Most Beautiful Column In Shirley Temple's The Bluest Eye

Looking back at the past and viewing the list of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful" column, over the last 30 years 87% of people that were ranked first were either white or had lighter skin. The impact of choosing mainly white or light skinned people influences society's opinion on what is considered the beauty standard and further pushes the idea that white is beautiful and black is not. People would use the beauty standard as an excuse to be racist, purposely making fun of the way dark skinned people looked. In The Bluest Eye, this situation happens to Pecola. In her world, Shirley Temple, a famous white child actress, was considered the epitome of the beauty standard and Pecola was the complete opposite of her. Pecola, knowing this, constantly

Pecola is used as a representation of someone who does not fit the beauty standard, she had darker skin and ugly facial features. She was treated differently because she did not have the pretty privilege that white people had. When Pecola went to the storefront to purchase a Mary Jane (candy bar), Mr. Yacobowski, the white shopkeeper, immediately became weary and attentive because he didn't feel comfortable with her being in the store. When Pecola was trying to tell Mr. Yacobowski what she wanted to purchase he spoke aggressively towards her even though she was being respectful. After that, she finally ends up purchasing the Mary Jane and as "She holds the money toward him. He hesitates, not wanting to touch her hand" (Morrison 49). Mr. Yacobowski hesitated before touching her hand because she is black. All throughout Pecola's time in the store he kept showing outright racism towards an innocent little girl because she had darker skin. This is not the only instance of white people being outright racist to Pecola. At school, she got bullied harshly by other white kids. They threw things at her and called her names because of her looks. The media at the time glamorized girls that looked like Shirley Temple. This overall impacted the behavior of society and showed that if you did not fit the beauty standards it was acceptable to experience racism or to be treated