...Outline Thesis statement: In addition to the frequent references to nature, certain animals have symbolic weight in Their Eyes Were Watching God. The animal with the greatest symbolic charge in this novel is the mule. Mentioned frequently throughout “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, the mule obviously represents the carrier of heavy loads and burdens, but it can also, and does, represent stubborn resistance. The mule serves to illustrate the strained relationship between Janie and Joe Starks. The figure of the mule can also refer not only to Janie herself but to any black woman struggling for independence. Janie identifies with the mule, which remains stubbornly independent despite its masters efforts to beat it down. Ironically, while Jody's position in the city gives him the power to free the mule, his pride and ambition cause him to virtually enslave his wife. He can free Janie only by his death. The mule is also a symbol of the control that men have over things. Watson’s mule was worked hard and was not fed properly so he didn’t look healthy. Women are associated with this mule because the men in Eatonville made them work hard and they were not treated fairly (49). Some of the women in the town worked just as hard as the men and they were not allowed to enjoy a lot of the things men got to. The men liked to relax on the porch and play checkers. None of the women got to participate in these activities. This segregation was unfair to the women of Eatonville. Janie...
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...In her 1926 short story “Sweat” Zora Neale Hurston crafts an exploration of the strength of African-American femininity. This concept of hers is the beating heart of her story, yet it is so low profile that it is hardly heard. It is whispering when it could rightly yell, it is working for peace when it seemingly ought to rage. Yet, through her take on the archetype of the battered-yet-loyal wife, an archetype present in the mediums of literature, theater, and film, Hurston achieves a depiction of strength without violence. Hurston’s “Delia” is a giver, not a taker, and though at times caught between the conflict the two roles, Hurston endows her with the moral strength to be true to herself. However, Hurston does not make this an easy task....
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...Danielle mordon Zora Neale Hurston's love of African-American folklore and her work as an anthropologist are reflected in her novels and short stories--where she employed the rich indigenous dialects of her native rural Florida and the Caribbean. In her foreword to Hurston's autiobiography, Dust Tracks on a Road, Maya Angelou wrote, "Her books and folktales vibrate with tragedy, humor and the real music of Black American speech." A published short story writer by the time she came to New York in 1925, Hurston studied anthropology at Barnard, where she was the college's first African-American student. After graduation, Hurston pursued graduate work at Columbia with renowned anthropologist Franz Boas. She left New York to conduct research in Florida and in Haiti and Jamaica, and her field work resulted in the folklore collections Mules and Men (1935) and Tell My Horse (1938). Her classic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in 1937. Still, Hurston never received the financial rewards she deserved. (The largest royalty she ever earned from any of her books was $943.75.) So when she died on Jan. 28, 1960--at age 69, after suffering a stroke. Her neighbors in Fort Pierce, Florida, had to take up a collection for her February 7 funeral. The collection didn't yield enough to pay for a headstone, however, so Hurston was buried in a grave that remained unmarked until 1973. In 1975, Ms. Magazine published Alice Walker's essay, "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston" reviving interest...
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...Zora Neale Hurston, was born on January 7, 1891. She was born into the family of John and Lucy Ann Hurston; she was one of their eight children. Hurston and her family were originally from Notasulga, Alabama. However, they moved to Florida, when she was just a toddler and Hurston, had little, if no memory, of Notasulga. Many of her writings, reflect the culture and happenings of Eatonville, Florida. Hurston, was anything but a usual African-American woman. She defied numerous odds against her, to complete college, travel past the borders of her home town, and become something more than a poor housewife. Despite all difficulties, Hurston received her associate degree from Howard University, in the year of 1920. A few years later, she would begin working on her bachelors, at Barnard College, were she studied anthropology....
