Conflict: The Bluest Eye

The conflict that Pecola faces in The Bluest Eye is that of she believes that she is not pretty or worth anything. She has been taught by her mother and society that the prettiest of people have blue eye and blond hair. For this reason I think Pecola faces man vs. self and man vs. society. She is the one who feels she is not good enough. She is the one who prays for blond hair and blue eyes and therefore she is the cause of her unhappiness. She can change a lot of things but the one she hopes for the most is something that cannot be altered. Society also plays a role in Pecola’s perception of herself. The world she lives in is not accepting of differences and they show only one kind of person. Pecola wants to be different because the image of perfection that she has to compare herself to is something the media has created. A cookie cutter image. I believe the conflict is something that still goes on today. People are always trying to change the way they look and are never happy with what they have. It would have to take a lot for a young girl like Pecola to change something that she has no control over. I believe she would have to meet someone who made her feel beautiful and unique in order to resolve the conflict she has within herself.