The Tripartite Plight of African-American Women as Reflected in the Novels of Hurston and Walker Author(s): Clenora Hudson-Weems Reviewed

work(s): Source: Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 20, No. 2, The African-American Woman: Complexities in the Midst of a Simplistic World View (Dec., 1989), pp. 192-207 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784700 . Accessed: 14/09/2012 01:52
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THE TRIPARTITE PLIGHT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN AS REFLECTED IN THE NOVELS OF HURSTON AND WALKER
CLENORA HUDSON-WEEMS
PrairieView University

The historyof theAfricana woman revealsherpeculiarpredicaformof cultureas victimof a tripartite mentwithinthedominant oppression-racism, classism, and sexism, respectively.Since American slavery,she and the Africana man have experienced her however, womanhoodhas placed herinan even muchbrutality; writer more vulnerableposition. Whetheran African-American sex, chooses to emphasize oppressionbased on race, class and/or of the invariably victimization the Africanawoman surfaces.For Douglass (1968: 60) notesinMy Bondage and example,Frederick My Freedom thatthe"slave woman is at themercyof thefathers, Blassingame (1979: Furthermore, of sons or brothers hermaster." slave masters]purchasedcomely black women for theirconcubines." Hence, while racism is their major focus, sexism and experience. classism also are key issues in theAfrican-American As institutionalized racismhas been a muchdebatedsubject,the for emphasison class and femalesubjugation theAfricana present woman thenbecomes a revivedor freshcase of studyfortoday's relative to withwomenwriters. sense is that, My particularly critic, since seriousconsideration emphasismerits thetimes,thispresent life. of racismcontinuesto be in the forefront African-American of analysis is to show how two twentiethThe intent thisliterary and womenwriters, Zora Neale Hurston African-American century of peculiarity theAfricdepictthethree-dimensional Alice Walker,
OF 1989192-207 JOURNAL BLACK STUDIES, Vol.20 No. 2, December ? 1989Sage Publications, Inc. 192

they that in 155) asserts TheSlave Community "frequently [the

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anawoman's the situation, evolutionary ofthe seeds Africpopular ana woman'snovelin America. The prioritizing thekindsof of relegation whichtheAfricana to womanis subjected notbe will explored here, themajor as concern torecognize existence is the of hertotal senseofoppression. First in published 1939,Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God represents a novelaheadofitstimes. written Although during the post-Harlem Renaissance ithascharacteristics Harlem era, ofthe Renaissance novel, in portrayal theexotic, particularlythe of highfashioned woman'sman.Tea Cake. However, leaps in itsporit trayal thefemale of protagonist, Mae Crawford. Janie Quitedifferentfrom typical the nineteenth-century "Victorian" or female, the earlytwentieth-century female, leadingwomanhereis not the nearly submissive. the as Like novel form sinceitsinception during the nineteenth century, Hurston's has protagonist grown develand much oped,butwith more the intensity. Traditionally, majorconcernoftheAfricana both writer, maleandfemale, emancipawas as in tion, demonstratedtheabolitionist novels, example. for The major concern the of early mid-twentieth of novelist the and century was personal development, is certainly case in Hurston's as the novelas sheexplores personal the growth development her and of female protagonist. However, critical the obstacle the for characters oftheAfricana writer almost was invariably racism. One of themost talked-about novelstoday, particularly among feminist critics, Hurston's novelaboundsin female subjugation, her although strong indictmentracism of cannot overlooked. be The very ofhernovelis taken title from sceneexpounding racism, a on notsexismnorclassism, whichstrongly suggests theauthor that regards as a critical this issue. Addison Gayle (1982:24),inexpressing hisreason rejecting form subjugation, for any of asserts that
to be condemned thedeath childhood, ofeternal to or one dependenceuponthe whims others, itwhite of be society husbands or and fathers to amounts a kind servitude of which alwaysinimical is to thehuman spirit.

