This document provides context about Zora Neale Hurston and the radicalism in her works. It discusses how Hurston took a different approach than other Harlem Renaissance writers by focusing on accurately portraying Southern black dialects and the experiences of rural black communities. While other writers like Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen disagreed on whether black art should celebrate or assimilate black culture, Hurston rejected both approaches by creating characters like Janie Crawford who defied social conventions. Her use of dialect brought black language to the forefront and challenged racism. The document analyzes how Hurston's works promoted racial identity and explored issues like colorism that black women faced.

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Radicalism in the works of Zora Neale Hurston
Introduction
Zora Neale Hurston’s works present various patterns of radicalism, which reflect her
thought process as exemplified in her autobiography. Hurston appears to have had her
reservations regarding art developed during the Renaissance when she wrote to Countee Cullen;
she said, “I have the nerve to walk my own way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather
than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful illusions" (Zora Neale Hurston, 2020).
Accordingly, through Horston’s work, contemporary feminist theorists further reveal the
intricacy and sophistication of Hurston’s work. For instance, Brooks indicates that Hurston’s
work was designed to help people to understand how the music of the real Negro sounded; in
essence, Brooks asserts that Hurston believed that singing brought out the real ideals that shaped
a specific groups understanding of the world (617). Accordingly, readers felt motivated to listen
to the vocals of Hurston so as to understand the place of sound as an epistemic tool in her
vocation as a cultural worker. Deblanco (103) adds to this argument by asserting that Hurston’s
approach to writing was different from the other established writers; for instance, Hurston wrote
to her White friends saying, “Your pick ninny Zora. This approach led the New York White

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community to recognize as Hurston one of the popular “negroes”; she was renowned due to her
flamboyant temperament, pranks, and brazen talks. Hurston is, therefore, one of the most
intriguing and important voices to surface during the Harlem Renaissance. Instead of positioning
herself within the space that the movement afforded her, Hurston elected to chart her own path.
The Renaissance allocated authors and historians, scribes and creators, and black women like
Hurston specific positions. Hurston refused to follow the conventions that were designed to limit
the traditional black woman of her time. This thesis explores the patterns of radicalism in three of
Hurston’s works and develops a connection with her autobiography, an approach that employs
contemporary feminist theories better to enunciate the complexity and progressiveness of
Hurston’s writings. The Harlem Renaissance provides a context that helps the reader to
understand better why the work of Hurston was so radical.
Contextualization of the Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance is perceivable as an artistic crusade that surfaced at a similar
period with the early twentieth-century modernist movement. These two historical developments
have a close connection, but their underpinnings are markedly different. The Harlem
Renaissance considers all the modernist conventions that deliberate on conventional categories
and transform them into fresh ideas. To Marie Rodgers (xv), this period was one of blossoming,
exploring, and thriving among the African-American artists and writers in the period between
1920 and 1933. Following the conclusion of the First World War, the Blacks started a mass
exodus that saw them move out of the South and into developed regions (Murfin and Supriya
216). In this respect, Wintz indicates that the Harlem Renaissance was an African American

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literary and artistic campaign that was based in Harlem, but drew from, extended to, and shaped
African American groups all over the nation and outside. Harlem was one of the northern cities
where African-Americans were able to realize their financial independence and the sense of
identity that they could not experience in the South. This development allowed them to start
deliberating on their communal experiences as well as develop art and scholarly dialogue for the
black community by black persons.
Nonetheless, the meaning of Black art in American and the content that the Black artists
were required to produce created controversy that divided the Harlem Renaissance artists into
different groups. From an outsider’s perspective, the Harlem Renaissance appears to be a well-
developed conceptualization of Black art and Black intellectual conversation. However, the
reality is that the dissension that existed between the Harlem Renaissance leaders and artists
created a lot of controversies. Langston Hughes, for example, offers an example of a young poet
that desired to better his craft; the poet said that he desired “to be a poet – not a Negro
poet” (1925). Hughes indicated that he was sad to hear the poet utter this words because no great
poet is afraid of who he is, and this would prevent the young poet from realizing greatness. In
this regard, Hughes asserted that the desire to include whiteness in black art is what prevents the
creation of true Negro art in America. However, Countee Cullen’s education drove him to
believe that art was much more encompassing that race, and through this medium, the distance
between the blacks and the whites could be bridged (Ikonne 147). Accordingly, Cullen indicated
that “he wishes any merit that maybe in his work to flow from it solely as the expression of a
poet – with no racial consideration (Ikonne 147). These sentiments show that Cullen was not
interested in adopting a Black standpoint regarding the development of African American art.; he

