DOI
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol2-iss3/S-pp261-268Keywords
Dialogical structure , Zora Neale Hurston , “Their Eyes Were Watching God” , “Jonah’s Gourd Vine” , “Moses , Man of the Mountain” , African American Vernacular English (AAVE) , Bakhtin , oral traditions , gender dynamics , cultural resistance , feminist literatureAbstract
This article explores the dialogical structure in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God compared to her other major works, including Jonah’s Gourd Vine and Moses, Man of the Mountain. By employing Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism, the study examines how Hurston uses dialogue, dialect, and narrative voice to construct meaning across different cultural, historical, and thematic contexts. The analysis focuses on the interplay between character dialogues, the role of African American Vernacular English (AAVE), and the influence of oral traditions in shaping the narrative structures of these texts. Additionally, the article explores how Hurston’s dialogical techniques reflect the gender, power, and social dynamics of early 20th-century African American life. By comparing Hurston’s works, the study reveals her consistent yet evolving use of dialogue as a means of articulating identity, autonomy, and cultural resistance, contributing to a deeper understanding of her literary contributions to both African American and feminist literature.
References
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