Blog 27: From Mules and Men / Zora Neal Hurston.
Blog 27: From Mules and Men / Zora Neal Hurston.
Jordan Miles
Zora Neale Hurston was a great writer and anthropologist in the early 20th century. Her work, including her book "From Mules and Men," sheds light on both feminism and African-American literature. In "From Mules and Men," Hurston explores the African-American culture of the rural South through her personal experiences and research. Through her writing, she challenges the stereotypical narrative of the time that portrayed black people as less than and uneducated. Hurston shows African-American culture in the book to bring attention to all that comes with their culture, which had normally been ignored or not thought of as important by the white American mainstream. This is significant in feminist literature because she demonstrates new ideas of what is considered worthy of attention and what is important to know and read about. Hurston also wrote a lot about the experiences of African-American women, who were often silenced in other narratives. In her work, Hurston makes it clear that women are very strong and resilient and celebrates their uniqueness in African-American culture. This is significant in feminist literature as it helps to give voice to the often-overlooked lives of black women at the time. One quote that illustrates this and Hurston’s feminist perspective is, "No matter how far a person can go, the horizon is still way beyond you." This quote emphasizes the importance of how she lived her life striving for greatness, even when she comes across obstacles. It is particularly significant when thinking of feminism, where women have historically had to climb significant barriers to get this equality. Zora Neale Hurston's work in "From Mules and Men" highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating different perspectives and experiences. Whether for African-American culture or women's experiences, she challenges the generalizations of the time and continues to inspire feminist and African-American literature.
I really liked the quote that you chose to use for this blog specifically. It really shows that knowing your roots is important as well as to keep going in whatever you are trying to accomplish. This reading had a lot of obstacles and to see that Hurston overcame them is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Her work brings so much insight into how black women's lives were at that time. You can tell when reading that she is naturally very curious, independent, and eager to explore. You can also see how proud she is of her heritage and where she comes from. These voodoo practices she saw and the culture she lived in was rarely written about at that time. I love how she writes her experience so authentically.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely that Hurston changed the narrative of what deserved attention and research. Knowing that black individuals were historically seen as less than, to have someone take the time to understand and experience their culture is super important and the fact that a woman did it, means that much more!
ReplyDeleteHurston's work is empowering for both women and African-Americans. I think that being able to shed some light on anything that is kept under wraps is very important. The discrimination that African-Americans faced are talked about in history classes, but not to the extent that will make you think more about why this happened.
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