Bluest Eye, Lipstick Jihad

One of the most prevalent characteristics of humanity as a whole is the tendency to make judgements of culture and collective identity based on physical appearance. In The Bluest Eye and Lipstick Jihad, there are countless examples in which having different physical traits can make a world of difference socioeconomically.

The entire concept of race as we know it is a manmade concept; it is not something that intrinsically existed. The need humanity faces to group and categorize every corner of society trickles down to create races. As a result, the opportunity for social mobility and advancement is spread unequally by race simply because it goes far into determining some aspects of socioeconomic status. For example, in The Bluest Eye, the main character always aspires for a better life and portrays her goals as "getting a set of blue eyes." Even when Pecola does get the blue eyes, or at least in her imagination, she is constantly stuck with insecurities about them. It just shows that when one is bred to feel insecure about their upbringing, their physical traits while suffering a lousy socioeconomic status, that attitude never leaves. It shows the importance of physical characteristics in self-worth.

Lipstick Jihad further supports this notion by citing the countless instances in which the author is seen in Tehran as a transplant Iranian; they can recognize her American background simply in the way she carries herself, whether it be while eating at the mall, walking down the street, or speaking to the Shah. Furthermore, a unique physical apperance in comparison to the rest of the surrounding society for whatever reason causes the unique person to feel socially vulnerable and be ostracized by the rest. The author chronicles her struggle of assimilating into orthodox Iranian culture, and that is heavily due to physical characteristics, although some are subtle.

The point is, discrimination and characterization based on physical traits has been rampant across humanity for centuries. Some examples include the Spanish Inquisition to get the Moors out of Europe, Hitler's disdain for people of Jewish descent, or even the daily struggles Detroiters face. Due to skin color and other specific physical characteristics, society has placed an identity upon people; people are black, brown, yellow, white, etc. Diseased or disabled people are put into colonies to wither amongst their weaknesses, like lepers and nudists. Whether it is right or wrong is a different issue entirely. However, it is obvious that we not only identify but also characterize people by physical characteristics, often with toxic side effects.