Early Twentieth-Century Fiction
English 358:358, Fall 2023
“Yo’ mama don’t wear no Draws….
To wear dem dirty Draws” (Hurston 157).
Hurston “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” 157.
The last word of the first and last lines of this chant are the same (Draws), which seems to create a cycle. This repetition could mirror the cyclical nature of men entering Janie’s life, yet ultimately failing her. It could also foreshadow Janie’s return to Eatonville at the end of the novel.
“I god, Ah can’t see what uh woman uh yo’ stability would want tuh be treasuring’ all dat gum-grease from folks dat don’t even own de house den sleep in… They’s jus’ some puny humans playin’ round de toes uh Time.'”
Hurston “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” 54.
This quote further exemplifies how Starks views himself as “king” or “god” of the town he is mayor of. His use of the term “puny humans” particularly illuminates his domineering view of the citizens he has authority over.
“Miserable, sullen men, black and white under guard had to keep on searching for bodies and digging graves. A huge ditch was dug across the white cemetery and a big ditch was opened across the black graveyard. Plenty quick-lime on hand to throw over the bodies as soon as they were received. They had already been unburied too long. The men were making every effort to get them covered up as quickly as possible. But the guards stopped them. They had received orders to be carried out.”
– Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God Ch 19
“Dat long-legged Tea Cake ain’t got doodly squat. He ain’t got no business makin’ hissef familiar wid nobody lak you. Ah said Ah wuz goin’ to tell yuh so yuh could know” (Hurston 102-103).
This sticks out to me because this way of thinking hurts both men and women. It hurts poor men because they aren’t seen as capable enough to be loved, while it hurts women because they’re made to believe that only a man with property and money is the only option in terms of love. Having wealth does not mean that a person will treat someone fairly.