The Bluest Eye Summary Chapter 1

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“THE BLUEST EYE” (TONI MORISSON) SUMMARY : SECTION I Claudia the narrator of the novel describes her home life with his mother and her sister Frieda, and some of events of the fall of 1939. They have small house, and their relationship in family is poor but loving. It is shown when Claudia becomes sick, her illness is treated with a mixture of concern and anger. Her mother treated her harshly and complain about to clean up her puke, but at the same time, her mother makes sure that Claudia is in the bed, and she gives her a medicine and checks up about her condition throughout the night. Two significant visitors come to stay at the Claudia house: Mr. Henry, as a rent-paying boarder, and Pecola Breedlove, as a girl who has been temporarily taken into custody by the state. Mr. Henry is a middle-aged man whose former landlady can no longer accommodate him. He is going to rent a room at the Claudia house for five dollars every two weeks, a sum that will be a great aid to Claudia's parents. On his arrival, he delights the girls by comparing them to white Hollywood actresses. The children's immediate affection is obvious, but the description of Mr. Henry's arrival ends on an ominous note: "Even after what came later, there was no bitterness in our memory of him." Pecola Breedlove comes to stay until her family can sort out some of its problems: her father, Cholly Breedlove, has attacked her mother and has tried to burn down the house that the Breedloves were renting. Claudia describes the Breedloves' situation with sympathy, " Townspeople have branded Cholly Breedlove as a no-good dog, because he has willingly put his family outdoors. Pecola is a shy and unassuming girl, a year older than Frieda but perhaps slower and less mature than her, grateful for whatever kindness Claudia and Frieda give her. Pecola is particularly fond of drinking out with them. Claudia
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