The Psychological Abuse of Louis Junior in the Bluest Eye

Many people associate child abuse with a broken bone or dark bruises on the skin. However, abuse can take many forms, extending far beyond physical harm to include neglect and emotional harm. Sometimes, children showing little physical damage are the most deeply hurt inside. For example, in Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, the character Louis Junior endures physical abuse from his mother, shaping him into a mistreated, lonely, and cruel person.

Before Junior was born, his mother had a cat whom she adored and lavished with affection.

She was never truly in love with her husband, so when Junior was born, she made sure to provide him only with basic necessities. Geraldine, his mother, “was meticulous about his hygiene, but kept emotional distance. Although she ensured every physical need was met, she was not affectionate or nurturing.” (Morrison, 84.) By exclusively providing physical care and denying the emotional bond, Junior never experienced love first hand. According to HelpGuide.org, this form of child abuse can lead to “trust issues, relationship difficulties, and unclear emotional understanding.” In turn, this neglect resulted in a lonely, isolated Junior, untouched by any signs of care or nurture.

Feelings of loneliness can be devastating. When Junior couldn’t find someone at home, he sought companionship at the playground. There, he had the chance to interact, to feel joy, and to find others to play with. “The sight of empty playground equipment saddened him, so he tried to persuade children to stay as long as possible.” (Morrison, 86.) Geraldine would only allow him to play with the white children, deeming the Black children “dirty and loud” (Morrison, 86). Yet, Junior yearned to belong among the black children, to embrace their freedom, noise, happiness, and acceptance. Overwhelmed by seclusion, he would “beckon passing children to come and share the swings or seesaw. If a child refused, or left too soon, Junior pelted them with gravel.” (Morrison, 88.) Enshrouded in isolation day and night, Junior sought new experiences and feelings. Eventually, he stumbled upon one thing that provided him with genuine satisfaction: other people’s misery.

While Geraldine was busily offering all her affection to the cat, Junior saw and thought, “As he aged, he learned how to channel his hatred of his mother towards the cat, and spent many happy moments watching it suffer.” (Morrison, 84). Whenever he got the chance, he would torment the cat to release the anger within him. The cat was just the beginning; soon, Junior found himself bullying girls and derived pleasure from doing so. “When they [the girls] woke up, their faces red and wrinkled, it made him feel good.” (Morrison, 87). One day, Junior encounters Pecola, the protagonist of the novel, at the playground and invites her over to see his cat. Once she agrees and enters his house, he grabs the cat and hurls it at Pecola, leaving her face scratched and her eyes tearful. “Junior was laughing and running around the room, holding his stomach joyfully.” (Morrison, 90). Through that innocent girl’s suffering, the savage Junior derived laughter and happiness.

Abuse isn’t limited to physical harm that you can see, but can also be deeply mental. Louis Junior never felt the love that a mother should give and felt isolated as a result of this. When he channeled his hatred for his mother, he not only directed it at the cat but also generalized it to all girls. Junior is an abused, lonely, and sadistic little boy who yearned for his mother’s love.

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