Trauma and Character Development in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye

Psychological trauma has been part and parcel of human life ever since the beginning of humanity. It has always been portrayed in literary texts. Nevertheless, with the onset of modernity in the 20th century, this interest in portraying traumatic experiences in literature increased a lot. Afro-American Literature in particular represents the traumatic experiences of the African American people that began with enslavement. Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye is one of the most important texts that reflects the sufferings and trauma of African Americans. Hence, this article will focus on the traumas of the main characters in the novel such as Cholly, Pauline, and Pecola Breedlove. It will highlight the negative impact that trauma has on the development of these characters. Also, it will analyse the causes that led the characters to become traumatised, such as the transgenerational trauma of the parents, racial discrimination, society’s standards of beauty, bullying, and rape.