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desired his art to be understood from the position of a poet rather than have labels attached to
him or his work.
Hurston’s radicalism came to the surface after she developed art that went against both
factions. The dissention among the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance was borne out of their
disagreement regarding the position that art ought to take in the American community.
Langston’s corner was deeply devoted to celebrating Black culture while Countee’s corner held
firm in making the desired steps toward assimilating Black art into the mainstream forums,
which were predominantly White. Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God captured this
contention relatively well. The writing reveals a tale of a woman named Janie who defied the
societal conventions to become her own person, a conception that is central to all Hurston’s texts.
In developing her work, Hurston appears to be driven to refuting the ideas that Cullen advanced
regarding Black art. Hurston overlooked Cullen’s position that Black art should not be “too
black” and also went against the conventional patriarchy that was rife during the Renaissance
era; Hurston developed works of fiction that expressed the dialect of the southern black folks;
“Sweat,” for example, follows the journey of a black woman called Delia that loved her husband
dearly but came to hate him later; the protagonist says, "Ah hates you tuh de same degree dat Ah
useter love yuh” (47). This tongue reflects that of the rural black south rather than that of the
Black American individuals. This approach shows Hurston’s resolve to create the true image of
African American history while in the rural South. Further, Their Eyes Were Watching God
mirrors a female with conviction, and brings the ridiculousness that correlates with colorism and
racism to the surface. Ideally, Hurston was interested in developing texts that mirrored the rural,
black vernacular. On the other hand, popular artists like Hughes, Countee, and Clark McKay

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were more interested in exploring the more formal style of sonnet. Hurston’s style, therefore,
depicts a style of art that goes against most of the literary forms that were used during the
Harlem Renaissance. Hurston use of the southern dialect also worked to bring out an equalizing
aspect that established black dialect as a desirable and attractive type of tongue. Neale expresses
some of her most vital truths through the southern vernacular; for instance, Neale’s Their Eyes
Were Watching God articulates, “De nigger woman is de mule of the world so fur as Ah can see”
and “Ah done been tuh de horizon and back and now Ah kin set heah in mah house and live by
comparisons” (14, 191). Through this language, Hurston provides her readers with an insight of
the traditions and legacy that typifies the Black South. The artist uses this tongue to tell a
forward-thinking and controversial story that reflects the usage of the sonnet by other Harlem
Renaissance artists to reflect the experiences of the black community and shun racism.
The above ideas reveal the modernist aspect of Neale’s work since she directly challenges
social conditions through the development of various characters. Through Neale’s work,
characters such as Janie Crawford are able to promote racial identity, which most individuals
shun away from even in the modern day. Ashe specifies that the Black women have always felt
the pinch regarding the prejudicial outcome that concerns issues about facial features, skin color,
and hair (579). To reveal this reality, Hurston writes about Janie’s denial after seeing the picture
of a dark-skinned little girl standing where she was supposed to have been standing; Janie says,
‘where is me? Ah don’t see me.’ “Everybody laughed… ‘Dat’s you, Alphabet, don’t you know
yo’ ownself?’ (11). Janie’s dismay reveals the predicament that the Black women encounter
every day, trying to reach the White standard of beauty because some of them go to the extent of

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changing their hair and even bodily features so that they can be deemed beautiful. This reality
emerges even more profoundly when the audience is introduced to Mrs. Turner who indicates
that she loves Caucasian features and desires that African Americans reproduce with the Whites
so as to produce beautiful babies. Mrs. Turner continues to look down on any individual whose
bodily characteristics are more black than white (Hurston 145). Further introspection also reveals
that Hurston was looking for a way to reveal Cullen’s escapist ideology; Cullen does not desire
to have his work identify him as a Black poet but as a poet that does not associate his work with
his racial affiliation (Ikonne 147). Hurston’s radicalism, therefore, emerges through her contempt
of the individuals that appear to deny their ancestral roots and embrace White ideals. These
positions establish that Hurston perceived racism with a lot of disapproval and even regarded it
as a ridiculous prejudice.
Through Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston paints a clear image of the illogical
nature of racism. Hurston carefully curates the absurd nature of racism by focusing on the
underpinnings that underlie the vice. Hurston creates an image of a character that only realizes
that she is black until she reaches the age of six. Janie only realizes that she is black after seeing
a picture of herself; previously, Janie did not feel or believe that there existed a fundamental
difference between her and the other children. However, after coming to terms with her race, her
entire world changes; at once, she becomes “de mule uh de world” (Hurston 14). This
exemplification is exceedingly critical as it strips racism down to its most essentials. The
audience comes to terms with the fact that racism is nothing more than prejudice that is
fashioned by disparities in skin color, the texture of hair, and facial characteristics. Mrs. Turner
reveals this reality in a markedly clear way; she values “Caucasian characteristics” and felt that

