Their Eyes Were Watching God Rhetoric

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A Tongue On a String “It's no use of talking unless people understand what you say.” Zora Neale Hurston. In Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora uses the empowerment of Janie's speech to reflect and address current issues. Words are powerful when used right, knowing when and when not to use them and which words to use is what lends the power of those words to their owner. Hurston is a professional at this technique, her words lend Janie power over the people around her and into the mind of Hurston’s audience. Janie is the ultimate Christ figure in Hurston’s writing. Many times throughout the bible the power of speech is made profound and unavoidable. The real interesting fact about this is that it is alway when God is speaking. For example,…show more content…
When she is with Jody and doesn’t speak at all with the other when she wishes she had. from the start he takes away her right to speak silencing her voice and therefore taking her power. When he does allow her to speak it is only for his praise, and beats her when she speaks rudely of him in public. Although this was common in this time Hurston is continuously using Janie speaking out against Jody to show that those in power may not always be the best and that all the voices of those being controlled by them should be heard. The most important time of Janie’s silence is when she is on trial for Tea cakes murder she doesn’t use her own voice. She does not plead or beg or fight she does not care what happens to her she only hopes that there will be no misunderstanding about her intentions. She simply wants everyone to know that she loved him till the day he died and beyond. Although when she does speaker the reader does not hear what she says, Hurston does this for a couple of reasons. First, because what she is saying is only what she has to everyone is still going to think what they want, so no one is truly hearing her due to the fact that they do not understand the true meaning in her words. Second because Hurston want to demonstrate that this official hearing to determine Janie's life is completely controlled by white men. Anyone’s voice other than white men is irrelevant because in this setting the hold all the power and control. Hurston is amplifying the idea that these are the only people who hold power and that the people the government is effecting have no say whatever as to what happens to
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