Quote 2
It
had occurred to Pecola some time ago that if her eyes, those eyes
that held the pictures, and knew the sights—if those eyes of hers
were different, that is to say, beautiful, she herself would be
different.
These lines, which introduce Pecola’s
desire for blue eyes, are found in Chapter 3 of
the “Autumn” section of the novel. They demonstrate the complexity
of Pecola’s desire—she does not want blue eyes simply because they
conform to white beauty standards, but because she wishes to possess
different sights and pictures, as if changing eye color will change
reality. Pecola has just been forced to witness a violent fight
between her parents, and the only solution she can imagine to her
passive suffering is to witness something different. She believes
that if she had blue eyes, their beauty would inspire beautiful
and kindly behavior on the part of others. Pecola’s desire has its
own logic even if it is naïve. To Pecola, the color of one’s skin
and eyes do influence how one is treated and what one is forced
to witness.
