“The Conscience of the Court”: How Hurston Reveals Racism through Word Choice
Zora Neale Hurston’s “The Conscience of the Court” explores a court case in which an African-American maid was accused of almost beating a man to death for seemingly no reason. This short story allows Laura Lee Kimble to explain her side of the story. Though she is far less educated than the people of the court, Laura Lee is able to explain the event in great detail. Throughout this story, Hurston utilizes the smallest of sections to communicate the subtle racial tension in the court room. Hurston reminds the reader that this story is about race, and her approach evolves throughout the story.
Hurston communicates certain characteristics that pertain to a character through thoughts and dialogue. The first instance I found interesting is when Laura Lee “was so fascinated by the long-named things they were accusing her of that she stood there tasting over the words” (“The Conscience,” 355). The word choice here is important: most people would feel shocked, or enraged, by the long list of accusations that were completely false. Instead, Laura Lee finds them fascinating. They may be completely new vocabulary to her. Perhaps, the reference to “tasting over the words” is Laura Lee actually sounding them out in her mouth, …show more content…
Before Laura Lee enters the house, she said she “ain’t fitten to enter” (“The Conscience,” 363). In her article on this short story, Barbara Ryan theorizes “that ‘Conscience’ presents Laura Lee as a component of privileged domesticity as precious as the platter because she is just as elaborately crafted, worked, or ‘made’” (Ryan, 557). Despite her years of servitude, she still feels as if entering this home is a gift. Hurston’s final point is that Laura Lee has been conditioned, through years and years of societal norms, to continue gleaming a platter to perfection despite her “win” in court that
Zora Neale Hurston’s “The Conscience of the Court” explores a court case in which an African-American maid was accused of almost beating a man to death for seemingly no reason. This short story allows Laura Lee Kimble to explain her side of the story. Though she is far less educated than the people of the court, Laura Lee is able to explain the event in great detail. Throughout this story, Hurston utilizes the smallest of sections to communicate the subtle racial tension in the court room. Hurston reminds the reader that this story is about race, and her approach evolves throughout the story.
Hurston communicates certain characteristics that pertain to a character through thoughts and dialogue. The first instance I found interesting is when Laura Lee “was so fascinated by the long-named things they were accusing her of that she stood there tasting over the words” (“The Conscience,” 355). The word choice here is important: most people would feel shocked, or enraged, by the long list of accusations that were completely false. Instead, Laura Lee finds them fascinating. They may be completely new vocabulary to her. Perhaps, the reference to “tasting over the words” is Laura Lee actually sounding them out in her mouth, …show more content…
Before Laura Lee enters the house, she said she “ain’t fitten to enter” (“The Conscience,” 363). In her article on this short story, Barbara Ryan theorizes “that ‘Conscience’ presents Laura Lee as a component of privileged domesticity as precious as the platter because she is just as elaborately crafted, worked, or ‘made’” (Ryan, 557). Despite her years of servitude, she still feels as if entering this home is a gift. Hurston’s final point is that Laura Lee has been conditioned, through years and years of societal norms, to continue gleaming a platter to perfection despite her “win” in court that