A Freedom Out Of The Dilemma

The work of Zora Neale Hurston, in particular her novel Their Eyes were Watching God has been the heated object of critical attention in recent years. However, her novel was not widely recognized as an important achievement after its being first published. It was not until the 1970s when feminist and cultural criticism rediscovered Zora and had a new interpretation of her work.My thesis will mainly deal with the dilemma that the male Afro-American had experienced through two aspects by analyzing the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God—the origins of the dilemma that Janie's three husbands had experienced and ways to free the male Afro-Americans from their dilemma. Chapter One introduces some related critical review about the author Zora and her work Their Eyes Were Watching God. The origins of the male Afro-Americans dilemma were also mentioned. Chapter Two analyzes the Afro-American dilemma embodied by Janie's three husbands by using the gender-role theory and Fanon's postcolonialism in his book Black Skin, White Mask. Through this careful study, we find that the male Afro-Americans suffered a lot because of their special gender role in a community where the white culture controlled the black community. Chapter Three brings forward ways to free the male Afro-Americans from their dilemma. In order to improve the relationship between the male and female Afro-Americans, firstly, we should establish a harmonious and equal status in the black community. The next one is achieving black intersexual harmony through "cultural healing" for the entire black community. Then, the black culture which is handed down by the society created the black people. Therefore, the black men must embrace their own culture to retain their own black identity—negritude. Finally, the black community was the medication for the healing of the black people, however, this last shrine was contaminated by the white culture. Hence, the reconstruction of the black community was necessary. The Conclusion reclaims the contribution that Hurston made to literature and the value of Their Eyes Were Watching God, as well as its influence on the black women writers in the following periods. The practical solutions to the development of the black society are especially important nowadays.