Indeed, anything is so undesirable, that incompatible, hence and detrimentalhuman to nature should banished. be

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Hurston clearly identifieswith the oppression of women to whichshe and all herfellowsistersare heirs.Her dominant theme of sexual oppressionhas awardedherthetitleof feminist many by and "pre-feminist" stillothers. Gayle further by As suggests, longbefore modern feminist the day movement, Hurston Zora had divined essential of theage-oldoppression womenby the of fact men. Women werethen nowtobe little as more than shadow images inthe of minds men, reflections every the of manintheir livesfrom father husbands, to creatures withno substance, being,no no outside sanctioned vouchsafed men[1982:24]. the identity and by Moreover,she has been called an accommodationist well as as a revolutionist. SherleyAnne Williams (1978: x) summarizesthe different ways in which Hurstonis perceivedby certaincriticsin herforeward therecenteditionof thenovel: to To oneofhercontemporaries, was thefirst blacknationalist; she to another,handkerchief-head Tom.Larry a Uncle Neal,inhisrecent introductionher to autobiography, Tracks a Road.. . calls Dust on

Walker others ourgeneration, was a womanbenton and of Zora and discovering defining a herself, womanwho spokeand wrote herownmind. fits Hurston all thesemodesandmore.A complex Oddlyenough, novelist who "nicely fits into too many historicalcategories" (Joyce,1982: 69), she is obviously an embodiment contradicof tions,in herlifeand in herwritings. TheirEyes WereWatching God has been oftenreferred as a to love story,explicatingthe love and need for true freedom.It the recounts evolution a womanprotagonist metamorphoses of who froma sex serfto a soaringspirit. The novel opens in medias res with the heroine,Janie,returning her home, a small Africana to in community Eatonville,Florida,shortly after her burying "last" husband,Vergible"Tea Cake" Woods. At theopening, novelist the presents horizonmetaphor a whichexplainsJanie'sphilosophy of lifeconcerning difference the betweenwomenand menas she sees it. Women,unlikemen,createtheir own realities, thus

her a "kind of Pearl Bailey of the literary world . . . " To Alice

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womenforget thosethings all they don'twantto remember, and remember everything don'twantto forget. dream the they The is truth. Thenthey anddo things act accordingly 1978:9]. [Hurston,

Just women as approach from things differently men,they are treated differently bythem aredictated and limitations. the As story is framed, witness dialogueamongseveralwomenwho we the enviously gossipaboutJanie heryounger, and deceasedhusband, Tea Cake.As revealed here, women also uphold limitations the of thewoman setforth society. as by Boundtoa codeofconduct that does nottolerate "old" women/young relationships, men a sexist attitude sincethereverse acceptable men, is for Janie berated is for presumedly having beenused.
Whereshe left young of a boy she wentoffherewid?dat lad Thought was goingto marry? Where left she he her? Whathe donewidall her he wid money? Betcha off somegalso young she ain'tevengotnohairs 10]. [p.

this Throughout gossiping echoesof thenineteenthsection, century thesis TheCultofTrue of Womanhood, Barbara by Welter, areheard. to According Welter (1976),there four are basisqualities of a true woman -purity,piety, submissiveness, domesticity. and Purity protection one'svirginity into and of come focus when Janie is caught kissing shiftless the Johnny Taylor hergrandmother, by Nanny, nowregards as tainted. who her ThusJanie forced a is into hasty marriage Brother to LoganKillicks, manofsomeresources. a Whenat first Janie pleadsagainst marriage this becauseshe does notloveLogan,thegrandmother responds, "Tain't LoganKillicks Ahwants tohave, you baby, protection" it's (Hurston: Shethen 30). laments pastas a slaveandthat herdaughter, her of Janie's mother, both whomfellvictim sexualexploitation. of to Takenadvantage ofbyher master, Nanny became pregnant Janie's with mother, who, to according Nanny, later was taken advantage andabandoned of bya schoolteacher. that itmay, Be as however, general the attitude toward womenis that they dependent menand that to are on not haveonemakes a vulnerable for woman, opentoexploitation and degradation.

