| KeyWord: |
Keywords: Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Mysticism, Symbolism, Comparative Literature, Identity, Archetypal Criticism |
| Abstract: |
This study presents a comparative literary analysis of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Song of Solomon, focusing on the interrelated roles of mysticism and symbolism in shaping the thematic, psychological, and philosophical dimensions of the two novels. While existing scholarship has extensively explored Morrison's treatment of identity, race, gender, trauma, and memory, comparatively little attention has been devoted to examining mysticism and symbolism as complementary narrative strategies within a single analytical framework. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates how Morrison integrates mystical consciousness with symbolic representation to portray the protagonists' quests for identity, self-understanding, and spiritual transformation. Employing a qualitative comparative research design, the study is based on close textual analysis. It is guided by an integrated theoretical framework that combines Archetypal Criticism, Myth Criticism, and Literary Symbolism. The findings reveal that The Bluest Eye presents mysticism primarily as an inward psychological experience characterised by longing, illusion, and emotional fragmentation. At the same time, its symbolic system exposes the destructive consequences of internalised ideals and alienated selfhood. In contrast, Song of Solomon portrays mysticism as a transformative journey grounded in ancestral memory, folklore, myth, and spiritual awakening, with its symbolic network emphasising freedom, cultural continuity, reconciliation, and self-realisation. The comparative analysis demonstrates that Morrison employs mysticism and symbolism not as isolated literary devices but as interconnected narrative mechanisms through which she explores identity, memory, human consciousness, and existential renewal. By synthesising these two critical perspectives, the study contributes a fresh interpretative approach to Morrison scholarship and highlights the enduring significance of her symbolic imagination and mystical vision in contemporary literary studies.
Keywords: Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Mysticism, Symbolism; Comparative Literature, Identity, Archetypal Criticism.
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