"Writing in White Ink" - Textual strategies of resistance in Zora Neale Hurston´s "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and Alice Walker´s "The Color Purple"

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Body Politics in Philosophy, Feminism and Literature – A Theoretical Framework
  • Michel Foucault's 'body politic' and its pertinence to literary analysis
  • A Feminist Approach to the "body politic"
  • The Black Aesthetic Discourse
  • The Emergence of Black Feminist Consciousness in Afro-American Literature
• “Pygmalion in Reverse” – The Reconstruction of Female Characters
  • Resisting to Write, Writing to Resist - The Lives of Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker
  • The Reconstruction of Black Female Characters in Their Eyes and The Color Purple
• “Writing in white ink” - womanist motifs as textual strategies of resistance in Their Eyes and The Color Purple
  • “Lately I feel like me and God make love just fine anyhow” – Female Spirituality as a Technique of Resistance
  • “mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin” - Female Creativity as a Technique of Resistance

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper analyzes how Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Alice Walker's The Color Purple utilize textual strategies of resistance against dominant racial and gender discourses. It examines how these novels deconstruct stereotypical portrayals of Black women and offer alternative narratives empowered by Afro-American culture. The analysis draws upon theoretical frameworks from Foucault, feminist theory, and Black aesthetic discourse.

• The reconstruction of Black female characters and their agency.
• The use of womanist motifs as techniques of resistance.
• The exploration of female spirituality and creativity as acts of resistance.
• The deconstruction of patriarchal control and silencing of Black women's voices.
• The application of Hélène Cixous' concept of "writing in white ink" to the novels.

Chapter Summaries

Introduction: This chapter introduces the marginalization of Afro-American women writers historically and positions Hurston and Walker's works as significant contributions to a counter-narrative. It highlights the similarities between Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Color Purple, focusing on the coming-of-age journeys of their protagonists and the use of female communication as a central narrative structure. The chapter establishes the central research question: how do Hurston and Walker resist dominant literary discourse through textual strategies?

Body Politics in Philosophy, Feminism and Literature – A Theoretical Framework: This chapter lays the groundwork for the literary analysis by establishing a theoretical framework. It explores Michel Foucault's concept of the "body politic" and its relevance to literary analysis, examining how the female body is constructed and controlled within dominant discourses. It incorporates feminist perspectives on the "body politic" and introduces the Black aesthetic discourse, culminating in a discussion of the emergence of Black feminist consciousness in Afro-American literature. This framework provides the lens through which the subsequent analysis of Hurston and Walker's novels will be conducted.

“Pygmalion in Reverse” – The Reconstruction of Female Characters: This chapter delves into the lives of Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker, highlighting their experiences and how these shaped their writing. It then examines how both authors reconstruct the portrayal of Black female characters in their novels, moving away from stereotypical representations and instead presenting complex and resilient women. The chapter analyzes the ways in which the protagonists of Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Color Purple actively resist societal expectations and forge their own identities. Their struggles against patriarchal structures and the reclamation of their own narratives become central themes.

“Writing in white ink” - womanist motifs as textual strategies of resistance in Their Eyes and The Color Purple: This chapter focuses on specific techniques of resistance employed by Hurston and Walker within their novels. It explores how themes of female spirituality and creativity function as powerful strategies to counteract oppressive forces. The chapter analyzes how the characters find strength and agency through their faith and their expressions of artistic creativity. This section likely explores the concept of "writing in white ink" – a metaphor for feminine writing that emerges from the maternal body – as a means of resisting patriarchal structures and reclaiming their voices. The chapter connects these motifs to broader themes of resistance and agency developed throughout the paper.

Keywords

Afro-American literature, feminist literature, womanist literature, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Color Purple, textual strategies of resistance, body politic, female spirituality, female creativity, Black aesthetic discourse, écriture feminine.

FAQ: Analysis of Zora Neale Hurston's *Their Eyes Were Watching God* and Alice Walker's *The Color Purple*

What is the main focus of this paper?

This paper analyzes how Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Alice Walker's The Color Purple utilize textual strategies of resistance against dominant racial and gender discourses. It examines how these novels deconstruct stereotypical portrayals of Black women and offer alternative narratives empowered by Afro-American culture. The analysis focuses on the reconstruction of Black female characters, the use of womanist motifs as resistance, and the exploration of female spirituality and creativity as acts of resistance.

What theoretical frameworks are used in the analysis?

The analysis draws upon theoretical frameworks from Michel Foucault's concept of the "body politic," feminist theory, and Black aesthetic discourse. It also incorporates the concept of "writing in white ink" by Hélène Cixous.

What are the key themes explored in the novels?

Key themes include the reconstruction of Black female characters and their agency; the use of womanist motifs as techniques of resistance; the exploration of female spirituality and creativity as acts of resistance; the deconstruction of patriarchal control and silencing of Black women's voices; and the application of Hélène Cixous' concept of "writing in white ink" to the novels.

What are the chapter summaries?

The Introduction sets the stage, highlighting the marginalization of Afro-American women writers and positioning Hurston and Walker's works as significant counter-narratives. The chapter establishes the central research question regarding textual strategies of resistance. The Theoretical Framework chapter explores Foucault's "body politic," feminist perspectives, Black aesthetic discourse, and the emergence of Black feminist consciousness. The "Pygmalion in Reverse" chapter examines the lives of Hurston and Walker and how their experiences shaped their writing, focusing on the reconstruction of Black female characters in their novels. The final chapter, “Writing in white ink,” analyzes womanist motifs, female spirituality, and creativity as textual strategies of resistance, connecting these to the concept of "writing in white ink."

What are the key similarities between *Their Eyes Were Watching God* and *The Color Purple*?

Both novels focus on the coming-of-age journeys of their protagonists and utilize female communication as a central narrative structure. Both also depict the struggles of Black women against patriarchal structures and the reclamation of their own narratives.

What are the keywords associated with this analysis?

Keywords include Afro-American literature, feminist literature, womanist literature, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Color Purple, textual strategies of resistance, body politic, female spirituality, female creativity, Black aesthetic discourse, and écriture feminine.

What is the overall conclusion of the paper (implied)?

The paper will likely conclude that Hurston and Walker effectively employ various textual strategies to resist dominant discourses, offering empowering narratives that challenge stereotypical portrayals of Black women and celebrate their resilience and agency.