Name: _______________________________________
Date: ___________
Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye Monologue Project
NEST+m, English 12, Ms. Palmer
Due Date: Wednesday, April 29th
Major Assignment: 100 points
Overview: Thus far in our unit on The Bluest Eye, we have studied the importance and
implications of perspective/POV, and we have discussed and written about themes in this
novel from various points of view. This project will be your opportunity to become more
intimate with one particular character’s perspective, and to delve into his/her experience.
Task: Choose ONE character from the novel whose point of view you would like to
explore. Then, using both the novel and your own imagination, write a monologue for
this character (in his/her voice) to help readers better understand your chosen character’s
perspective. You may purposefully enhance what we know of your chosen character from
the text with details from your imagination, but you may not change details from the text
(i.e. If you’re writing from Maureen Peale’s perspective, you can imagine that all of the
lawsuits her family brings against businesses are related to race, but you can’t, for
example, transform her into a character whose family is poorer than Claudia’s family).
Requirements:
 2-3 pages in length
 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double-spaced, correct MLA formatting, stapled
 Begins with 3rd person description of setting, then is written in the 1st person POV
 Must be an extension of the novel (no changing plotlines!)
 Should reveal a deep and complex understanding of your chosen character
Helpful Hints:
1. Think broadly about your choice of character – often characters with more minor
roles, or less dialogue, can offer you the most artistic freedom.
2. Examine Morrison’s writing closely– this is your chance to mimic the writing of a
Nobel Prize-winning author. Aim for specific detail, figurative language, and
strong voice and tone.
3. Use the monologue models for inspiration and guidance. Consider what kind of
information the monologues reveal about the characters.
DUE DATE: Wednesday, April 29th. Please turn in a hard copy in class, and share a
digital version with mspalmerenglish@gmail.com.
Note: Prep work—see following worksheets—is due tomorrow (Thursday, April 23rd).
The Bluest Eye Monologue Project: Character Development Handout
Instructions: Use the following writing prompts, activities, and charts to help you
develop ideas about your character for your monologue.
My chosen character is: ____________________________________
1. What I Know/What I’d Like to Know: One purpose of the monologue is to help
readers become more familiar with a character, usually by giving us some new
insight into the character’s behavior and/or feelings. The below chart will help
you establish what you already know about your character, and where there is
room for you to add information from your imagination.
What I Know about ________________
What I’d Like to Know about _____________
2. Generating emotions: Revisit a scene (or the scene) in the novel where your
character appears that stuck out to you. In the space below, list all of the emotions
and thoughts that your character might have had in that moment:
3. Writing prompts: Below are a series of writing prompts to help you use the
information you’ve attained from the novel to expand your understanding and
view of the character. Using information from both the novel and from your
imagination, respond to at least TWO prompts, one paragraph each.
1. What is one of your character’s earliest memories? Explain.
2. What it the most difficult thing your character has had to overcome? Explain.
3. What does your character do for fun? Explain.
4. If the character could become someone else, who would he/she become? Why.
5. What is your character’s favorite way to celebrate his/her birthday? Explain.
6. What is your character’s favorite article of clothing? Why?
7. Does your character attend church regularly? Rarely? Why or why not?
8. What education does your character have? How does this affect his/her life?
9. What is your character’s bedtime routine? Explain.
10. What does your character gossip about? Explain.
11. Is there anyone that your character truly dislikes? Why?
12. What has been your character’s most embarrassing moment? Explain.
13. Does your character have siblings? If so, what is their relationship like?
14. What would your character do if he or she had only 24 hours to live? Explain.
15. Does your character love his/her job? Why or why not?
16. What is your character’s deepest, darkest fear? Explain.
17. Has your character ever broken the law? If so, explain. Did he/she get caught?
18. Who was your character’s favorite teacher in school? Why?
19. What does your character discuss at the dinner table with his/her family?
20. What does your character keep in his/her medicine cabinet? Explain.
21. What does your character dream about? Explain.
22. What keeps your character up at night? Why?
23. What is your character’s favorite time of day? Why?
24. How would your character describe him/herself?
25. What is your character’s favorite game? Why? Does he/she still play it?
26. What was your character promised for Christmas yet did not receive? How did
he/she feel about this?
27. Make up your own question that will help reveal your character!
Name: _______________________________________
Date: ___________
The Bluest Eye Monologue Project: Grading Rubric
Standard
Develo
Meets
Exceeds
Outstan
ping
Expectations Expectations
ding
5-6
7-8
9
10
Content:
Is consistent with and reinforced by text:
Makes sense within story plotline and
demonstrates a deep understanding of the
action in the novel.
Adds depth and insight to understanding of
chosen character. (out of 20)
Develops images, ideas, feelings, and trains
of thought, rather than just reviewing facts or
listing opinions.
Uses natural diction and syntax within
character’s accent/speech patterns.
Uses vivid phrases, imagery, and sensory
details to help evoke emotion and convey
purposeful meaning.
Form:
Is preceded by description of setting that
supports character and uses strong
description and detail.
Follows genre format & conventions (i.e.
written in 1st person, thoughtful line breaks
reveal rhythm of the speaker’s voice, 3
pages, double-spaced, 12-pt font, etc.).
Conventions & Process:
Demonstrates commitment to the writing
process, adhering to all assignment
requirements, including complete and
thoughtful character preparation work.
Shows excellent control over a wide range of
standard writing conventions and uses them
with accuracy and (when appropriate)
creativity to enhance meaning. Errors are
few and minor; text is clean and edited.
Total Grade:
/100
Teacher comments:
Monologue Models
Note: These models don’t start with a setting description, but your monologue needs to
include a setting description.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1967), Charlie Brown:
I think lunchtime is about the worst time of day for me. Always having to sit here alone.
