In Jonah’s Gourd Vine, Zora Neale Hurston introduces the character of John Pearson, a strapping, incredibly handsome young man who has the innate ability to enthrall most people who cross his path. As the story begins with the harsh reality of conflict between Pearson and his step-father Ned Crittenden in conjunction with the affirmation of…

In “Crazy for this Democracy,” Zora Neale Hurston critiques the rhetoric around democracy, equality, freedom and justice in the United States. She uses the metaphor of disease to critique the failure of the United States to deliver democracy both abroad and at home. Since we were going to be talking about the piece itself, I…

Mules and Men is one of the books that brought Zora Neale Hurston back onto the literary scene after her work had faded almost into obscurity.  It was rediscovered by Alice Walker, and she spoke about it in her article to Ms. Magazine titled “In search of Zora Neale Hurston.”  After this article, Mules and…

Mule Bone: A Comedy of Negro Life was written by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston in 1930. The two authors were great friends in their early 20s when they decided they wanted to accurately depict black life as it had not been portrayed before by white folk. At this time the only portrayal of…

             Their Eyes Were Watching God was Zora Neale Hurston’s 2nd novel written in 1936 and published in 1937.  Although it was often associated with the Harlem Renaissance and was criticized by many Harlem Renaissance writers, Their Eyes technically came after the movement which spanned from WWI through the 20s…