Race, Gender and the Vernacular in the Works of African American and Mexican American Women Authors

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. African American Women Writers

II. 1. The Harlem Renaissance – A Quest for African American Identity

II. 1. 1. The Predecessors - Literary Production and Women Writers of the 19th Century

II. 1. 3. Women Writers of the Renaissance

II. 2. 1. Zora Neale Hurston – Biographical Note

II. 3. 1. Contemporary and Posthumous Reception of Their Eyes Were Watching God

II. 3. 2. Janie Crawford: Emerging Heroine of Their Eyes Were Watching God

II. 3. 3. Dynamics of the Metaphor in Their Eyes Were Watching God

II. 3. 3. 1. Storytelling, Communal Discourse and Verbal Empowerment in Their Eyes Were Watching God

II. 3. 4. Race and Gender in Their Eyes Were Watching God

II. 3. 5. An Alternative Reading: Voodoo in Their Eyes Were Watching God

III. Mexican American Women Writers

III. 1. Mexican Americans in US Society: the Beginnings of Chicano/a Literature

III. 2. Chicana Feminism and Feminist Discourse

III. 3. 1. Biographical Note and Literary Work

III. 4. The House on Mango Street

III. 4. 1. Narrative Structure and Perspective

III. 4. 2. Style and Language in The House on Mango Street

III. 4. 3. The House as Leitmotif

III. 4. 4. Gender Constructions: Opera and Fairytales as Subtexts

III. 5. Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories

III. 5. 1 Narrative Structure

III. 5. 2. Finding Voice: Code-switching and the Language Issue

III. 5. 3. The Mericans – Marginality and Borderland Themes

III. 5. 4. Subversion through Subtext: Womanhood and (Soap) Opera

IV. Conclusion

Objectives and Research Themes

This thesis examines how African American and Mexican American women writers have developed innovative narrative strategies to establish their own literary voices. It explores the diverse methods these authors employ to navigate and express the complexities of being women within an ethnic minority, focusing on their unique approaches to resisting marginalization and patriarchal power structures.

• The significance of vernacular and code-switching as tools for artistic empowerment.
• Deconstruction of traditional gender roles and the quest for female autonomy.
• The role of folklore, mythology, and subtext in challenging socio-political boundaries.
• Comparative analysis of narrative structures in the works of Zora Neale Hurston and Sandra Cisneros.
• The impact of race, gender, and social history on the formation of female literary subjectivity.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

I. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the political and social climate for minority authors in the US, setting the stage for the analysis of female voices in literature.

II. African American Women Writers: This section explores the historical backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance and focuses on Zora Neale Hurston's pivotal role in establishing an authentic Black female voice.

III. Mexican American Women Writers: This chapter investigates the emergence of Chicana literature, examining the impact of feminist discourse and the struggle against dual oppression through the works of Sandra Cisneros.

IV. Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, highlighting how both Hurston and Cisneros successfully created a literary discourse that transcends dominant cultural narratives.

Keywords

African American literature, Chicana literature, Zora Neale Hurston, Sandra Cisneros, female identity, narrative strategy, vernacular, code-switching, gender roles, empowerment, Harlem Renaissance, Chicano Movement, marginalization, folklore, subtext.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this thesis?

The work investigates the literary strategies used by African American and Mexican American women to articulate female subjectivity and overcome racial and gender-based obstacles.

Which authors serve as the primary subjects of study?

The study focuses extensively on the works of Zora Neale Hurston and Sandra Cisneros, analyzing their contributions to their respective literary canons.

What is the central research question?

The research explores how these women writers developed unique narrative techniques—such as the use of vernacular and code-switching—to define and express their experiences as ethnic minority women.

Which academic methods are applied?

The thesis utilizes a comparative literary analysis, focusing on narrative theory, the use of subtext, and the exploration of socio-historical contexts surrounding the texts.

What topics are explored in the main body of the work?

The analysis covers themes such as the "New Negro" movement, the role of folklore in empowerment, the intersectionality of race and gender, and the use of metaphors and operatic subtexts to subvert patriarchal constraints.

How would you describe the significance of the selected keywords?

The keywords highlight the intersection of linguistic, socio-political, and cultural elements that are central to the thesis's argument regarding female agency and identity construction.

How does the author define the "mule" metaphor in Hurston’s work?

In Hurston’s text, the "mule" serves as a complex metaphor for the suppression and racial/gendered subordination of Black women, a condition that the protagonist Janie actively rebels against.

In what way does Sandra Cisneros utilize "code-switching"?

Cisneros employs code-switching between English and Spanish as a tool for political and aesthetic resistance, reflecting the hybrid identity of Chicana women and their search for an authentic voice.

How does the thesis interpret the subtext of opera and fairytales in Cisneros’ writing?

The thesis demonstrates how Cisneros deconstructs these genres, re-writing them to replace passive, victimized female archetypes with strong, self-assertive protagonists who challenge patriarchal power structures.