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A review by enobong
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm mad it took me so long to read this book but I'm glad I've finally done it. I read an old battered up library copy and, while a well-read book always makes me happy, this is one that I will add to the "would like to buy list." As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I'm currently reading my way through the BBC Top 100 books our time which was created in 2003. This means I've been reading more classics but not very many diverse classics. If you are also looking to diversify your classics, Zora Neale Hurston is a great author to add to your TBR.
This book was not well-received when first published and disappeared into obscurity for about 30 years following its publication. Part of that was because all the speech is written phonetically in a dialect familiar to the author but some of the biggest critics of its publication were some of the great black male writers and critics of the times. Many felt that Hurston wrote for the entertainment of white audiences, pandering to their illusions of a docile and quaint negro life. I think that this reaction was in part because Hurston refused to write a world in which black people are only seen in defiance to their treatment from white people. I think the other reason for this reaction is that the men in this novel are written with little dept and little character development and it displeased male critics to see what has been done to female characters through time done to male characters.
Janie, however, is a character of deep study. The reader follows her growth from a naive 16-year-old just learning about love and being told by her grandmother that black women do not get to enjoy the privilege of love to a woman in her 40s who has lived a full life with 3 husbands and discovered for herself what love is. She finds her voice and learns how to use it. She learns that freedom isn't not having to work but being able to enjoy the fruit of your labours. She has one hell of a journey.
But another element of note in this novel is the simple yet poetic manner in which Hurston describes the world, nature and human emotions is exquisite. She doesn't play with structure and form but in simple sentence creates clear and unique imagery, giving voice to all that we see, hear and are aware of.
This book left me with a deep sense of satisfaction.
This book was not well-received when first published and disappeared into obscurity for about 30 years following its publication. Part of that was because all the speech is written phonetically in a dialect familiar to the author but some of the biggest critics of its publication were some of the great black male writers and critics of the times. Many felt that Hurston wrote for the entertainment of white audiences, pandering to their illusions of a docile and quaint negro life. I think that this reaction was in part because Hurston refused to write a world in which black people are only seen in defiance to their treatment from white people. I think the other reason for this reaction is that the men in this novel are written with little dept and little character development and it displeased male critics to see what has been done to female characters through time done to male characters.
Janie, however, is a character of deep study. The reader follows her growth from a naive 16-year-old just learning about love and being told by her grandmother that black women do not get to enjoy the privilege of love to a woman in her 40s who has lived a full life with 3 husbands and discovered for herself what love is. She finds her voice and learns how to use it. She learns that freedom isn't not having to work but being able to enjoy the fruit of your labours. She has one hell of a journey.
But another element of note in this novel is the simple yet poetic manner in which Hurston describes the world, nature and human emotions is exquisite. She doesn't play with structure and form but in simple sentence creates clear and unique imagery, giving voice to all that we see, hear and are aware of.
This book left me with a deep sense of satisfaction.