Toni Morrison and I

On Wednesday January 18, Clutch Magazine posted the article "4 Books You Should Reread"  by Danielle Pointdujour. The list included Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and it struck me as odd that I had never read this novel. 


At the time of reading Pointdujour's article, I was reading Morrison's Songs of Solomon, and I was in awe of Morrison's skill, her use of the language.  There was a music to the narrative and this was infused with African mythology and rhythmic movement as the tale charted the journey of the main character "Milkman" from his dislike and fear of his father and his disconnection from his ancestral roots to self-discovery and courage.   


After reading Songs and I made the decision to read The Bluest Eye.  The Bluest Eye is Morrison's first novel and it is the story of a young black girl, Pecola Breedlove who is described as ugly and who in internalizing the belief that she is indeed ugly; dreams, prays and wishes for blue eyes to the point of madness.  


The novel is essentially from the point of view of Claudia MacTeer, and is presented by Claudia as a child who is Pecola's contemporary and school mate, and Claudia as an adult reflecting on life in Lorain, Ohio (United States of America) during the years following the Great Depression.  However, there are  distinct moments where the narrator is the omnipresent third-person narrator.  


The Bluest Eye broke my heart and I cried for all the Black girls past, present and future who have, who are and who will be made to feel ugly because of the rich ebony of of their skin. 


I had borrowed Songs and The Bluest Eye and then Kingston Bookshop had its annual Yard Sale and I am blessed to have purchased a copy of  The Bluest Eye. 


Presently I am re-visiting Beloved. I read Beloved as part of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Literatures In English, Prose Level 1. I loved the story and knew the lives of Sethe, Denver, Baby Suggs, the Garner men inside-out. In re-reading this tale I am now in far better position to appreciate the physical, psychological, emotional, sexual and metaphysical effects of slavery from which the story rests upon and seeks to confront. 

Toni Morrison

                                                             

                                  

After reading these three novels by Morrison I am truly inspired to write. I need to tell the stories I know, while creating the book I would want to read and infusing the histories I have have learnt.  


In this Black History Month 2012, I want to thank Toni Morrison for writing, teaching, inspiring  and creating. 

Change and Challenges

“What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.” -Buddha


I am in a transitioning phase and this quote expresses exactly where I am. 
I have been thinking about what I want and doing a lot of what I would do this if...


And now its time to start doing. 


In terms of  writing literary work I wrote a story in May and sent it in to Small Axe journal   I entered their Literary Competition so I can't share it here. But it felt good to write something and complete a piece and to actual share it and have it critiqued. I am looking forward to the outcome of that. 


I am also writing something else but the idea keeps shifting I have been writing since December 31 2010 I want to complete it and share it with you by the end of this September. 


This is a challenge to myself I have publicly stated what I am doing and my intention and so it is up to me to deliver on my commitments.   


I also want or rather I will at the end of September create a separate space/blog to share my stories and other forms of creative expressions as they come to me. 


Tomorrow I am back to being a Researcher and I happy and grateful for that. I enjoyed my three month stint in broadcast journalism but news writing is simply not for me. 


So my challenge to myself is to complete and share my story by the end of September and to complete my  academic research paper "Positioning Grandy Nanny as a Proponent of Black Power" by December 2011. 


And Happy Emancipation Day!

ENvasa Media and Publications: In Search of My Black Aesthetic

I do have a rather small concern when it comes to Black Aesthetics, I am of African descent and all people around are predominantly of African descent and yet the literature that has been presented to me through life have not been those that have celebrated Black Aesthetics. I am convinced that most of the people that I am close to (my friends and family) are indeed beautiful. I know that I am beautiful I am one of the most beautiful people on Earth. And yet... How do I describe my beauty? How do I explain fully what I see in the mirror and see in others? I think the answer lies in the way I will bring forth my characters. Before I seek to bring them forth from my mind I must look deeply at myself AND I must describe bit by bit the beauty I see in me. I have only read a small section of books by Black people, this is not my fault but in going forward I must make it a part of my life to read about myself and the people that I look like and those that look like me. I find that in my own life I think of people, particularly shades of brown in turns of food or candy or some sweetness, there is dark chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel, honey and yet that seems inadequate maybe should use word yes I should use another phrase those words are good they are what comes naturally they also can be and will be worked on. Black Aesthetics exist in degrees and variations there is a mixture and smooth combination that always creates a unique beauty and once I master the ability to relate the beauty that I see and feel with words I shall be truly grateful.