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the Blacks should reproduce with the whites to form “a heaven of straight-haired, thin-lipped,
high-nose boned white seraphs” (145). To Mrs. Turner, any individual that displayed white
characteristics than her was superior, and any person that displayed more negro-like
characteristics than her deserved to be treated with cruelty and disdain (144). Despite these
temperaments, Mrs. Turner was still considered to be a black woman. She did not enjoy more
privilege than a character such as Janie, Jody, Tea Cake, or Nanny. Ikonne (147) further reveals
Hurston’s contempt for racism by revealing that Neale considered that the inclusion of “Negro
life” in her work was nothing more than developing art about human existence. This approach
went against Cullen’s ideas regarding incorporating black art into the mainstream, white forums.
Review of Neale’s Work and its radicalistic ideas
Hurston’s texts reveal an artist that was driven to create a unique space that spoke to the
realities that faced women in an increasingly patriarchal community.
1. “Sweat”
“Sweat” presents a short work of fiction by Neale Hurston, and was produced in 1926.
The story speaks to gender dynamics, racial inequality, and the economic disenfranchisement of
the poor southern black women. Delia Jones emerges as the protagonist in the story, and she
takes on the role of a washwoman that resided in Florida. Delia is forced to navigate Sykes’
patriarchal tyranny, abuse, and infidelity. The abuse and rigorous work schedule that Delia went
through resulted in the loss of her beauty; Hurston writes, “a right pretty lil’ trick when he got
huh” (Hurston, 42). Walter Thomas was speaking to Joe Lindsay about how beautiful Delia was
and how he would have married Delia if he had the opportunity. With time, Delia starts looking

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for ways to protect herself from Sykes’ violence. Delia tried to tame Sykes’ violent nature by
being friendlier to him, but Sykes repulsed all her advances. At one point, Sykes resolved that he
would bring a rattlesnake to his house, and this scared Delia. Delia begged Sykes to take the
snake out of their home, but Sykes told her that he did not have to do anything. Sykes told Delia
that the snake would stay in their home until it died. Sykes told his neighbors that he was a snake
charmer and could handle the venomous creature: “Ah’m a snake charmer an’ knows how tuh
handle ‘em. Shux, dat aint nothin’; Ah could ketch one eve’y day if Ah so wanted tuh” (Hurston
44). However, one day, after Sykes went back home from Bertha’s, he realized that the snake was
ready to attack. His house was dark, and Delia was nowhere to be found. The rattling of the
snake was so horrifying that Sykes’ thinking stopped. After jumping on his bed, the snake struck
Sykes’ neck, and Delia heard him scream from the barn, where she was hiding. After the sun
rose, Delia walked into her home, and Sykes begged for her help with a horribly swollen neck,
but Delia remained calm and waited for him to meet his demise (Hurston 45). Hurston’s “Sweat”
reveals how the pain that women go through ends up numbing their emotions and leading them
to resist the patriarchal nature of the society around them.
2. Mules and Men
Mules and Men is a non-fiction work series of African-American folklore that Neale
Hurston uses to express her experience as she traveled through Eatonville, Florida, and New
Orleans, Louisiana. Meisenhelder indicates that Hurston arranges her folktales in a manner that
clearly depicts the contexts in which they were developed and the connections between racial
affiliation and sex in Black existence (287). Hurston’s anthropological approaches work well to

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preserve African-American folklores by gathering them into an archive. The works were
published in 1945 and is split into two sections. The first section comprises the folklores that the
artist gathered in Florida while the second section covers the accounts of Hurston’s
apprenticeship with the practitioners of hoodoo in Louisiana. In this regard, Hurston’s work
serves as a type of journal that preserves cultural practices and folklore by documenting both
stories and featuring the dialogues and events that led to recitations. Hurston underscores the
continuing role of folktales in the struggles of Black people, regarding racial and economic
oppression (Hernández 353). Hurston also focuses on how folklore works to raise clashes
between Black males and females; the author reveals how men depend on folklore to strengthen
and authenticate the subjugation of womenfolk. In the end, the audience is treated to a type of
living folktale that develops deeper insight for the individuals that elect to tell the “big old lies”;
in so doing, the storytellers, as well as their surroundings, come into deeper focus as they are
enmeshed within the folklore context (Hurston 30). Some of the more appealing narratives
include that tales of slaves who succeed in outsmarting their white masters and the stories that
paint a picture of existence in the traditional South and African folklores.
3. Their Eyes Were Watching God
Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God presents a revolutionary perspective of
feminism in Black art. The work was published in 1937, and its protagonist is Janie Crawford.
Janie is a biracial woman who is learning how to temper her urge for passionate and reciprocal
affection in a bid to survive in a relatively patriarchal world. Janie’s grandmother reveals this
reality by indicating, “De nigger woman is de mule of the world so fur as Ah can see” (Hurston

