Oppression In W. E. B. Du Bois The Eyes Were Watching God

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When people talk about the oppression of a particular race, what first comes to one’s mind? Some would say the Native Americans because the Europeans came and took over their land and left them with nothing. Most people would say blacks have been the most oppressed people in society’s history. To dig a little deeper the black woman has been the most oppressed in society’s history. Countless accounts of unfair treatment and unfair judgments have been a proverbial cloud over the black woman. Hurston’s novel “The Eyes Were Watching God”, W.E.B. Du Bois’’ “The Damnation of Women” and today’s society provides ample evidence of the oppression of women. Culturally, women have been marginalized within their own marriages, subjugated, and dehumanized.…show more content…
At first, Joe Starks was kind, polite and understanding man to Janie. He appealed to her feelings, emotions, wants and desires. Everything was going just as she planned it in her proverbial “free” mind. As Joe became mayor and got more power under his belt, the more he tried to control Janie and put her in once again another oppressive situation. The first example of this is when Joe does not let Janie speak for herself when they put up the first light post for the town. Joe made a heartfelt speech and he gave words of sentiment to the town, as the mayor should. One of the town members asked Janie if she had anything to say or speech that she wanted to deliver to the town and Joe cut her off as if she did not have the right to say anything. Joe gave Janie the feeling that she was not important enough to say anything or that she was not capable enough of saying…show more content…
Now we know there has been no significant change to the way black women have been treated, the next question is how can change be made? As a society when will it no longer acceptable to deem women any less than a man? In history progress and “real change” has been made from the Declaration of Independence, to the freedom of slaves and in later time the civil rights of black people as a race. The Declaration of Sentiments was colossal for women to get rights and privileges that should have never been denied. Based off of the Declaration of Sentiments fast forward to today’s society, the question to ask is “Has that been enough? Or is there countless more hours of work to do?” Moving forward in the future, when will the black woman make “real change” to break the “chains” of history that have brought down? The reason these questions are asked is because if all of these questions were answered then there would be no more oppression of the black woman. The real question is not what, how or why, but it is
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