The role of dolls in the Bluest Eye and Invisible Man

“Adults, older girls, shops, magazines, newspapers, window signs – all the world agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow haired, pink-skinned doll was what every girl child treasured” (Morrison Pg 20). In this part of Morrison’s bildungsroman novel, The Bluest Eye, the narrator is a nine year old African American girl named Claudia who is expressing her distaste for dolls. The doll motif is strongly present throughout the novel and demonstrates the various characteristics of two main characters, Claudia and Pecola. The doll seen in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man plays a similar role by addressing issues concerning identity, racism, and class status. In both novels, the dolls offer a glimpse into the thoughts and views of those who wield them. They become devices that quickly envelop a character, allowing us to observe them, as well as recognize the critique on social issues and stereotypes.

Stereotypes, in relation to dolls, are the single most addressed issue in The Bluest Eye. When Claudia is given a doll for Christmas, she is initially confused and wonders, “What was I supposed to do with it? Pretend to be its mother” (Pg 20). Claudia then explains that she is only interested in interacting with humans. The doll helps us realize that not all little girls want to even pretend to engage in maternal procedures. Claudia then bluntly states that, “Motherhood was old age” (Pg 20). We recognize her reason for wanting to wait for such behavior, but the fact that she does not even want to pretend raises more questions.

Claudia attempts to do so anyhow, at the scolding of her mother. However, the doll is white with blonde hair and blue eyes. Before she receives the doll there is a sort of preparatory phrase, “…this is beautiful, and if you are on this day ‘worthy’ you may have it” (Pg 21). It is clearly said in this phrase that the accepted form of beauty in the country are the characteristics represented by the doll. Any other doll was out of the question. When she mentions a Raggedy Ann Doll, she says that she is “physically revolted” by its appearance. The white doll is more life-like but Claudia is still disgusted with it. However, she is intrigued to finding the so-called “beauty” that it was supposed to embody. Her investigation reveals her inner desire to confront and maim this stereotype.

Claudia’s violent tendencies towards the doll are not necessarily the precursor to something more dreadful, but perhaps something more animalistic. When dogs, for example, are neglected and seeking attention from their owner, they chew on things (Masse). This chewing helps relieve tension and stress. Claudia could be tearing apart the doll for the sole purpose of getting her mother to recognize her, whether that she is beautiful or to spend more time with her. Early on, Claudia and her sister are introduced to Mr. Henry as pieces of furniture so this lack of attention is present. When asked what she really wants for Christmas, her answer is simple; she wants attention. Claudia could also be doing this to express her anger towards what is directly considered beautiful, little white girls.

Pecola, on the other hand, is enveloped by the stereotype. She wishes for blue eyes and engages in behavior that troubles those around her. She is fascinated by the Shirley Temple cups, another item that is “beautiful”, that are in Claudia’s home. So much so, that she drinks “three quarts of milk” simply to satisfy her need to see Shirley materialize in the absence of the white liquid (Pg 23). Pecola longs for blue eyes, but perhaps she also wishes to be white. The doll stereotype may not be convincing to Claudia, but is getting the best of Pecola. Perhaps she thought drinking so much milk would turn her white and blue eyes would be soon to follow.

The effect of the doll is present throughout the novel but is strong in the scene where the girls are by the ice cream shop. Maureen is talking about Pecola’s father and is threatened by Claudia. When Claudia goes to swing at her, she instead hits Pecola. Maureen is white but she is a brunette, not the famed form of “beauty” represented by the doll, but still way up there. Therefore, she is self-proclaimed “cute” (Pg 73). Since Claudia’s anger is towards the “beautiful” she hits the next best thing, someone who wants to be beautiful. Pecola wishes for blue eyes constantly and is distraught with being “black and ugly”. This self-loathing is not accepted by Morrison.

In an interview of Morrison, she speaks about a conversation she had with a friend when she was younger. When her friend said that God did not exist and she had proof, which was that she prayed for blue eyes and never got them, Morrison is visibly upset by her statement. She then mentions two things that came to her when she looked at her friend, “She would be awful if the wish had been granted… For the first time, I noticed […] how astonishingly beautiful she was.” (The Black List). Morrison embodies these thoughts in Claudia, and her reaction to Pecola’s self–loathing, though it was an accident, the action is a subliminal blow to those who engage in such behavior. Though self-loathing is not a flattering aspect of any personality, the image can be turned around to comment on one’s identity.

In Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, The protagonist is a young African American man who is trying to find a steady workplace and community in New York City. He is sent on wild goose chases, altered in hospitals, victimized, and mistaken for a two-faced pimp. The doll seen in IM is a symbol of the African American’s effort to seek equality and standing in a predominantly “white” environment. The racist element is present and demands the reader to look past it, so that lack of control and class status is seen as well.

