Appearance of Race in Their Eyes Were Watching God
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zura Neale Hurston puts an unusual perspective on the idea of racism and appearance of race. Instead of presenting racism as a controversy between blacks and whites, Hurston portray race and racial differences as barriers in which the members of that race enclose themselves. In the case of this novel, blacks continually Many times throughout the novel, the black community as a whole exhibits jealously at whites, scorns those who do not act traditionally black, and exaggerates the differences between blacks and whites in a way that contrasts with the civil rights movement.
From the beginning of the novel, black resentment of whites and white qualities is apparent. Janie, who spent her early childhood with white children, does not even know she is different from the other children until she sees a picture of herself with them. This shows that until then, race was not a factor in Janies life. It is not until Janie goes to the all black school that appearance of race becomes important. The children at the black school mock Janie for living with a white family and dressing in white clothes better than their clothes (Hurston 26). The children, jealous of her living conditions and angry at her lifestyle, constantly remind her of her poor, unreliable parents in order to let Janie not be takin on over mah looks (Hurston 26). The children make sure Janie knows she is black, no matter who she lives with.
The idea that blacks are lower than whites is implied by the blacks themselves, more than the whites, in Their Eyes Were Watching God. In Eatonville, the members of the town are jealous of and scorn Jody and Janie because of their wealth and power. They believe Jody, with his money, status, and mannerisms, acts more like a white man than a black man. Here again is an example of the racial barriers set by the blacks themselves.
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