The Breedloves in Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye Essay -- American Lit

In the third chapter of The Bluest Eye, entitled "Autumn", Toni Morrison focuses on Pecola's family, the Breedloves. Morrison goes in depth about the family dynamic of the Breedloves and how it affects Pecola and her self-image. The passage starts after one of many arguments between Cholly and Mrs. Breedlove, Pecola's parents, turns violent. Mrs. Breedlove wants Cholly to fetch some coal from the outside shed. Cholly spent the last night drinking and does not want to get out of bed. The passage begins with the children becoming aware of the argument. Mrs. Breedlove starts to hit him with cooking pans while Cholly mostly used his feet and teeth. After the fight is over Mrs. Breedlove just lets Cholly lie on the ground and she goes about her business like nothing happened. Pecola starts off this passage with a sick feeling as she relaxes and stops feigning sleep during her parents' argument. It seems that these arguments happen a lot, for while "she had tried to prevent [the sick feeling] by holding in her stomach, [the sick feeling] came quickly in spite of her precaution" (Morris...