13. Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye

The podcast is a lecture analyzing Toni Morrison's novel, "The Bluest Eye," in relation to literary and cultural contexts of the 1960s and 70s. It explores themes of identity, race, and the impact of societal narratives on individuals, particularly Pecola's tragic quest for blue eyes and Soaphead Church's manipulation. The lecture also examines Morrison's narrative techniques, such as incorporating the voices of marginalized characters and using negativity to define them, while drawing parallels with works by John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. It further discusses Morrison's approach to generating sympathy for complex characters like Cholly Breedlove and questions the role of reading and the ideal reader in Morrison's work, suggesting a critical view of how literature can both empower and harm.