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47). Janie is forced to go through three separate marriages; Janie’s first marriage with Logan saw
her lose her beauty and youth due to a life that was full of chores and physical labor in the fields.
Her second marriage was with Jody, who used her as a prize; Jody was flamboyant and jealous.
Jody used to force Janie to hide her hair since he never desired other males to lust after his
spouse. Tea Cake was Janie’s last husband, and he also mistreated Janie. In the initial stages, Tea
Cake was communicative and romantic. Still, his pride led him to succumb to rabies-fueled
delirium following a devastating hurricane because he could not solicit the help that he needed.
Janie’s different marriages reveal a woman who has an undying resolve to secure her autonomy.
As the story progresses, the audience realizes that Janie comes to use her physical beauty and
autonomy to better her circumstances and acquire independence in self-esteem. Janie reaches a
point where she becomes unwilling to follow the crowd to the existence of submission and
compromise, as her Nanny had forced her to believe. In the end, Janie becomes so empowered
that her return to Eatonville does not intimidate her anymore. Her new knowledge leads her to
appreciate the importance of freedom; Janie emerges as a woman that defies social conventions
by donning denim overalls, engaging in romantic affairs with younger men, and expressing
herself in an unconstrained manner. In the end, the audience realizes that Hurston’s Their Eyes
Were Watching God is a call for women to embrace feminist ideas by seeking freedom from male
patriarchy and societal conventions that are designed to subjugate women to the rule of men.
Feminist Theory
Feminist theories focus on the existence of a gendered social organization. Policastro
asserts that gender acts as tool for the advancement of social stratification in a society that is

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male-dominated. Feminist ideas in Hurston’s works can be perceived from multiple perspectives.
The first viewpoint is Gale Rubin’s “sex/gender system.” Rubin comes up with “sex/gender
system”; the author conceptualizes this idea in “The Traffic in Women,” which was her 1975
essay. Rubin regards sex/gender system as a group of structures that persuade society to
transform genetic sexuality into a type of philosophy, and, through these philosophies, some
sexual desires are fulfilled (902). In this conception, Rubin notes that biological sex, social
constructs and appreciation of gender, and sexual attractiveness cover social products or are the
end products of people’s predominant heteronormative and patriarchal values. In the end, Rubin
holds that society’s understanding of sexuality is not intrinsic but the result of societal
assumptions. These ideas emerge relatively well as one reads Hurston’s “Sweat.”
Feminism in “Sweat” – Perspective through Rubin’s “sex/gender system”
Socialization is a fairly recurrent theme in Hurston’s “Sweat,” and Delia’s experiences
reveal this reality. Delia fills various roles for her husband; Delia covers Rubin’s idea of
“economic systems and sexual systems”; Rubin Indicates that mode of production can be
perceived in opposition to its conventional meaning (39). Mode of production is perceivable
through the lens of economy to production and sexuality to reproduction. Accordingly, Rubin
indicates that the formation of gender identity is perceivable within the context of the sexual
system. Hurston’s “Sweat” reveals this reality in a fairly clear way; Hurston pictures Delia
working to make sure that her house is in order while Sykes takes advantage of her hardwork.
Delia says, “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” (42). Delia

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appears to be complaining that she does all the work in the house and Sykes does almost nothing
to help her; Delia says, “Ah been married to you fur fifteen years, and Ah been takin' in washin'
for fifteen years. Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!" (42). In
this regard, Rubin notes that a sex/gender system involves more than “relations of
procreation” (40).
Hurston depicts Delia as a “meek” and submissive individual, but when she realizes that
Sykes might invite his girlfriend, Bertha, to live with them as a second wife, Delia’s meekness
subsides. Delia says, "that ole snaggle-toothed black woman you runnin' with aint comin' heah to
pile up on mah sweat and blood. You aint paid for nothin' on this place, and Ah'm gointer stay
right heah till Ah'm toted out foot foremost" (42). This affirmation proves that even though two
individuals may decide to live together as husband and wife, a type of economic contribution
from bother parties is expected. Delia indicates that since Sykes does not contribute anything to
the household, he does not have the right to invite a second woman into the household. Rubin
indicates that the sex/gender system is a neutral term that establishes that oppression is not
inevitable; Rubin asserts that oppression is the result of particular social relations that organize it.
Hurston reveals an event where Delia’s defiance cowed Sykes; She writes, “She [Delia] seized
the iron skillet from the stove and struck a defensive pose, which act surprised him greatly,
coming from her. It cowed him and he did not strike her as he usually did (42). This development
reveals that the oppressed can always stand up to their oppressors if they muster enough courage.
Feminism in Their Eyes Were Watching God – Perspective through “Compulsory Heterosexuality
and Lesbian Experience.”

