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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Prologue Section 2
Explanation and Analysis—Planting Seeds:
Much of Section 2 of the Prologue contains a sustained allegory, in which Claudia tells the story of some seeds she planted with her sister that yielded no fruit:
It never occurred to either of us that the earth itself might have been unyielding. We had dropped our seeds in our own little plot of black dirt just as Pecola’s father had dropped his seeds in his own plot of black dirt. Our innocence and faith were no more productive than his lust or despair.
In this allegorical tale, Pecola's situation is likened to that of the dirt, her father's to that of Claudia and Frieda. Cholly attempted to "sow seeds" on Pecola's barren ground—in other words, he raped her, and that violence could never yield beautiful fruit.
Throughout the novel, Morrison's narrators return to the seed allegory, fixating on the tragedy of Pecola's stagnated growth. The Bluest Eye concludes with Claudia again meditating on Pecola's situation through the lens of allegory:
This soil is bad for certain kinds of flowers. Certain seeds it will not nurture, certain fruit it will not bear, and when the land kills of its own volition, we acquiesce and say the victim had no right to live. We are wrong, of course, but it doesn’t matter.
Claudia comes to the conclusion that some seeds simply cannot flourish in certain soil. Pecola is not at fault for the tragedy of her life, her lack of growth—the environment was inhospitable.
Related Themes:
Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—Dandelions:
In Chapter 3, Pecola visits a store looking to buy candy, only to have her humanity completely disregarded by the store owner. Throughout their interaction and Pecola's subsequent dejected walk home, Morrison weaves an allegory to represent her tragic protagonist's emotional journey:
Dandelions. A dart of affection leaps out from her to them. But they do not look at her and do not send love back. She thinks, “They are ugly. They are weeds.” Preoccupied with that revelation, she trips on the sidewalk crack. Anger stirs and wakes in her; it opens its mouth, and like a hotmouthed puppy, laps up the dredges of her shame.
Pecola feels ugly, and she keenly feels the indignity of not being recognized as fully human by White people. Even keener is the sting of unrecognition or disdain from adults in the Black community, whom one might assume would treat her with more dignity. Morrison allegorizes this experience, introducing the dandelions to represent Pecola. Most people view these flowers as weeds, disregarding and even trying to get rid of them. Pecola initially feels affection towards them, but projects her lack of self-worth onto them, reiterating the sentiments she feels people directing towards her: "They are ugly. They are weeds."
Related Themes:
Chapter 11
Explanation and Analysis—Planting Seeds:
Much of Section 2 of the Prologue contains a sustained allegory, in which Claudia tells the story of some seeds she planted with her sister that yielded no fruit:
It never occurred to either of us that the earth itself might have been unyielding. We had dropped our seeds in our own little plot of black dirt just as Pecola’s father had dropped his seeds in his own plot of black dirt. Our innocence and faith were no more productive than his lust or despair.
In this allegorical tale, Pecola's situation is likened to that of the dirt, her father's to that of Claudia and Frieda. Cholly attempted to "sow seeds" on Pecola's barren ground—in other words, he raped her, and that violence could never yield beautiful fruit.
Throughout the novel, Morrison's narrators return to the seed allegory, fixating on the tragedy of Pecola's stagnated growth. The Bluest Eye concludes with Claudia again meditating on Pecola's situation through the lens of allegory:
This soil is bad for certain kinds of flowers. Certain seeds it will not nurture, certain fruit it will not bear, and when the land kills of its own volition, we acquiesce and say the victim had no right to live. We are wrong, of course, but it doesn’t matter.
Claudia comes to the conclusion that some seeds simply cannot flourish in certain soil. Pecola is not at fault for the tragedy of her life, her lack of growth—the environment was inhospitable.
Related Themes:
