How one is initially presented causes a lasting impression that alters how ones actions will be interpreted from then on. The characters in Zora Neale Hurston’s, Their Eyes Were Watching God, speak an English Vernacular that is phonetically presented to the audience throughout the novel. The distinct spelling and grammatical changes made to the English language by Hurston creates a false sense of southern authenticity and preserves the broken English almost exclusively for the black characters. Antiquated and inappropriate, Hurston’s strong use of the dialect completely obscures what she is attempting to convey to her readers. The superficial reality portrayed throughout the novel through the use of stereotypically placed diction hinders the
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Correspondingly, Nanny’s speech is slightly worse than that of other characters. With careful examining, Nanny can be seen as a clever woman who knows how to ensure the needs of herself and family are tended to, rather than the reverse in which Hurston promoted. Janie is also portrayed, though strong-willed, as submissive to her husbands. All three of her marriages were abusive; she accepted her beatings with little protest, however. Janie’s second husband, Jody Starks, was an extremely ambitious and intelligent man. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Jody had the ability to develop a small town in Florida very well and become the town’s most powerful man. His skillful ingenuity is easily underestimated by his speaking and interaction with other characters. As Jody berates Janie’s appearance he says, “T’ain’t no use in getting’ all mad, Janie, ‘cause Ah mention you ain’t no young gal no mo’. Nobody in heah ain’t lookin’ for no wife outa yuh. Old as you is.” (Page 99) The audience may find it extremely hard to find a cunning intellect out of Jody’s statement towards Janie, which catalyzes the initial underestimation of Jody. Zora Neale Hurston’s characters cannot be completely understood in conjunction with their broken language. As an extremely charismatic man, Jody Starks was capable of swaying the towns’ people to his side and to do his bidding, but his feats are vastly overshadowed by his …show more content…
“Do what I can. Ah’ll phone into Palm Beach right away for the serum which he should have had three weeks ago. I’ll do all I can to save him, Janie. But it looks too late. People in his condition can’t swallow water, you know, and in other ways it’s terrible.” (Page 202) Dr. Simmons, though from the same area, has virtually none of the grammatical errors that constantly appear within all the other characters. With Dr. Simmons being from the same exact region as everyone else, it’s very probable he should have the same English Vernacular as Janie, or Jody. The higher accuracy Dr. Simmons used in his language further separates the black characters from a intelligent perspective. The widening gap further augments the existing illusion of ignorance among the characters; preventing an accurate understanding of them. The narrator, which parallels with Janie, uses very precise English in a very sophisticated manner. Zora Neale Hurston was able to write Janie’s subconscious thought in an exquisite fashion, but have her verbally ramble in Ebonics everywhere else. Readers may experience difficulty gaining an accurate understating of who the characters really are, especially Janie, due to her conflicting verbal
Correspondingly, Nanny’s speech is slightly worse than that of other characters. With careful examining, Nanny can be seen as a clever woman who knows how to ensure the needs of herself and family are tended to, rather than the reverse in which Hurston promoted. Janie is also portrayed, though strong-willed, as submissive to her husbands. All three of her marriages were abusive; she accepted her beatings with little protest, however. Janie’s second husband, Jody Starks, was an extremely ambitious and intelligent man. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Jody had the ability to develop a small town in Florida very well and become the town’s most powerful man. His skillful ingenuity is easily underestimated by his speaking and interaction with other characters. As Jody berates Janie’s appearance he says, “T’ain’t no use in getting’ all mad, Janie, ‘cause Ah mention you ain’t no young gal no mo’. Nobody in heah ain’t lookin’ for no wife outa yuh. Old as you is.” (Page 99) The audience may find it extremely hard to find a cunning intellect out of Jody’s statement towards Janie, which catalyzes the initial underestimation of Jody. Zora Neale Hurston’s characters cannot be completely understood in conjunction with their broken language. As an extremely charismatic man, Jody Starks was capable of swaying the towns’ people to his side and to do his bidding, but his feats are vastly overshadowed by his …show more content…
“Do what I can. Ah’ll phone into Palm Beach right away for the serum which he should have had three weeks ago. I’ll do all I can to save him, Janie. But it looks too late. People in his condition can’t swallow water, you know, and in other ways it’s terrible.” (Page 202) Dr. Simmons, though from the same area, has virtually none of the grammatical errors that constantly appear within all the other characters. With Dr. Simmons being from the same exact region as everyone else, it’s very probable he should have the same English Vernacular as Janie, or Jody. The higher accuracy Dr. Simmons used in his language further separates the black characters from a intelligent perspective. The widening gap further augments the existing illusion of ignorance among the characters; preventing an accurate understanding of them. The narrator, which parallels with Janie, uses very precise English in a very sophisticated manner. Zora Neale Hurston was able to write Janie’s subconscious thought in an exquisite fashion, but have her verbally ramble in Ebonics everywhere else. Readers may experience difficulty gaining an accurate understating of who the characters really are, especially Janie, due to her conflicting verbal