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The second viewpoint emerges through Adrienne Rich’s “Compulsory Heterosexuality
and Lesbian Experience.” Rich’s essay presents the struggles that face the marginalized 1960s
and ‘70s feminist movements. Rich’s focus is the general underrepresentation or altogether
disregard of these movements and the development of a connection with compulsory
heterosexuality (Rivkin and Ryan 925). Rich’s case reveals the idea that society forces
heterosexuality on women; the “power of men” emerges as the predominant drive, and it
manifests through different perspectives. Also, men’s power oppresses all women, whether
homosexual or heterosexual (929). Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God reveals this reality
in greater detail through the experiences of Janie.
Their Eyes Were Watching God presents the struggle of a female that is forced to conform
to the societal standards of being a good woman. Hurston indicates that Janie had been leading a
normal life until she reached age 6 when the reality that she was not like the other children hit
her. Hurston writes, “So when we looked at de picture and everybody got pointed out there
wasn’t nobody left except a real dark little girl…Dat’s where Ah wuz s’posed to be, but Ah
couldn’t recognize dat dark chile as me” (11). Janie’s line of thought reveals that she was
completely oblivious of the fact that she was Black until eberyone else pointed out that she was,
in fact, Black; Miss Nellie said to Janie, ‘Dat’s you, Alphabet, don’t you know yo’
ownself?’ (11). Janie realized that constructs that as disparities in the color of one’s skin, the
texture of hair, and the characteristics of one’s face were exceedingly important to the society
that she lived in, and being black meant that one would be on the receiving side of the stick.
Janie’s Nanny told her that “de white man is de ruler of everything as fur as Ah been able tuh find

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out” (Hurston 17). These words prove that the Blacks did not believe that they were in control of
their fate, and the Black women appear to have been suffering a lot more than the men. Janie’s
Nanny appears to be forcing Janie to marry Logan Killicks; she said, “Ah wants to see you
married right away… Brother Logan Killicks. He’s a good man, too” (Hurston 16). Janie
protested her Nany’s choice by saying, “Naw, Nanny, no ma’am!...He look like some ole
skullhead in de grave yard” (16). The argument between Nanny and Janie led Nanny to slap
Janie violently, which led Janie to start shedding tears. Rich conceptualizes this reality when she
indicates, “I was a woman terribly vulnerable…using femaleness …to discard men” (631).
Although Rich is talking about her lesbian experiences, her experience is akin to that of Janie;
Janie describes Killicks as “some ole skullhead in de grave yard” (16). Janie does not desire to
have any association with Killicks but her grandmother appears to believe that he is the best
choice for her. In this regard, Janie’s Nanny asserts, “De nigger woman is de mule uh de world
so fur as Ah can see” (14). This conceptualization reveals that Black women existed to satisfy the
needs of all other individuals in the community, including black men. This reality is in line with
Rich’s idea that men’s power oppresses all women, whether homosexual or heterosexual (929).
Hurston considers women’s perception of marriage or dependence on men to be a root cause of
the oppression problems that face women.
Hurston’s radical feminist ideas surface when she depicts Janie’s transformation and how
positive this change was for Janie’s life. Rich asserts that men have developed systems that are
designed to demonize lesbianism and advance heterosexuality as the preferred way of leading
one’s life (639). In this light, Rich indicates that the mainstream media tends to idealize
heterosexual romance in art, advertising, literature, and media (638 – 639). This development,

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according to Rich (640), leads women to believe in marriage and sexual orientation toward men.
Hurston goes against this thinking by portraying the life of a woman that has been forced to
move from one marriage to another in search of reciprocated and passionate love with little
success. Hurston’s primary motive in writing Their Eyes Were Watching God may be regarded as
a call to all women to stop allowing societal pressure to drive them into relationships that do not
satisfy their desires. Hurston shows how Janie’s life became more satisfying after she became
indisposed to being exploited by Logan as a “mule” and being forced to conceal her beauty by
Jody. Janie’s confidence went up after she acquired new-fangled ideas and the capacity to “[pull]
in her horizon like a great fish-net…from the waist of the world and [drape] it over her shoulder”
(Hurston 243). Janie stopped being controlled by traditional expectations and started donning
denim overalls, romancing with the more youthful males, and expressing herself without
restraint.
Feminism in Mules and Men – Perspective through “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality,
Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color.”
The third viewpoint surfaces through Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s “Mapping the
Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color.” Crenshaw’s
essay was published in 1991, and it sheds light on how women have organized their activities
against the almost predictable violence that underpins their existence. Crenshaw asserts that the
shared experience of women has led them to recognize that if they make political demands in
greater numbers, their voice will be more audible as opposed to a few isolated voices advocating
for the rights of women (1241). Crenshaw offers an example of how battering and rape, which

