Zora Neale Hurston is one of the finest authors of twentieth-century African-American literature. Hurston’s words have surpassed the decade in which she released them, the decades into which she tried to mold her style, self, and stories, and her work will continue to make an impact on the generations to come. Hurston's novels and short stories of folklore resulted from her anthropological research and are important sources on the oral cultures of African-Americans (“Zora Neale Hurston-Official”). Hurston had a passion for the African-American culture. Her passion translated in her literary works varying from her novels, Their Eyes Were Watching God and Dust Tracks on a Road to her collection of short stories including “Sweat”, “Magnolia Flower”, and “Spunk.”
Hurston was born into a large Southern family with seven siblings in rural Alabama on January 7, 1891. She often changed her birth date to January 7, 1901 to appear younger for future generations, as fore mentioned. After the tragic …show more content…
Janie Crawford, the protagonist in the story, is portrayed as an attractive, confident, middle-aged fair-skinned woman finding herself through three different marriages. Janie refuses to live in sorrow, foolishness, bitterness, or in the past (Their Eyes Were Watching God Cover). In “Sweat,” the protagonist Delia journeys through her abusive marriage with Sykes. When Sykes realizes he cannot use violence anymore, he tries to intimidate her, which only backfires and gets him killed. In “Spunk,” the story begins with a pretty image of a brown-skinned man and a woman on his arm, but not every picture is as perfect as it seems. Spunk is the main character of “Sweat,” and Delia is a married woman. “Magnolia Flower” is a short story about a controlling father and the growing of his young black daughter. Hurston made an innovative link between some of her
Hurston was born into a large Southern family with seven siblings in rural Alabama on January 7, 1891. She often changed her birth date to January 7, 1901 to appear younger for future generations, as fore mentioned. After the tragic …show more content…
Janie Crawford, the protagonist in the story, is portrayed as an attractive, confident, middle-aged fair-skinned woman finding herself through three different marriages. Janie refuses to live in sorrow, foolishness, bitterness, or in the past (Their Eyes Were Watching God Cover). In “Sweat,” the protagonist Delia journeys through her abusive marriage with Sykes. When Sykes realizes he cannot use violence anymore, he tries to intimidate her, which only backfires and gets him killed. In “Spunk,” the story begins with a pretty image of a brown-skinned man and a woman on his arm, but not every picture is as perfect as it seems. Spunk is the main character of “Sweat,” and Delia is a married woman. “Magnolia Flower” is a short story about a controlling father and the growing of his young black daughter. Hurston made an innovative link between some of her