Date of Creation
5-15-2026
Degree Type
Departmental Honors Thesis
Department
English
First Advisor
Nadine Knight
Abstract
This thesis argues that Toni Morrison uses violent motherhood to add nuance to and challenge negative stereotypes of Black women. The first chapter investigates neglectful and violent mothers, examining Polly Breedlove from The Bluest Eye and Eva Peace from Sula. This chapter explores how these mothers use their cruelty as a way of claiming their title as head of the household, which they have long been denied due to their intersecting identities as Black women. The second chapter argues that Sethe from Beloved and Eva Peace from Sula murder their children as a way of reclaiming the ability to make decisions for their children that they have long been denied. The third and final chapter of this thesis traces the community reactions in Beloved and The Bluest Eye. This thesis chapter drawsconnections to the differing community reactions in these two novels, with Sethe’s community rallying around her when she’s struggling with Beloved and Polly Breedlove’s community ostracizing her at the end of The Bluest Eye. The final chapter explains why these two mothers are perceived differently by their community and emphasizes the importance of community support in such situations. It concludes by synthesizing these themes to illustrate how stereotypes about Black women have rendered motherhood nearly impossible for them, constraining their choices and limiting their access to resources and independence in parenting.
Recommended Citation
Collins, Charlotte G., "“Ain’t that love?”: How Morrison Writes Against Stereotypes of Black Mothers" (2026). English Honors Theses. 26.
https://crossworks.holycross.edu/engl_honor/26