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was once perceived as a family matter, has come to be regarded as an issue that affects women as
a group. This contextualization of systemic and social factors has also led to the characterization
of politics of groups such as people of color, lesbians, gays, and other groups (1242). Hurston’s
Mules and Men present themes that are similar to the ones that Crenshaw has advanced in her
1991 essay, which means that Hurston’s ideas were fairly radical, considering that the patterns
that Crenshaw advances in her essay are relatively recent.
Mules and Men reveal radical ideas since it follows Crenshaw’s ideas, which were
developed a long time after Hurston wrote her book. Hurst strives to carefully develop an
account of folklore consciously and intentionally, which reminds the audience about the lies that
are inherent in the stories that remind them about their cultures. This approach reveals Hurston’s
radical ideas since she strives to disprove the validity of the folklores that establish conventions
such as the subjugation of women to men. For instance, in Part I, the idea that the lies that are
inherent in past stories emerges. Hurston creates a series of stories that remind the audience
about the lies of person to person (Hurston 23). The collection of folklore, therefore, in brought
together by shared themes of Social realism, Christian morality, and the differentiation of
different genders. For instance, Hurston indicates that even the Bible was made to suit the
imagination of its readers (18). Nonetheless, a critical study of the stories reveals that they are
intended to entertain instead of generating serious social dialogue. This reality contextualizes
Mules and Men as a celebration of experiences instead of a generalization of society.
Nonetheless, Hurston tactfully creates a narrative that engages the mind of the inquisitive
reader. Hurston indicates, “The white man is always trying to know into somebody else’s

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business…I’ll set something outside the door…for him to play with…He can read my writing,
but he sho’ can’t read my mind” (18). This indication reveals that Neale was interested in
studying some of the aspects related to the existence of African-Americans but did not want the
Whites to know what exactly she was investigating. The toe-party game revealed one of the
social conventions that typified the African-American community. The game was designed in
such a way that the women were covered behind a curtain, and the men bought the toe of the
lady that they believed was most attractive (Hurston 23). After the purchase, the man would treat
the owner of the toe to anything that she desired; also, after purchasing the woman with the toe,
the men would be eager to see who it was so that they would know whether or not their friends
would envy them. Through this depiction, the audience realizes how folklores and social
conventions establish the social order that subjugates women to men. Further reading reveals that
women consider hoodoo as a solution to their marital problems than men (Hurston 208 – 210).
This development proves that women considered their marriages with more significant concern
than men. This reality reveals the identity politics that Crenshaw writes about. One of the women
in Hurston’s writing wanted her husband to love her again while the other woman was afraid that
her brother-in-law would spy on her and tell lies to her husband (Hurston 208 – 210). These
realities reveal that Hurston had already perceived the identity politics that Crenshaw writes
about way before the advent of such organizations.
Black Female Defiance in the Face of Oppression
Hurston’s defiance emerges through her thinking and the characters that she develops in
her writing. Hurston’s radicalism emerges as one considers her approach to art; the author creates

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art that does not conform to either of the prevalent factions throughout the Harlem Renaissance.
In the course of the Renaissance, Hughes and Countee did not agree on the direction that Black
art should follow, and this dissention led to the development of two camps. Langston believed
that Black art should devote itself to reveling Black culture while Countee’s held that Black art
should be created in a way that leads to the advancement of the desired steps toward assimilating
Black art into the mainstream, White forums. Hurston’s writing went against the grain; the artist
decided to create art that was reminiscent of the Black life in the rural South.
“Sweat”
Sweat develops an account that takes the audience through a journey that depicts Delia as
a young, naïve, but beautiful woman to a point where she becomes so desirous of freedom that
she goes to the extent of letting her husband die. Hurston creates an account of a young and
beautiful Delia that is so attractive that the townspeople envy Sykes. Delia is an exceedingly
hardworking woman who is passionate about maintaining her household, and this reality comes
to the surface when Hurston reveals how Delia continues working after Sykes kicks the clothes
that she intends to was around. Hurston writes, “Sykes had kicked all of the clothes together
again… she walked calmly around him and commenced to re-sort the things” (40). This scene
reveals that Delia did not wish to engage in arguments with her husband. Hurston writes, “He
stepped roughly upon the whitest pile of things…His wife gave a little scream of dismay, and
quickly gathered them together again” (42). However, after Sykes’ behavior got out of hand,
Delia decided to confront Sykes. Hurston writes, “Delia's habitual meekness seemed to slip from
her shoulders like a blown scarf… Looka heah, Sykes, you done gone too fur… She seized the

