Discuss+the+importance+of+family+love+or+the+lack+thereof.

Discuss the importance of family love of the lack thereof.

Family love in //The Bluest Eye// is rarely expressed. The power that family love has over others can be quite destructive. Many of the issues and perversions of each character are resulting from the lack of family love or a dysfunctionally loving family. For example, Soaphead Church had a “sadistic father”, which could likely have contributed to his lack of social skills and misanthropic tendencies. Cholly Breedlove was raised in the absence of a true family environment as well. His social skills and lack of true human connection and communication. Soaphead and Cholly are just exaggerated examples of what lack of family love can do to a person. In their minds, they may be perceiving that they love others, but their behavior is actually a perversion of love. If the lack of family love towards a character does not result in twisted acts of love towards others, then results in a withdrawing, empty despair, as shown by Pecola Breedlove. When family love is present, it can be powerful and all encompassing. For example, Mr. McTeer was prepared to be extremely violent, maybe even commit murder in the case of Mr.Henry molesting his daughter. Only the power of family love allows such a fierce and strong retaliation against the perpetrator of pain on a family member.

From the day someone is born, their family plays one of the biggest roles in his or her life. We’ve each been lucky enough to have been born into a loving family, where we’ve always had a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. We don’t realize how important a basic family foundation is until we read stories of children who haven’t had that family love and the effect that it’s had on them. Things that we believe come naturally to humans, are actually learnt from our parents, who teach us day by day how to show affection and how to be a kind human being. It is from them that we learn the difference from right and wrong in this world. Cholly is a great example of how lacking family love can ultimately destroy a person. He doesn't know the definition of love and affection, and so he is clueless when it comes to his own family and children. Claudia and Frieda, both children that express a great deal of empathy and compassion towards Pecola, understand the importance of love as they have actually been raised in a loving household. Mr. McTeer was ready to protect his daughter at any expense, which isn't seen throughout the book with any of the other characters.