Of course, sometimes, mornings aren't so pleasant either. Waking up and wondering if
anyone would really miss me if I never got out of bed. Then there's the night, too. Lying
there and thinking about all the stupid things I've done during the day. And all those
hours in between when I do all those stupid things. Well, lunchtime is among the worst
times of the day for me. Well, I guess I'd better see what I've got. Peanut butter. Some
psychiatrists say that people who eat peanut butter sandwiches are lonely... I guess they're
right. And when you're really lonely, the peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth.
There's that cute little red-headed girl eating her lunch over there. I wonder what she
would do if I went over and asked her if I could sit and have lunch with her?... She'd
probably laugh right in my face...it's hard on a face when it gets laughed in. There's an
empty place next to her on the bench. There's no reason why I couldn't just go over and
sit there. I could do that right now. All I have to do is stand up...I'm standing up!... I'm
sitting down. I'm a coward. I'm so much of a coward, she wouldn't even think of looking
at me. She hardly ever does look at me. In fact, I can't remember her ever looking at me.
Why shouldn't she look at me? Is there any reason in the world why she shouldn't look at
me? Is she so great, and I'm so small, that she can't spare one little moment?.. .SHE'S
LOOKING AT ME!! SHE'S LOOKING AT ME!! [He puts his lunch bag over his head.]
...Lunchtime is among the worst times of the day for me. If that little red-headed girl is
looking at me with this stupid bag over my head she must think I'm the biggest fool alive.
But, if she isn't looking at me, then maybe I could take it off quickly and she'd never
notice it. On the other hand...I can't tell if she's looking, until I take it off! Then again, if I
never take it off I'll never have to know if she was looking or not. On the other hand...it's
very hard to breathe in here. [He removes his sack] Whew! She's not looking at me! I
wonder why she never looks at me? Oh well, another lunch hour over with... only 2,863
to go.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Miranda Priestley
This stuff’? Oh, ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your
closet and you select out, oh I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because
you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you
put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not
turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean. You’re also blindly unaware of the fact that
in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was
Yves St Laurent, wasn’t it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean
quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down
through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic “casual corner”
where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents
millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it’s sort of comical how you think that
you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re
wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of
“stuff.”
Goodfellas (1990), Henry Hill
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster
was better than being President of the United States. Even before I first wandered into the
cabstand for an afterschool job I knew I wanted to be a part of them. It was there that I
knew that I belonged. To me, it meant being somebody in the neighborhood that was full
of nobodies. They weren’t like anybody else. I mean, they did whatever they wanted.
They double parked in front of a hydrant and nobody ever game them a ticket. In the
summer when they played cards all night, nobody ever called the cops. Tuddy Cicero.
Tuddy. Tuddy ran the cabstand in La Bella Vista Pizzeria and a few other places for his
brother Paul who was the boss over everybody in the neighborhood. Paulie might have
moved slow, but it was only because he didn’t have to move for anybody.
At first, my parents loved that I found a job across the street. My father, who was Irish,
was sent to work at the age of eleven, and he liked that I got myself a job. He always said
American kids were spoiled lazy. And my mother was happy after she found out that the
Varios came from the same part of Sicily as she did. To my mother, it was the answer to
her prayers.
I was the luckiest kid in the world. I could go anywhere. I could do anything. I knew
everybody and everybody knew me. But it wasn’t too long before my parents changed
their minds. For them, the cabstand was supposed to be a part-time job, but for me, it was
full-time. People like my father could never understand, but I was a part of something. I
belonged. I was treated like a grown-up. Every day I was learning to score. My father
was always pissed off. He was pissed that he had to work so hard. He was pissed that he
made such lousy money. Be was pissed that there were seven of us living in a tiny house.
But after a while, he was mostly pissed that I hung around the cabstand. He said they
were bums and that I was a bum. He said I was going to get into trouble. I used to say I
was only running errands after school, but he knew better. He knew what went on at the
cabstand and, every once in a while, usually after he got his load on, I had to take a
beating. But by then, I didn’t care. No matter how many beatings I took, I wouldn’t listen
to what he said. I don’t think I even heard him. The way I saw it, everybody has to take a
beating some time.
That was it. No more letters from truant officers. No more letters from school. In fact, no
more letters from anybody. How could I go back to school after that and pledge
allegiance to the flag and sit through good government bullshit.
Hundreds of guys depended on Paulie and he got a piece of everything they made. It was
tribute, just like the old country, except they were doing it in America. All they got from
Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. That’s what it’s all about.
That’s what the FBI can never understand, that what Paulie and the organization does is
offer protection for people who can’t go to the cops. They’re like the police department
for wiseguys.
People looked at me differently. They knew I was with somebody. I didn’t have to wait
on line at the bakery on Sunday morning anymore for fresh bread. The owner knew who I
was with, and he’d come from around the counter, no matter how many people were
waiting. I was taken care of first. Our neighbors didn’t park in our driveway anymore,
even though we didn’t have a car. At thirteen, I was making more money than most of the
grownups in the neighborhood. I had more money than I could spend. I had it all. One
day some of the kids from the neighborhood carried my mother’s groceries all the way
home for her. It was out of respect.
3 Rules of Dramatic Monologues:
1. The speech must be given by a single person, who is NOT the author, usually at a
critical moment.
2. If the character is still in a scene with other characters, the other characters do not
speak during the monologue.
3. The main principle controlling the author’s (your!) choice and formulation of
what the character says, is to reveal to the audience/reader something about the
character’s temperament, emotions, or personality.