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iron skillet… It cowed him and he did not strike her as he usually did” (42). Many feminists
interested in reversing the stereotypes that society has developed against women laud Delia as a
strong woman. For instance, Rubin indicates, “passivity is tragic in man, while lack of passivity
is tragic in a woman” (916). Delia appears to accept the things that Sykes has been doing to her,
but after Sykes brought the rattlesnake home, Delia started losing her positivity. At one point,
Delia says, "Ah hates you, Sykes," albeit calmly. Hurston continues to indicate, “Fifteen years of
misery and suppression had brought Delia to the place where she would hope anything that
looked towards a way over or through her wall of inhibitions” (48). Further defiance emerges
after Delia heard Sykes cry out in pain, and she decided to stay put; Delia decided to wait until
the sun came up before she approached the door (Hurston 49). Delia’s final act of defiance
surfaces when she started moving toward the Chinaberry tree and waited for Sykes to die (49).
These acts prove that black women can lose their passivity and act in defiance when subjected to
too much subjugation, and through Delia; Hurston reveals this reality.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is yet another story that Hurston uses to reveal
her defiance to male subjugation. Hurston uses Janie to reveal to her audience that women do not
have to peg their happiness to men or conformity to societal norms. At a tender stage of
development, Janie’s Nanny says, “De nigger woman is de mule of the world so fur as Ah can
see” (Hurston 47). These words appear to stick to Janie’s mind for an extensive period since she
holds on to three marriages in the hope of getting passionate and reciprocal love. However, after
Tea Cakes, Janie realizes that she must secure her autonomy if she must become happy. This

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decision is Hurston’s first hint of Janie’s defiance; the author hints that Janie has realized that she
does not have to be in a relationship to be happy. Rich appears to support this position by
indicating that social conventions lead women to peg their happiness in marriage and sexual
orientation toward men (640). Rich implies that society has brainwashed women so much that
they are willing to stay in relationships even when they are not suitable for their wellbeing.
Accordingly, Janie’s defiance comes to the surface when she realizes that she can use her
physical attractiveness and sexuality to become a happier person. Janie decides to act against all
the tenets that society has put in place to subjugate women to men. The character starts donning
Denim overalls, engaging in romantic affairs with men that are younger than her, and expressing
herself in a rather uninhibited manner. Janie simply refuses to be used as a “mule,” as her Nanny
put it earlier in her life. In this regard, Hurston’s defiance surfaces in a markedly clear manner
through Janie and the language that she uses in her work. Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching
God does not tag along with the ideologies that Langston or Countee advance regarding the type
of content that Black artists should come up with.
Mules and Men
Hurston’s Mules and Men present a rather different account of defiance since it is a non-
fiction account of Black-American folklores. Hurston is relatively subtle is depicting defiance in
her narrations. Nonetheless, a closer look reveals that despite being labeled as inferior to the
Whites, the Black community appears to have held on its roots fairly desirably. Even though
Hurston reveals that the folklores that people tell in Eatonville are mainly lies, the characters that
tell these stories are so eloquent in their expression that the author hints that they love their

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folklores. Further, the Black community in Hurston’s Mules and Men appears to be fairly well
organized when compared with the stereotypes that the Whites advance regarding African
culture. In Part II of Hurston’s writing, hoodoo appears to cater to the needs of different groups
of people. The Whites usually associate hoodoo with satanic rituals, but Hurston’s
exemplification of the tradition reveals that it solves some of the problems of the locals. For
instance, Hurston presents a case where a woman was worried that her husband did not love her
anymore. This problem is resolved after the woman consults the “doctor”; the hoodoo appears to
work desirably since the woman came back with her friend, who also experienced marital
problems. The second woman was afraid that her brother-in-law would destroy her marriage, so
she requested the doctor to kill him. However, the doctor refused her request but offered to send
him away from the village forever. These ideas reveal Hurston’s defiance to the negative
stereotypes that the White community casts upon traditional African practices. Hurston reveals
that these practices greatly help individuals concerned. Hurston also reveals defiance through the
two women who visited the magician for help. Through these characters, Hurston shows that
women can also act proactively to find solutions to their problems instead of remaining passive
in the face of oppression.
Influence on Future Authors
In her autobiography, Hurston indicates that she is interested in treading her path to
discover reality. In a letter to Countee, Hurston asserts, “I have the nerve to walk my way,
however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful
illusions" (Zora Neale Hurston). A critical consideration of Hurston’s work reveals that she did

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not shy away from expressing her ideas and revealing the problems that she perceived in society.
Hurston’s writing also does not conform to the popular ideologies that typify the Harlem
Renaissance. In this regard, writers and art lovers acknowledge the contribution that Neale made
in revitalizing the voices of the Black community. Daphne A. Brooks, for example, asserts that
“no scholar in her right mind would dispute the fact that Zora Neale Hurston revolutionized and
revitalized the voices of black folk in her fiction, drama, and anthropological scholar” (617).
These acclaims reveal that Hurston’s mark does not only imprint on the writers and readers of
her generation bout also those of the present and future generations. Alice Walker and Toni
Morison are some of the writers that Hurston’s work influenced.
Toni Morison
The influence of Hurston on Toni Morison’s work emerges relatively well as readers
consider the themes that emerge in Bertram D. Ashe’s "Why don't he like my hair?":
Constructing African-American Standards of Beauty in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon and
Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Ashe considers the works of Toni Morison
and Zora Neale in developing the idea that the traditionally African features have never
coincided well with the European standard of beauty. Ashe indicates that the Black females have
been on the receiving end regarding the prejudicial fallout that surrounds matters concerning
facial features, skin color, and hair (579). For Black women, the easiest aspect of their bodies to
control is hair; most black women consider beauty modifications such as hair straightening, hair
weaves, Jheri curls, and braid extensions. These approaches help the Black women to reach a
level that is regarded as new the White standard of beauty. This line of thought is perceptible in