The doll, unlike the one in The Bluest Eye, is a Sambo doll. The caricature nature of the doll is offensive and undermines the identity of African Americans. The nature of racism is always present in the world and the doll shows this by not being destroyed. When IM is sent fleeing down a sewer, he is forced to burn the things that help shape who he is so that he may find a way out. When he comes to burning the doll, “it burned so stubbornly that I reached inside the case for something else” (Ellison pg568). The explanation, though brief, is a powerful mention that racism will always be around to affect everyone in one way or another.

The lack of control and class status is addressed by Erik M. Dell when he mentions IM’s hospital scene. “He is the black man on the strings representing the Sambo doll sitting in the hospital bed/box” (Dell). In this scene, IM wakes up in a hospital surrounded by doctors who are trying to “cure” him for an unmentioned ailment. The doctors, who represent white people, are connecting IM to wires to perform the shock treatment. "Look, he's dancing, someone called […] They really do have rhythm, don't they? Get hot, boy! Get hot! It said with a laugh" (pg 237). The image parallels the scene where IM encounters Clifton and his dolls, comparing that the doll is lower in status and is controlled by someone else.

When IM meets Clifton in the street and finds him selling Sambo Dolls, he is upset by the scene. When the man makes a break for it and the surrounding crowd dissipates, IM is left standing with an old woman. He promptly attempts to crush one doll left behind when the lady says “Oh, no!” (pg 434). Not having the doll stepped on or destroyed shows the importance that degrading behavior will always be present.

Both dolls have qualities that express a demeaning attitude towards African Americans. They both have visual qualities that do this. The doll in The Bluest Eye is a national symbol of beauty that does not recognize African Americans in context but is widespread enough that it ends up in African American hands without any second thoughts. If color were added, the closest representation would come to the Sambo Doll, which is offensive. The second aspect that makes the dolls powerful symbols are their respective physical characteristics.

The Sambo doll has strings attached to it meaning that the doll, or African American, cannot move unless someone else is controlling them. This is a common theme seen throughout Invisible Man; the hospital scene, Ras’ mob, and IM’s manipulation of Rinehart’s persona. The doll in Morrison’s novel is described by Claudia as “a most uncomfortable, patently aggressive sleeping companion” (pg 20). Of the two, I believe that Morrison’s doll is more effective in the describing of African American mentality and will.

Morrison’s doll does a superior job of addressing social issues because when Morrison was talking about her influence to write the book, she mentions that the stories of a young black woman are “virgin territory” to her, which is rich with possibilities for storytelling. I agree with this statement and believe her doll motif is one of the more powerful poetic devices used to address the issues that trouble the African American girl. While IM’s doll is wholesome and addresses society, I prefer the specific nature of the doll in The Bluest Eye.

Works Cited
Dell, Derek. “Dancing Dolls on strings: A look at Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison”. AC Associated Content. 21 Apr. 2008. Arts & Entertainment. 28 Nov. 2009

In this article, Dell briefly examines the Sambo Doll’s symbolism which I found to be fitting to describe the role of the doll. His comment on control was especially preffered because of the resemblance between the marionette and IM’s “strings”. Class status is integrated as well, which helped me usher into the identity portion of my argument.
Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. Random House Inc.: New York, 1952.

Masse, Annette. “So Why Do Dogs Chew Things? Here is How to Keep Your Dog From
Chewing Up the House”. Articlesbase. 23 Jul. 2008. Pets Articles. 28 Nov. 2009

I feel like this is an important source to include because of the parallelism in behavior that Claudia exhibits to a doll that a dog might to a shoe. Dogs chew on things to make their masters notice them and to relieve stress. Claudia tears apart her Christmas present and briefly shares an intimate desire for attention. It’s not my intent to compare Claudia to a Dog, but the pattern of behavior is similar, which makes it worthy to mention.

Morrison, Toni. “The Black List, Vol. 1: Toni Morrison (HBO)” Portrait Interview. 18
Aug. 2008. Youtube. 26 Nov. 2009.

I decided to use this source to explain Morrison’s intent of having Pecola accidentally hit in the face. While she is speaking, you will notice that she is visibly upset by her friend. This influence may have prompted her to include a brief action of how she does not approve self-loathing.

Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. Penguin Group, Plume. New York, 1970.

Morrison, Toni. “Challenges as a female writer – Toni Morrison”. Video Interview. 20 May 2009. Youtube. 26 Nov. 2009.

This video is my final approving source for siding with Morrison’s doll. Her mention of African American Women having a multitude of possible stories is remarkable in its specificity and intent.