analyzed and studied The Bluest Eye since it was published.While most of them pay more attention to the structure,theme,and writing strategies of the novel.Using Horney's neurosis theory,the author of this thesis analyzes this novel from a new psychological perspective,focusing on the reason,formation and influences of Pecola's neurosis.Pecola's basic anxiety,her neurotic personality based on her neurotic needs,and her basic conflicts all lead to her neurosis.The thesis consists of three chapters besides an introduction and a conclusion.The first chapter analyzes how social environment and family relation cause Pecola's basic anxiety.Trapping herself in an indifferent,deceitful,treacherous world,Pecola gradually thinks she is insignificant,insecure and tiny.The second chapter explores Pecola's three kinds of neurotic needs and her compliant personality formed on the bases of her neurotic needs.Instead of gaining the sense of safety and value by herself,Pecola tends to depend on others.In order to gain approval and affection,Pecola caters to others and scarifies herself at any cost.With low self-esteem,Pecola evaluates herself from other's opinions and gradually loses her black identity.The third chapter exams Pecola's three selves,three kinds of basic conflicts and her neurosis.The basic conflict among Pecola's real self,actual self and idealized self is the main origin of her neurosis.As a neurotic person,Pecola gives up her real self,hates her actual self and extremely wants to become the idealized self.