Zora Neale Hurston Research Paper

It was during the literary time period of 1920 when black authors were finally given a voice in American society. They rebuffed the idea of racial strife being the main objective of their works, and instead were devoted to as well as considered literature a way to elevate and improve the perception of blacks. Some time around this era, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright were the two primary authors, and although both shared the same aim of advancing black people 's literary work, their methods towards the subject matter of this era differed from one another. While Hurston tried to connect the cultural disparity between the whites and the blacks, Wright tried to move further to achieve fairness and equality between the racial groups.

Throughout history, everyone in the world has had to stick up for themselves at one point, no matter the situation. “Spunk” by Zora Neale Hurston was written and published in 1925, this story exemplifies the importance of sticking up for yourself. It was only the third short story Hurston wrote, but it prospered. Zora Neale is best known for her works, Their Eyes Were Watching God and Dust Tracks on a Road, both published in the late 1930s and early 1940s. She was an African American activist during the Harlem Renaissance who often focused on the African American culture and experiences.

Zora Neale Hurston, known as one of the most symbolic African American women during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1930’s. Hurston was known as a non fiction writer, anthropologist and folklorist. Hurston’s literature has served as a big eye opener during the Harlem Renaissance, celebrating black dialect and their traditions. Most of her published stories “depict relationships among black residents in her native southern Florida, was largely unconcerned with racial injustices” (Bomarito 89). Hurston was unique when it came to her racial point of views, promoting white racism instead of black racism. Even though her works had been forgotten by the time of her death, now her literature has left a bigger impact to future literature

     Zora Neale Hurston was born January 7, 1891 in Eatonville, Florida, the fifth of eight children to Reverend John Hurston and Lucy Potts Hurston. Zora was extraordinary person. When her mother

Zora Neal Hurston was criticized by other African American writers for her use of dialect and folk speech. Richard Wright was one of her harshest critics and likened Hurston’s technique “to that of a minstrel show designed to appease a white audience” (www.pbs.org).Given the time frame, the Harlem Renaissance, it is understandable that Zora Neale Hurston may be criticized. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement which redefined how America, and the world, viewed African Americans, so her folk speech could be seen as perpetuating main stream society’s view of African Americans as ignorant and incapable of speaking in complete sentences. However, others, such as philosopher and critic Alain Locke, praised her. He considered Hurston’s “gift for poetic phrase and rare dialect, a welcome replacement for so much faulty local color fiction about Negroes” (www.pbs.org).

“One of the greatest writers of our time,” says Toni Morrison referring to Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston (Anna Lillios, 2014).. Zora Neale Hurston, one of the most famous writers of this era left a legacy through her pieces of writing during the Harlem Renaissance by celebrating black culture in her pieces. Her writing was known to be very original and artistic. Zora Neale Hurston was bold with her ideas for writing. Her writing wasn't limited by conventional expectations. Hurston was confident and courageous in her writing leading others to be inspired by her work. Hurston changed history though writing. Her writing still affects us today because of how powerful her words were. Zora Neale Hurston changed history and

Zora Neale Hurston, also known as the queen of the Harlem Renaissance, contributed to the Harlem Renaissance by writing several works of literature. Hurston didn't take the typical approach of writing

Alice Walker went through her search of Zora unknowing of what was to come and found many things about the harlem renaissance author that no one knew about. She found out that Zora was not recognized for what she had done and written as no one has really ever read or seen any of her works. Attributed mostly to the problems regarding racial segregation. A quote put in by Alice Walker in the essay “The gusto and flavor of Zora Neale Hurston’s story telling, for example, long before the yarns were published in “Mules and Men” and other books, became local legends which might… have spread further under different conditions.” (Bontemps, Personals) which refers to the changing of circumstances to spread Zora’s work, which is a great idea

Human life is not an open book. No one can predict every page, but instead, the thriller novel is written as it happens because characters in every story are dominated by their complex traits. For example, who can truly say that one who is laughing is purely happy or actually concealing sorrow? Contradictions exist everywhere in life and literature attempts to grasp and portray them in human characters to create complex traits. Being a black woman forced to undergo three marriages in a stubborn, male-dominated, and oblivious American society right after the civil war, Janie Crawford is a complex character full of confidence and self-reliance, but also with a weakness and desire of finding true love which forces her to become submissive. Zora

Many writers allow their personal experiences to influence their writing, but Zora Neale Hurston used her life to influence others. Hurston took her personal experience and used it to show impoverished black youth that they can be successful. The way she was raised influenced her and created a woman who would pave the way for feminists to be recognized as a respectable group. Hurston had a way with words that still, to this day, have an affect on youth and will affect future generations.. Her childhood and her introduction to average American society developed Hurston into a preacher of equal rights, a teacher of confidence, and a writer ahead of her time.

II. (Relevancy Statement) One of the reasons Zora Neale Hurston is an influential person was because of her works at the time of the Harlem Renaissance. This quote combines both the reawakening of creativity and the ambitious push for others to put forth their own creative works.

“But for the national welfare, it is urgent to realize that the minorities do think, and think about something other than the race problem”(Zora Neale Hurston). Hurston is arguing that there are more issues than black or white. There is also sexism, classism and there is more than one inequity. Minorities need to look at the problem as a whole and address more than just the race problem. (transition) A diseased language model uses words to oppress others, and are born out of fear. A model is diseased because it will deliver sickness and death. Cixous identified language models and said that they are the bane of our existence. She said they were introduced to us young and limited us from moving fluidly through our lives. By using these types

On March 21, 1924, the National Urban League, spearheaded by Charles Johnson, held a dinner to introduce new literary talent to New York City's black community. This dinner party resulted in the Survey Graphic, a magazine whose attention was upon social and cultural pluralism, to publish a special Harlem edition, which would feature the works of Harlem's black writers and was to be edited by Alain Locke. Locke, a literary scholar, black philosopher, professor and authority on black culture, later expanded the Harlem special edition of the Survey Graphic into and anthology he titled The New Negro. Soon, the very cultural movement Survey Graphic hoped to shine light upon would be recognized as the New Negro Movement but later this

Zora Neale Hurston was an African-American folklorist, novelist and anthropologist. She was born in 1891 and lived in the first all-black town in the United States, Eatonville, Florida. Her 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God and played a vital role in the literacy movement the Harlem Renaissance is what she is best known for. Zora Neale Hurston depicts racism in her writings and has contributed greatly to African-American literature. Her work became more popular posthumously.

Zora Neale Hurston a woman who was a marvel of her era. She was known as the “Queen of the Harlem Renaissance.” Hurston came to this nickname by overcoming obstacles that were placed in front of her. As a child Hurston was forced to mature too quickly, however, despite Hurston’s unsettled life, she managed to surmount every obstacle and become one of the most profound authors of the century. When her mother died, she was able to stay emotionally and mentally stable.