Quiz: Toni Morrison on 'The Bluest Eye'

According to Toni Morrison, what was one primary reason she began writing the story that eventually became The Bluest Eye? (8 min-8:15)

• She wanted to write a book about her own childhood experiences.

• She wanted to read a book like it but couldn't find it anywhere.

• She was trying to challenge existing literary norms by writing about a marginalized group.

• Her friends in a writing group encouraged her to write a novel.

What specific type of character did Toni Morrison aim to center in The Bluest Eye that she felt was absent or misrepresented in American literature? (8:15-8:25)

• A strong, independent black woman.

• A complex black man struggling with identity.

• A little black girl with "no redeeming qualities whatsoever" except being "lovely," who previously only appeared as a joke.

• A mixed-race character navigating two different worlds.

How did Toni Morrison characterize the process of writing the story that became The Bluest Eye in terms of her personal life? (8:35-9:10)

• It was a public and collaborative effort with her writing group.

• It was an "interior life, a stretch, a safe place or a dangerous place" that she always wanted to have near her and access to.

• It was a daunting task that she rarely found time for.

• It was primarily a way to earn extra income as an author.

Toni Morrison stated that she spent her "entire writing life trying to make sure that the white gaze was not the dominant one in any of my books," and that this approach "had to be struck immediately with a very first book." Which of the following literary influences helped her establish this specific posture in her early writing? (7:35-8:00)

• American modernist writers like James Joyce.

• Russian novelists like Tolstoy and Zola.

• African writers, such as those who wrote Things Fall Apart, who could assume the centrality of their race and didn't explain anything to white people.

• Contemporary female authors who wrote about similar themes.

Establishing her sovereignty and authority as a racialized person in her writing meant: (7:35-8:05)

• Asserting her unique voice and perspective in literature.

• Conforming to mainstream cultural expectations.

• Avoiding topics related to race and identity.

• Relying solely on traditional literary forms.

Morrison's practice regarding the 'white gaze' and its liberating effect on her writing was: (7:35-8:05)

• She refused to write with the 'white gaze' in mind, which allowed her to write more freely and authentically.

• She always wrote for a white audience, which limited her creative expression.

• She ignored the experiences of Black characters in her novels.

• She focused only on historical events, avoiding personal perspectives.