Liberation in The Awakening and Their Eyes Were Watching God

Liberation in Kate Chopins The Awakening and Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God With few exceptions, our male dominated society has traditionally feared, repressed, and stymied the growth of women. As exemplified in history, man has always enjoyed a superior position. According to Genesis in the Old Testament, the fact that man was created first has led to the perception that man should rule. However, since woman was created from man’s rib, there is a strong argument that woman was meant to work along side with man as an equal partner. As James Weldon Johnson’s poem, â€Å"Behold de Rib,† clearly illustrates, if God had intended for woman to be dominated, then she would have been created from a bone in the foot, but â€Å"he†¦show more content†¦Edna weds Leonce Pontellier, a Creole, to retaliate against her father and sister. In defiance, Edna marries, not for love, but to punish her family for their disapproval. Edna’s first marriage is her initial attempt towards self-determination. Janie, on the other hand, in her initial attempt towards self-determination, rejects the idea of marriage, but is forced into a loveless union to Logan Killicks because of her grandmother’s persistence. Janie had always believed in marrying for love, not security—a virtue her grandmother adamantly preached. Ironically, these oppressive marriages make these women stronger. Initially, these women are looked upon as possessions, and, thus, their identities are degraded. Leonce treats Edna as a belonging and looks upon her â€Å"as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage† (Chopin 7). Janie is regarded in the same way by Logan, who â€Å"refuses to accept essential parts of her heritage, personality, and experience† (Kubitschek 23). Because their husbands limit their avenues of opportunity to pursue any individual growth, they become more determined to rebel against the status quo. Edna and Janie are expected to play the roles of a typical woman of their times: keeping home, cooking meals, and raising a family. The concept that either woman could be capable of supporting herself was alien to this period. EdnaShow MoreRelatedTheir Eyes Were Watching God1571 Words   |  7 PagesZora Neale Hurston and her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans experience a cultural exposure in literature art. It was a period of great achievement in African-American art and literature during the 1920s and 1930s. This surge gave birth to several authors, playwrights and dramatists, such as Zora Neale Hurston. 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