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...Analysis of “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston Western Governors University Humanities C100 July 19, 2015 Analysis of “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston Initial Reaction I suppose my initial reaction to “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston was one of disgust. The story shows “Delia’s” husband “Sykes” to be both physically and psychologically abusive as well as an adulterer. “Sykes” shows no respect for his wife, their marriage or the work she does. “Delia” works every day, and all her hard work pays for their home and puts food on the table. I found this to be most evident in this line “Mah tub of suds is filled yo' belly with vittles more times than yo' hands is filled it. Mah sweat is done paid for this house and Ah reckon Ah kin keep on sweatin' in it" (Hurston, 1926, p. 46). I found it very interesting that “Delia” has stayed with “Sykes” for 15 years despite his abusiveness and apparent failure to provide a stable income for them. I enjoyed that “Delia” finally decided to stand up to her abusive husband. By his initial reaction when “Delia” threatened him with a frying pan, you can see the “Sykes” is nothing but a bully. This is also made apparent by the way the gentlemen in the store were talking about him, even thinking of murdering him, but ceased their bravado when “Sykes” showed up at the store with his girlfriend (Hurston, 1926). Analysis Hurston’s short story was written in 1926 and given the obstacles of African Americans during that time it’s amazing it was...
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...Zora Neale Huston ever heard of such a beautiful name. Zora Neale Hurston was an influential author and anthropologist. She was also an appurtenance of the Harlem renaissance. Zora In the year of 1891 was born in Alabama. Zora was known for changing her birth year and day. It was also said that Zora wrote in her autobiography that she was born in Eatonville Florida being that she had moved there as a toddler. She was a daughter of two former slaves. Zora was born into a family of eight being the fifth child of John Hurston and Lucy Potts Hurston. Her father was a preacher and he mother was a schoolteacher. Zora Hurston moved to Harlem New York in the 1920s. She became a hero in the areas like art, with her apartment becoming a sanctuary for...
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...Bartsch, Christine. “What Is the Theme of ‘Sweat’ by Zora N. Hurston?” What Is the Theme of "Sweat" by Zora N. Hurston? | Education - Seattle PI, Hearst Seattle Media, LLC, 21 Nov. 2017, education.seattlepi.com/theme-sweat-zora-n-hurston-6714.html. This text talks about the great virtue of hard work possessed by Delia, who continually “breaks her back” to make ends meet for her family. This text associates Delia’s character with the symbol of virtue and purity which is evident in her religious commitment to church. The text also describes Delia’s struggle and pain inflicted by her husband Sykes and likens this to the universal motif of the struggle between “good and evil” where good always triumphs over evil. In my opinion this source correctly categorizes...
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...Zora Neale Hurston recounts the day she began to feel colored in “How It Feels to Be Colored Me.” Hurston does not recall feeling colored until after her thirteenth birthday because up until then she had lived in an “exclusively … colored town.” (1) Thus, surrounded by individuals coming from a similar culture background Hurston never felt different. However, Hurston began to feel colored once she moved schools to the white Jacksonville. Still though, Hurston does not feel too colored until she is “thrown against a sharp white background.” (3) When Hurston feels the most colored she experiences a sense of loneliness because she has no one of the same background to relate to at her current residence, unlike her previous home. However, sometimes feeling colored does not give her negative feedback, rather it empowers her. For instance, when Hurston visits a jazz club she revels in the music and feels as if her “face is painted red and yellow and her body is painted blue,” because she is “in the jungle and living the jungle way.” (3) After, when she looks around and realizes that her white friends did not experience the music as she did, Hurston is grateful to be colored. Because she has a greater appreciation for the rhythm and colors that her white friends cannot see....
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...Zora Neale Hurston is a powerful writer of African American literature. Hurston is closely associated with the Harlem Renaissance and influenced many writers during the time period. In 1928, Hurston’s article “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” was published by The World Tomorrow. The essay argues against the typical ideologies of racial segregation. Hurston states that she “do[es] not belong to the sobbing school of Negrohood” (“How It Feels…”, 1-2) that requires her to internalize past and present injustices faced by African Americans. Hurston later published another article in 1950 titled “What White Publishers Won’t Print”, where she addresses the lack of interest in society about the lives, emotions, and culture of African Americans. White people find their interest sparked by...
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...In 1937, Richard Wright, author of Native Son, wrote a review on Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, stating it, “Had no theme, no thought, no message” (“Wright Reviews Hurston”). In the novel, Janie Crawford is often seen by the men as a weaker person than she really is. This shows that women are the weaker sex throughout the novel, and that in order to gain power a women must marry a wealthy, powerful man. It shows that women must marry a man to help her in life and that they depend on them as well. In the marriage when women show their leadership side, they are often shut down by the men as they dominate in the relationship. to begin with, Nanny has shown that being married is important for a women. "Don’t tell me you done got knocked up already, less see – dis Saturday it’s two month and two weeks." "No’m, Ah don’t think so anyhow." Janie blushed a little. "You ain’t got nothin’ to be shamed of, honey, youse uh married ‘oman. You got yo’ lawful husband same as Mis’ Washburn or anybody else!" (Hurston page). This says how women should feel pride with the husband and their kids. Also that unmarried women that are pregnant should be ashamed. With women...
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...Born in Alabama in 1891, the prestigious Zora Neale Hurston is considered one of the greatest writers of twentieth- century African American literature. As a leader in the Harlem Renaissance Hurston was credited for protecting the rights of African Americans through her folk writing style. However, one of the books I read by her quickly changed my perspective of her and I soon realized that she was not only a proud supporter of African American rights, but women`s rights as well. In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston uses character Janie Crawford to speak out against the unjust treatment of women in their marriages. Zora Neale Hurston is an inspiring figure to me because she taught me the importance of self-reliance and how to...
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...and opinions do not scare them. In the book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, the main character, Janie Mae Crawford, experiences herself go through different phases of being inferior to being bold and resolute in disparate situations over the span of her three marriages. Logan Killicks is Janie’s first husband. They did not marry because they were in love but because of Janie’s grandmother, Nanny. Nanny realizes that she “ ‘ain’t gittin’ ole’ ”(Hurston 15), but that she is “ ‘done ole’ ”(Hurston 15) with not a lot of time left on her hands. She conveys her thoughts by telling Janie that “ ‘One mornin’ soon, now, de angel wid de sword is gointuh stop by’ ”(Hurston 15), and she will no longer be by her side to take care of her. Nanny’s main worry was leaving Janie behind, all alone. Therefore, she decides to marry her off to a financially secure and wealthy farmer. Logan pampers Janie and treats her very...
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...“Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone.” (8) This powerful quote and many others are found in Zora Neale Hurston’s African American Literature Novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston writes of a young, light skinned, African American female named Janie who journeys through life trying to find the “perfect” relationship. As Janie goes through her life, she, along with her search, has taken turns for the worse and for the better. Janie has endured many conflicts through her relationships with Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake. Throughout Janie’s relationships with men, she discovered that she did not want to live a marriage life full of fear, unhappiness, and sorrow. Her ability to dream and to act on her instincts allowed her to truly find her happiness within her last relationship. As stated above, the...
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...encourages your future,”perfectly blends with the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, as it describes the ideal man that the main character is searching for her whole entire life. Janie, the protagonist has several relationships with men to find her “blossoming bee” but, never did she know the true meaning of love. Through the relationships that she had, she comes to discover her true identity. The two relationships that impacted her life immensely are the two characters, Joe Starks and Tea Cake. In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie goes through multiple relationships that changes her beliefs, ultimately demonstrating that experiencing trails of love will eventually lead them to self-realization. Janie's relationship with Joe Starks constrains Janie from experiencing the outside life and shapes her into an emotionless person. Joe Starks is a working man who always wanted to have a big voice in the society. He meets Janie when she was working in Logan’s farm and grabs her attention. Soon after their encounter, they get married and move to Eatonville where Joe Starks becomes mayor. After Joe gives a speech, Janie is asked to say something. However, Joe responds, “Thank yuh fuh yo’ compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin’ bout no speech-making. Ah never married her for nothin’ lak dat. She’s uh woman and her place is in de home” (Hurston 43). Joe didn’t marry Janie...
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...The book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, has many literary terms within the story. No story, book, essay, or short story can be written without literary terms. This book uses irony, tone, symbolism, and theme. Each one is explained differently and put in so that the readers could have different perspectives. This allows readers to understand a certain book better. Theme, tone, irony, and symbolism all have different meanings to the each reader. Theme is a central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work. It provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of work. Zora Neale Hurston writes the theme in many different ways. The one that stands out to me...
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