Beauty is defined by the powerful members of a society. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, neo-colonialism’s image of beauty entailed westernized features such as thin lips, fine, straight hair, small features and white skin; the paler the skin, the more prestigious. Pale skin often symbolized wealth and status; even Caucasians powdered their skin to look whiter. High society folks did not work outside in the fields, as common laborers did. Their skin was not scourged by the sun. Dark skin was associated with a lower class of people. The darker the skin, the less valued in the culture. In Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes were Watching God, she explored the theme of physical attractiveness during the Harlem Renaissance period. Hurston’s
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Hurston showed an advantage of being attractive, but coupled with an underlying disadvantage. Here, Joe told Janie a compliment about how she is pretty and should not work. “You ain’t got no business cuttin’ up no seed p’taters neither. A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo’self and eat p’taters dat other folks plant just special for you." (29) Janie’s looks provided her with opportunities to find security in relationships with men. Joe Starks, Janie’s second husband, offered her a wealthy lifestyle. However, he devalued her as a person based on her physical traits. Joe’s double meaning of “pretty doll-baby” and “special for you” showed a diminished self worth while on the surface complimenting her. Another example of a limitation due to whiter features occurred when Joe dictated the way Janie looked around others. “This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn’t seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was… That night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store... She was there in the store for him to look at, not those others.” (55) One can infer that she was seen as property, whom only belonged to Joe, as he …show more content…
Janie’s second husband benefitted from his white characteristics. “It was a cityfied, stylish dressed man with his hat set at an angle that didn’t belong in these parts. His coat was over his arm, but he didn’t need it to represent his clothes. The shirt with the silk sleeveholders was dazzling enough for the world. [He] walked like he knew where he was going. He was a seal-brown color.” (27) The phrase “seal-brown color” represented a tanner, more light skinned black; this implied that women find his lighter color skin attractive. More evidence of how white characteristics benefitted the black man occurs when Janie traveled with her husband; she was proud of his looks and demeanor. “Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw. Kind of portly like rich white folks. Strange trains, and people and places didn’t scare him neither. Where they got off the train at Maitland he found a buggy to carry them over to the colored town right away.” (34) This provided evidence that Janie was proud of his “portly” look which reminded her of the rich white men. These characteristics are what drew Janie to admire her husband. Contrary to Joe’s distinct advantages, he too was burdened with
Hurston showed an advantage of being attractive, but coupled with an underlying disadvantage. Here, Joe told Janie a compliment about how she is pretty and should not work. “You ain’t got no business cuttin’ up no seed p’taters neither. A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo’self and eat p’taters dat other folks plant just special for you." (29) Janie’s looks provided her with opportunities to find security in relationships with men. Joe Starks, Janie’s second husband, offered her a wealthy lifestyle. However, he devalued her as a person based on her physical traits. Joe’s double meaning of “pretty doll-baby” and “special for you” showed a diminished self worth while on the surface complimenting her. Another example of a limitation due to whiter features occurred when Joe dictated the way Janie looked around others. “This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn’t seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was… That night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store... She was there in the store for him to look at, not those others.” (55) One can infer that she was seen as property, whom only belonged to Joe, as he …show more content…
Janie’s second husband benefitted from his white characteristics. “It was a cityfied, stylish dressed man with his hat set at an angle that didn’t belong in these parts. His coat was over his arm, but he didn’t need it to represent his clothes. The shirt with the silk sleeveholders was dazzling enough for the world. [He] walked like he knew where he was going. He was a seal-brown color.” (27) The phrase “seal-brown color” represented a tanner, more light skinned black; this implied that women find his lighter color skin attractive. More evidence of how white characteristics benefitted the black man occurs when Janie traveled with her husband; she was proud of his looks and demeanor. “Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw. Kind of portly like rich white folks. Strange trains, and people and places didn’t scare him neither. Where they got off the train at Maitland he found a buggy to carry them over to the colored town right away.” (34) This provided evidence that Janie was proud of his “portly” look which reminded her of the rich white men. These characteristics are what drew Janie to admire her husband. Contrary to Joe’s distinct advantages, he too was burdened with