The Bluest Eye Unit
English 3
Critical Lens Essay
Prompt:
How is the influence of the “Black is Beautiful” cultural movement of the 1960s visible
in both Toni Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye, and Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp a
Butterfly? Consider the ways both authors comment on how oppression manifests itself as
internalized racism. In this essay you will be comparing Toni Morrison’s The Bluest
Eye to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. You will need to choose a specific song
from this album and compare how it relates to themes in The Bluest Eye. You will also
need to reference the Black is Beautiful Movement and the Black Lives Matter
Movement.
Due Dates:
Rough Draft Feb 2
Edits/Revisions due Feb 4
Final Draft due Feb 9
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Requirements:
2pg typed MLA: Rough Draft
3- 5 pg typed MLA: Final Draft
Thesis Statement
2-3 Quotes from The Bluest Eye as evidence
2 Quotes from Kendrick Lamar as evidence
Clear organization
Formal tone
Topics/Themes to address:
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Oppression (Institutional and/or Internalized)
Self-hatred/self-love
Racism, Sexism, Classism
The Master Narrative
Beauty
The Media
Resources:
-Black is beautiful power point (on website)
-Blacklivesmatter.com
-Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye
-Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly
 You must have a thesis statement. This should be a specific, provable, debatable
statement that includes a topic and opinion. This will be the statement that you
set out to argue and prove in your essay.
 You are welcome to organize your paper as you please, but a recommended
outline is provided below.
Essay Outline:
Paragraph 1: Intro
Hook:
Racial Oppression is as relevant today as it was in the 1930s as can be seen in classic
literature and pop culture. (example) (Engage your reader)
Thesis:
Kendrick Lamar and Toni Morrison both address the issue of ______________.
They are both influenced by historical Black empowerment movements in the
way__________. Their work helps the reader understand____________________
Plan:
This essay will address________________
Paragraph 2: Comparing Black is Beautiful to The Bluest Eye
Topic sentence: The 1960s “Black is Beautiful” Movement direct relates to the Bluest
Eye in regard to…. (2-3 main themes)
Body Support:
The Black is Beautiful Movement attempted to address the issues of _____________
by________________
Toni Morrison was mainly concerned with the issues of__________________.
We can see how Pecola/Cholly/Frieda/Claudia embodies the issues by_______________
Quote The Bluest Eye
Explain the significance of the quote
Relate to thesis
Concluding sentence:
Both Morrison and this movement display the importance of ___________________
Transition sentence:
The Black is Beautiful Movement has manifested itself in today’s society in the form of
The Black Lives Matter Movement…
Paragraph 3: Compare the Black is Beautiful Movement to the Black Lives Matter
Movement
Topic sentence:
Both the Black is Beautiful Movement and the Black Lives Matter Movement
address________________________
Body Support:
The Black Lives Matter Movement’s purpose is __________________
The movements are similar in the ways they_______________________
The movements are different in the ways they________________________
The Black Lives Matter movement relates to The Bluest Eye because____________
Quote from Black Lives Matter website, Power-point, and/or The Bluest Eye
Explanation of the importance of the quote
Relate to thesis
Concluding Sentence:
The significance of these movements in understanding Morrison is______________
Transition sentence:
The themes in these movements can also be found in modern pop culture.
Paragraph 4: Compare themes in the movements to Kendrick Lamar
Topic Sentence:
Kendrick Lamar’s recent album To Pimp a Butterfly made headlines in the political
sphere because it address issues such as __________________________
Body Support:
-One particular song___________________ directly deals with__________________
-Analyze 2-3 specific lyrics
-Use your lyric analysis to address questions/themes
-These lyrics show___________________
They relate to The Black is Beautiful Movement in regard to ____________________
They similarly represent The Black Lives Matter Movement in the way
they___________
Concluding sentence:
The significance of the Lamar’s lyrics is__________________
Transition sentence:
Both Kendrick Lamar and Toni Morrison are dedicated to____________________
Paragraph 5: Compare themes in Kendrick Lamar to The Bluest Eye
Topic Sentence:
While writing in radically different time periods, Lamar and Morrison
both_______________
Body Support:
-Analyze 1 character in the Bluest Eye in relation to Lamar
-Quote both the Bluest Eye and Lamar
-Explain how the quotes relate to each other
-How do Lamar and Morrison define/think about beauty?
-What kinds of oppression are Lamar and Morrison both representing?
Concluding sentence:
The significance of both of these pieces is__________________
Paragraph 6: Conclusion
Rephrase thesis
Recap main points
What kinds of oppression do black people experience when the collective voice of
society tells them they must adhere to white standards of beauty?
Why do people feel pressured to alter their appearance to achieve success?
What is beauty and how should it be determined?
How can we redefine beauty for ourselves and others?
What happens when we allow society to determine our self-worth?
Why do some people “internalize” the oppression they experience?
How does the media perpetuate institutional oppression of certain groups?
How can institutional oppression lead to internalized oppression (self-hate)?
Ways to extend paper/extra credit
Paragraph (Optional) : Compare a Blues song to theme in The Bluest Eye (Look at
Betty Smith)
Topic Sentence:
Body Support:
Concluding sentence:
Transition sentence:
Paragraph (Optional): Compare an additional Lamar song to themes in The Bluest Eye
Topic Sentence:
Body Support:
Concluding sentence:
Transition sentence: