Their Eyes Were Watching God Rhetorical Analysis

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, author Zora Neale Hurston tells a story of a mixed race woman, Janie, who finds her identity when faced with abusive relationships and with the racism of the early 1900s. Ultimately, Hurston prove­s that prejudice is like a disease because it can affect anybody, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or religion. By purposefully omitting examples of segregation, Hurston illustrates racism’s normality. Hurston emphasizes black dialect, giving life to the oppressed black voice and implicitly affirming its worth. Hurston’s distinct, conversational narrative style, call-and-response, intends to initiate conversation regarding race relations. Finally, Hurston’s character driven plot draws her reader into the conversation, even though Aristotle claims that plot subjugates characters in

importance.

Their Eyes Were Watching God raises awareness for black culture and depicts racism through the omission of examples of segregation, Hurston’s use of dialect, the plot’s distinct narrative style, and Hurston’s emphasis on character development.

Hurston chooses to omit descriptions of segregation in order to demonstrate the normality of racism as a black individual. Lihua Zhao, student at the China West Normal University, points out that, historically speaking, Janie would be subject to Jim Crow Laws (Zhao). However, Hurston does not describe instances of racism, such as separate bathrooms, trains, or homes, nor does she depict racism from the white perspective. Hurston describes racism through the black perspective. Growing up, Janie does not discover that she is black until she sees a photograph of herself next to white children. Janie is uninterested in learning about her black identity and continues to esteem white characteristics; Janie blindly accepts that she cannot participate in the

same activities or sleep in the same quarters as her white counterparts. Because Janie grew up alongside whites, she never identifies with her black identity or community. In fact, Janie is hostile to the black community and is closer to her white side. For example, in the beginning of the novel, Janie stands out from her black neighborhood as she walks to her friend’s house. She coldly greets the black women who admire her: “Her speech was pleasant enough, but she kept walking straight on to her gate” (Hurston 2). To contrast, Janie feels a sense of belonging among white women. After Janie is found innocent at the murder trial, she gravitates towards the white females to express her thanks: “And the white women cried and stood around her like a protecting wall and the Negroes, with heads hung down, shuffled out and away” (Hurston 188). The “protecting wall” of white women symbolizes Janie’s lack of connection with her black side. Janie expresses an admiration for inherently white qualities, as do other black characters in the novel. Mrs. Turner, for example, esteems white qualities.

But Mrs. Turner’s shape and features were entirely approved by Mrs. Turner. Her nose was slightly pointed and she was proud. Her thin lips were an ever delight to her eyes. Even her buttocks in bas-relief were a source of pride. To her way of thinking all these things set her aside from Negroes. That was why she sought out Janie to friend with (Hurston 140).

Janie, too, finds pleasure in whiteness. Hurston writes, “Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw. Kind of portly like rich white folks” (Hurston 34). Janie admires Joe’s white characteristics, so much so that his physical appearance compensates for his lack of romanticism and for his dominance in their relationship. Overall, Janie’s ignorance of racism and rejection in accepting her black identity show racism’s infiltration of society.