I've only read the first three chapters of their eyes were watching god, but I'm already amazed by Hurston's use of language. I've never read a novel that's forced me to slow down and consider the meaning behind the words as much as this one.
When I started reading the dialogue, I found myself saying the words out loud to understand what the characters were saying. At first, I was frustrated because I couldn't read as quickly as I wanted to. However, our discussion on Tuesday changed my mind. Hurston is a genius! If you have trouble reading the dialect, that probably means you haven't had extended exposure to people who speak with the dialect. By writing in the dialect, Hurston facilitates the reader's understanding of the characters by making them slow down and speak the words aloud. The reader becomes the characters as they read because they are paying such close attention to each word. Hurston no doubt wrote the dialogue phonetically on purpose, perhaps to address the possibility of backlash to her novel. If you become the characters you read, it would be significantly more difficult to invalidate their experiences and perspective.
I also appreciate how Hurston celebrates the dialect she writes in. We discussed in class how many novels in the 20th century used African-American vernacular to portray characters in a demeaning and racist way. This is not at all how Hurston portrays her characters speaking the dialect. She uses epic metaphorical language within the dialect, as if all the people in her novel have special access to "poetry on tap," as articulated by Mr. Mitchell. The language is truly beautiful and further encourages the reader to reflect on the conversations between characters.
As I continue reading, I predict there will be a positive correlation (haha thank you Psych 100) between my reading pace and my understanding of the characters. Weirdly, this relationship between time and understanding reminds me of my time at Spring Initiative over the summer. When I first started working with the kids, I had a lot of trouble understanding them because they spoke in a dialect I wasn't used to. As I spent more time with them, I not only literally understood them better, but I learned more about them as people. They told me about their families, their favorite foods, and whether or not they liked to play dodgeball. Every detail helped me understand their perspective better. I look forward to learning more about the characters in their eyes were watching god. I can tell they've got some fascinating stories to share.
Your post is super cool! I totally agree with what your saying about having to slow down and being able to understand the characters. I definitely relate to you, when I was first reading this I was so confused. Like what are they even saying? But after I started to get used to it the story became more interesting. Your connection with Spring Initiative is really cool, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing on your experiences! I've had similar experiences trying to read books in dialect, since you're not used to how they speak. I also feel like the dialogue and the way the characters speak help create the world of the book. For me at least, it helps illustrate the picture of what the world of Florida was like back then. It makes it easier to comprehend, despite being initially harder to understand, in a weird way. Anyways, I definitely relate to what you've said!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you here. Hurston doesn't just plunge us into the story, but into the characters culture and speech. She doesn't "translate" it into the English language we are so used to, but rather she casts us into the exact setting as much as she can. In this way we can feel the story, not just read it.
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