Breedlove treats Pecola in the scene which begins on p.107. Why do the girls go in search of Pecola? 45. What does Frieda fear after this episode? Explain her rationale.Ĥ4. What happens to Frieda (p.97-101)? How does Claudia react? What does Claudia’s reaction reveal about her character? 43. What is the purpose of this chapter? Why is it called “Winter”? Spring p.97-109 42. Explain the significance of the imagery in the last paragraph on p.93. What is the meaning behind the portrait of Jesus on the wall? 38. What does Geraldine’s philosophy suggest about her character? 37. Explain the difference between “colored people” and “niggers” according to Geraldine. Characterize Geraldine and the women like her. Who is the narrator describing on pages 81-86? What is the purpose of this description? 35. Why do they call Miss Marie “the Maginot Line”? What is a “maginot line”? (Use a dictionary if necessary!) p.81-93 34. Describe Claudia and Frieda’s reaction to the whores. Why do they hate Maureen Peal so much? 32. Discuss Claudia’s thoughts as she and Frieda walk away from Maureen Peal (p.74). How is Maureen Peal’s insecurity revealed? 31. Though Maureen Peal is half white, she is also insecure. On p.73, Claudia says, “Black? Who you calling black?” What does this ironic statement reveal about Claudia? 30. What does this foreshadow? Who defends Pecola? 29. Discuss the argument between Pecola and Maureen (p.71). How is Pecola taunted by the boys at school? What does this scene tell us about the boys? 27. Who is Maureen Peal? How is she described (directly AND indirectly)? Why is she called “the disrupter of seasons”? 26. What imagery is used to describe Claudia’s father? How does this characterize him? 25. What is the significance of titling this section “Autumn”? WINTER p.61-80 24. How do they influence Pecola’s concept of love? 23. Whom does Pecola like to visit? Describe these characters. Why is anger “better” according to the narrator? 22. What is the significance of “Mary Jane”? 21. How? What is the effect of this change? 20. On p.47, the narrative form of the story changes again. Why does Pecola want blue eyes? Again, cite quotes to support your answer. Use quotes from the text to support your answers. How is this narration of this chapter (p.33-37) different from the previous pages? 17. What do we learn about Pecola’s home life? 16. What is the purpose of the slurred Dick and Jane passage at the top of p.
What happens to Pecola that causes both awe and fear in Claudia and Frieda? Why do they feel these emotions? What character traits does this event reveal about the girls? What is foreshadowed by this scene? 13. How does it affect her and her relationships with others? Use quotes to support your answer.ġ2. Explain Claudia’s relationship with society’s ideal of beauty.
On p.17, Claudia says: “Outdoors, we knew, was the real terror of life.” Explain what Claudia means by this. Discuss the relationship between parents and children as portrayed on pp.10-11. Explain the conflict between Rosemary and the girls in the beginning of the novel.
Identify the characters and their character traits: Claudia, Frieda, Rosemary Villannuci, Mr. Where is the story set? What details about the setting stand out? 7. When is the story set? What clues are given to reveal the time period? How might the time in which it takes place influence the story? 6. What does the narrator mean by the phrase “Quiet as it’s kept,” on the first page of the prologue? 4. What is the effect of the disintegrating punctuation? What is Morrison suggesting through this? 3. What is the purpose of the Dick and Jane passages? 2.
The Bluest Eye Discussion Questions Please answer these in your notebook as you read each part.