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Zora’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston brings up Mrs. Turner, who introduces to the
readers the fact that racism is more of prejudice that is shaped by differences in skin color, the
texture of hair, and facial characteristics. Mrs. Turner proves this truth by valuing “Caucasian
characteristics” and believing that black persons ought to have children with the Whites to
produce “a heaven of straight-haired, thin-lipped, high-nose boned white seraphs” (145). In this
regard, Mrs. Turner held that any person that exhibited white features than her was better, and
any individuals that exceedingly revealed negro-like features should be treated with unkindness
and contempt (144). Notwithstanding these dispositions, society perceived Mrs. Turner as a
black woman, and she never enjoyed more privilege than individuals like Janie, Jody, Tea Cake,
or Nanny. In this regard, Hurston appears to have influenced Ashe’s indication that the black
women are so concerned about their skin color and features that stem from their desire to match
the White beauty standard.
Alice Walker
Alice Walker’s “Looking for Zora” reveals Walker’s mission to discover information
about Hurston. A close look at Walker’s efforts proves that she is largely responsible for the
popularity of Hurston in the present day. Hurston met her demise a year and twelve days after
requesting Harper & Brothers to take a look at the book that she was writing – a life of Herod the
Great. Herod the Great was a book about the true picture of Herod, and she was interested in
correcting the New Testament (Hurston 121). Hurston’s death met her with no funds to cate for
her burial; she died as a St. Lucie County, Welfare Home resident. In the present day, Hurston’s
grave is unmarked and segregated in a Fort Pierce, Florida graveyard in. Hurston is regarded as

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one of the most notable but unread authors in America. Walker’s inquisitiveness and passion for
Hurston’s work lead her to the area where she was buried, which Walker describes as “a field full
of weeds where Zora is”; the site is sad, but since Walker believed that “[Hurston] was not a
teary sort of person herself” (403 – 404), she prevents herself from crying. Hurston’s influence
on Alice emerges where Alice decided to travel to Eatonville, Florida to gather information about
Hurston; the writer indicated that she was Hurston’s niece and requested the residents of
Eatonville to furnish her with information about the memories that they had about Hurston and
their connection with Hurston’s work. Walker interacts with various residents in Eatonville,
including Mathilda Moseley and Sarah Peek Patterson. A closer look at Walker’s writing reveals
that she was so carried away by Hurston’s writing that she was willing to move over vegetation
that was infested with bugs, snakes, and the weeds reached her hips (403 – 404). Walker’s
writing is focused on Hurston’s work and her life, which proves that Hurston had a great
influence on Alice.
Conclusion
Various patterns of radicalism emerge as one reads “Sweat,” Their Eyes Were Watching
God, and Mules and Men. These texts develop a strong connection with Hurston’s
autobiography; In her biography, Hurston writes to Countee indicating, “I have the nerve to walk
my way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of
wishful illusions." This revelation reveals that Hurston’s work resonated with modern feminist
theories to more powerfully speak to the intricacy and reformism of Hurston’s works. The
Harlem Renaissance offers a setting that aids readers in more precisely comprehend why the

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work of Hurston was so radical. Hurston’s writings reveal different patterns of radicalism, and
these reflect her process of thinking, as demonstrated in her autobiography. Accordingly, through
Hurston’s texts, the modern-day feminist ideas further reveal the complexity and erudition of
Hurston’s work. Writers such as Brooks support this position by indicating that Hurston’s
position in stimulating and transforming the opinions of the Black community surface through
her fiction, drama, and anthropological works (617). Deblanco adds to this discussion by
communicating that Hurston was amongst the “negroes” that were acknowledged by the New
York White community. This community recognized Hurston because she had a flamboyant
personality, was full of pranks and engaged in brazen talks (103). One of Hurston’s pranks
depicts her lifting her subway fare from a beggar’s cup and assured him that she would pay him
later. As a result, critics and readers praise Hurston for being one of the most interesting and
significant voices to surface all through the Harlem Renaissance. The rational decision may have
been to situate herself within the space that the Renaissance movement had afforded her. The
Renaissance had developed a type of ideology that guided how authors and historians, scribes
and creators, and black women like Hurston were supposed to create their content. The Black
artists were supposed to follow either Cuntee’s ideologies or Langston’s position on Black art.
Hurston declined to trail these conventions because she believed that they were intended to hold
the traditional black woman from bettering herself.

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