Study Notes on Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston: Overview

  • Birth: 1891, near Tuskegee, Alabama
  • Death: 1960
  • Notable Work: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937)
    • Considered the most frequently taught text in U.S. colleges
    • Calls attention to her other contributions like novels, stories, and cultural criticism
  • Hurston's self-identification as a "literary anthropologist"
    • Reflects her training in anthropology at Columbia University
    • Influenced by her interest in folklore and commitment to literary imagination

Early Life

  • Grew up in Eatonville, Florida, the first incorporated all-Black township in the U.S.
    • Father served three terms as mayor, a Baptist minister
    • Childhood influenced her literary themes and character developments
  • Feeling of connection to African American customs and speech.

Education

  • 1918-1924: Studied at Howard University
    • Mentored by Alain Locke; first published story in "Opportunity" journal (Dec 1924)
  • Contributed to Locke's The New Negro (1925)
  • 1925: Traveled to New York; became a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance
    • Known for plays, stories, oral performances of folklore

Academic Achievements

  • Attended Barnard College, graduated in 1928
  • Studied under notable anthropologist Franz Boas

Major Works and Themes

  • "Mules and Men" (1935): Collection of African American folklore
  • "Tell My Horse" (1938): Second collection of folklore
  • "Jonah's Gourd Vine" (1934): Focus on a Baptist minister
  • "Moses, Man of the Mountain" (1939): Retelling of Exodus story
  • "Their Eyes Were Watching God": Central themes of emotional and sexual fulfillment, personal freedom
  • # Language and Expression
    • Expressed linguistic prowess in her essay "Characteristics of Negro Expression" (1934)
    • Discussed African American dialect and its richness; included gestures and forms of music
    • Emphasized the devaluation and mockery faced by Black speech
    • Critiqued attempts by white artists to co-opt Black expressions in arts

Criticism and Controversies

  • Peak career in the 1930s; faced attacks from other Black writers like Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison
    • Accusations of writing a "minstrel novel"
  • Critique of integration advocacy—preferred pride in self-governing Black communities
  • Later life involved struggles with poverty, working menial jobs
  • Passed away in relative obscurity, with a lack of published books at the time of her death

Revival of Her Work

  • 1970s: Alice Walker helped revive Hurston's legacy and literature
  • Walker's essays on "Their Eyes Were Watching God" contributed to regaining interest and recognition

Final Years

  • Last novel, "Seraph on the Suwanee" (1948): Focus on a white woman, showcasing her artistic freedom
  • Contributed to the essay "What White Publishers Won't Print" (1950) which discusses the portrayal of minority characters and the importance of complex narratives
    • Advocated for honest treatment of characters across races and against racial stereotypes
    • Emphasized that all individuals share common experiences despite race

Bibliography and Further Reading

  • Library of America: Novels and Stories, Folklore, Memoirs, and Other Writings (1995)
  • I Love Myself: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader, edited by Alice Walker (1979)
  • Biographies:
    • Robert Hemenway's Zora Neale Hurston (1977)
    • Lillie P. Howard's Zora Neale Hurston (1980)
    • Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters, edited by Carla Kaplan (2002)
  • Studies on her work:
    • Karla F. A. Holloway's The Character of the Word: The Texts of Zora Neale Hurston (1987)
    • Lynda Marion Hill's Social Rituals and the Verbal Art of Zora Neale Hurston (1996)
    • Susan Edwards Meisenhelder's Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Race and Gender in the Work of Zora Neale Hurston (1999)
    • Tiffany Ruby Patterson's Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life (2005)

Characteristics of Negro Expression

Drama in Language

  • Negro's mimicry and action-oriented language; words signify action and emotion
  • Analogy likening language to money: evolves from barter, to coins, to legal tender
    • Example: "chair" as "that-which-we-squat-on"

Dramatic Presentation in Daily Life

  • High dramatization in all aspects of life: ceremonies for joyous and sad events are common
  • Unconscious improvisation in everyday experiences with only a few moments without adornment

Characteristics of Expression

  1. Will to Adorn
    • Distinct ornaments and a unique adaptation of English language
    • New word formations like "ham-shanked" and "battle-hammed"
  2. Metaphor and Simile Use
    • Rich use of imagery in language to convey deeper meanings
    • Example: "Fatal for naked."
  3. Double Descriptive
    • Combinations of descriptors in language such as "high-tall" or "kill-dead"
  4. Verbal Nouns
    • Unique forms of verbs as nouns leading to phrases like "sense me into it" or "won't stand a broke"

Conclusion

Zora Neale Hurston's legacy as a transformative figure in American literature and culture is immense. Through her works and anthropological insights, she laid a foundation in understanding the complexities of African American experiences, language, and folklore. Her unique style, grounded in both personal narrative and cultural expression, continues to inspire conversations around race, identity, and artistic freedom.