There is a sense of repetition of the lingering repugnance within the black community's view of its own race. Although black families like the Breedloves face endless discrimination in all aspects of life, one could argue that their ugliness is only compounded by their issues with self-loathing: "No one could have convinced them that they were not relentlessly and aggressively ugly” (p.36). The Breedlove family has developed a vigorous hatred of themselves, so they cannot escape their own past hatred that repeats itself across generations. However, it could also be argued that some attempt to contradict past history by living in the present. Morrison herself repeats this in the novel's foreword: "Most others, however, grow beyond this" (p. 5). As a result, it could be argued that The Bluest Eye is an ongoing battle between those who want to move away from the idealistic appearances of the past and those who are left behind and wallow in their own appearances.