In the African- American community today, there is a lack of representation, along with voices that go unheard and unspoken. Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, delves into the significance of silence, and the ways that the protagonist, Janie Crawford, has had her voice silenced. This resonates with many people of the Black community, who feel as though even with the progression we’ve made as a society, that their lives and struggles matter less than a white person’s. With movements such as Black Lives Matter, and many other African-American protesters, there has been a cultural outcry from the Black community who want to be heard, who want to be represented, who want to matter as people. Many women in particular among …show more content…
This allows the characters to seem more alive and real. The individuals in the story are expressed through their diction and style of speaking. This is a starting point for one of the main themes of the novel, which is the use of language for control and self-reflection. Janie must find her voice, for she is silenced by Jody often throughout the novel in order to control her and preserve his own power over her, and she grows to hate him because she feels subdued by him. She begins to realize the importance of her speech, and leaves Jody. Along with that, she learns that her silence can give her power, once figuring out how to control it. In opposition to Jody, Tea Cake speaks to Janie, treats her like she is on the same level as he is. He allows her her own voice and ability to express. However, after Tea Cake is bitten by a rabid dog, they’re no longer able to have quite the same interaction. Janie reaches the peak of her individualistic expression after the death of Tea Cake, through her silence at her trial. Her voice is unrestrained and completely her own at the end of the novel, as she tells her story to Pheoby, and Pheoby …show more content…
Both Janie’s mother and grandmother were raped without justice given to them, which echoes the plights of many black women today. They were silenced, along with Janie, though in a more different way than Janie was. Though, Janie is finally able to gain control over her own voice, and use it to her advantage. Many women today are unable to do that, due to a corrupt justice system, which fails to put away many rapists due to the unfortunate case of only having circumstantial evidence. Unlike many women, during Janie’s trial, she is supported by many White women, who speak for her. It is rather idealistic for Janie to be supported in such a way, since she did kill Tea Cake, despite it being self-defense. Black people do not usually get the benefit of the doubt. There is a lot of injustice for many Black women (and men) in this world, that occurs because of our terrible history and perpetuating stereotypes. It’s time to change, and listen to the pleas of the Black community, and help their voices be heard. Since black people are underrepresented in today’s media, their issues lack the conversation that is so desperately needed in order to solve the problems. If given the ability to speak, like Janie was able to finally do, it will help the many women of the community in finding their own