Media Power

In reading Morrrison's "The Bluest Eye" what struck me most was the results of Pauline's visits to the movies. As in the last novel we read (White Noise), I see another connection to the theme of the media role in shaping individual's lives. Pauline's visits to the movies shapes the way she sees not only herself, but also those around her. "She was never able, after her education in the movies, to look at a face and not assign it some catetgory in the scale of beauty" I would go on to argue that the scale of beauty in which Pauline rates people is based on the white ideals of beauty (as Pauline even tries to look like Jean Harlow a white woman, an attempt to be beautiful). This presents another-- and I feel extrememly powerful-- reason as to why the black characters in this novel find it difficult to view themselves as pretty/ beautiful.By being bombarded by the white perception of beauty, and living in a society dominated by white people it becomes difficult to view black as beautiful. Pauline also comments: "Them pictures gave me a lot of pleasure, but it made coming home hard..." thus suggesting the power media has in influencing individual's daily lives. Pauline is not able to live satisfied with what she has a result of images she's shown in movies suggesting what she has is undesireable/ unacceptable.

When you think about who is in control over the large media conglomerations existing today (white males)....I believe it becomes easy to see why there are still many negative stereotypes regarding black people (and other persons of color).

(BTW. I know that the movies are not considered Media, but I felt connection could be made???)