The transition from childhood to adulthood is not as clear-cut as the physical features suggest. Female transition is no exception. Culture plays a major role in deciding when change will occur. Some mark a specific age as a crossing point while others are known to recognize physical changes. Regardless, cultures around the world understand that there is a distinct difference between the two. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison tells a story from the perspective of a young black girl, Claudia, as well as from the perspective of her as a woman. Morrison uses a shifting narrative perspective to show that the skills of understanding and thinking are what separate the educated woman from the innocent girl. Morrison shows that proper transition leads to a caring, independent, and community-oriented woman, while barriers to transition lead to unloving adults. The Bluest Eye focuses on images of the ideal child and the ideal woman by creating a contrast with characters who lack these qualities. At the beginning of the novel, Morrison explains to the audience how an ideal family should function. She gives the audience a subtle taste of what the ideal girl should be. Jane, the subject of the extract, demonstrates curiosity, friendliness, and happiness. By introducing Frieda, Pecola, Claudia, Rosemary, and Maureen Peal to the reader, Morrison adds vulnerability, confusion, and a carefree attitude to the qualities of being a girl. The Dick and Jane excerpt sets the tone that girls can be carefree. The pictures show that Jane is wearing a red dress, is always eager to play and even has a companion, the dog. The scene is vivid and rich with what-ifs the perfect girl would be...... middle of paper ...... linked to the cycle that keeps many families outside the safety of a community. The Bluest Eye focuses on the difficulties of transitioning from child to woman. Morrison says the ideal child is carefree, vulnerable, and curious by introducing characters like Pecola, Claudia, and Jane. She contrasts with the girls by giving them adult qualities of maturity, the ability to nurture, independence and community connection. In the form of rape or disinterest on the part of maternal figures, the feeling of not being loved is detrimental to girls in their transition. To successfully transition, a woman must find herself through community and family. Morrison reminds us that in reality, the vital transition from childhood to adulthood is fraught with obstacles that many fail to overcome. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. The bluest eye. New York: Vintage, 2007. Print.