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towardher completely Aftershe marriesKillicks, his attitude changes. He begins to feel thathe owns her,and thusassertshis dominanceover her: Git Ah place.It's wherever needyuh. a You ain'tgotno particular and moveonyuh, datquick.... Ah'mtoohonest hard-workin' and in dat's de reasonyou don'twantme! foranybody yo' family, [pp. 52-53]. he on she Reflecting his tirade, concludesthat is notonlyputting and hergrandher femalefamily, mother herdown,but herentire mother.She resolves to leave, but not alone; anotherman, Joe Starks,is waitingwho promisesto takecare of heras she feelsshe needs. Joe off Afterrunning and marrying Starks,she noticesthathis in worthbegins to increase,culminating his becomingthe mayor which beforenow did not have a of a small, Africanacommunity begin of mayor.Indications naive or unconsciousmale chauvinism request have a fewwordsfrom to to emerge.Whenthetownspeople thefirst lady,Joe interjects, nothin' but Thank fuh compliments, mahwifedon'tknow yuh yo' lak her 'boutno speech-makin'/Ah married fornothin' dat. never and She's uhwoman herplaceis inde home[p. 69]. He definesherrole and place, and suppresseshervoice. She is stunnedby this statement, suppresses her real feelingsand but no or smiles. Witnessing obvious retaliation resistancefromher, withthetradition: Starksis quitepleased and confident how Well,honey, youlakbein'Mrs.Mayor?.. . Ah toldyouinde be tuh dat beginnin' Ahaimed be uhbigvoice.Yououghta veyfirst outayou[p. 74]. glad,'cause datmakesuhbigwoman apart Janieis thusdefinedby herhusband,and has no identity fromhis. As thestorycontinues, Starksmakes moredemandson Janie's in her womanhoodand forbids to participate thetales("lies") of the

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menfolkon the porch,a closed male tradition. Furthermore, he forbidsher to show her hair in public; she mustwear a head rag because her beauty is for him alone to behold. His chauvinistic attackson her,bothphysicallyand verbally, become more severe as timepasses. All you got tuhdo is mindme. How come you can't do lak Ah tell yuh? . . . Somebody got to thinkforwomen and chillunand chickensand cows [p. 110] Starks was not stopping until he has relegated her to total submissiveness. Anxious to listenand participate themen's storytelling in ritual, Janiefinally defiesherhusband'srules,thereby heridenasserting tity. Witha masculine,connotative word describingher assertive action,Hurston describesheras "thrusting" herself intotheir "lies." Sometimes gitsfamiliar us womenfolks andtalks God wid too His insidebusiness.He told me how surprised was 'bout y'all He turning so smart out Him makin'yuh different; how after and be out surprised is goin'tuh ifyoueverfind youdon'tknow y'all halfas much'boutus as you think do. It's so easy to make you yo'selfout God Almighty whenyou ain't go nothin' strain tuh but and against women chickens 117]. [p. Her outspokennessand defiance in the presence of his male friendsembarrassStarks,which only aggravatesthingsbetween them.Of course, his age doesn't help either. he grows older, As more than ever cognizantof theirage difference now, he grows more insecure. He also seems to resenther youth,and out of jealousy and insecurity, attacksherappearance: he A woman round store shegetoldas Methusalem still stay uh till and can'tcuta little like thing a plugoftobacco! Don'tstand rollin' der yo'popeyesatmewidyo'rump to hangin' nearly yo'knees! 121]. [p. Humiliatedin the company of all the menfolk, Janiepublicly emasculatesJoewithstrong verbalcastration: wid mahlooks,Jody.... Yes, Ah'm Stop mixin' mahdoings up and nearly forty you'sealready fifty.... Naw,Ah ain'tno young

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gal no mo' butdenAh ain'tno old womanneither.... Ah'm uh inch woman every ofme,andAhknow Dat'suhwholelotmore'n it. youkinsay.You big-bellies here put a lotofbrag, and out round but 'tain'tnothin' it butyo' big voice. Humph!Talkin''boutme to lookin'old! Whenyou pull downyo' britches, look lak de you uh change life[pp. 122-123].

disarmed Janie'snew-found Completely by her assertiveness, voice,Joeliterally stopsspeaking sleeping and with andfrom her, that forward, health day his declines drastically.is notlongafter It he this scenethat dies.Thefirst thing Janie that doesis ripthe scarf from head and let herhairfall free,a symbolic of the her act of unshackling thebondsman itsreleaseto freedom. fact, and In after funeral, literally she the burns ofherheadragswhich all Joe hadusedso longtobindherfreedom. While first ofthe the half novelexplores female the subjugation, half second emphasizes classism racism. and after Highlighted the the tension between maleandfemale Janie's soulmate, is true Tea Cake.Unintimidatedthe and traditional societal trend by female the ofmaledominance female and Tea servitude, Cake'sphilosophy of lifeis unconflicted. meets, He fallsin lovewith, woos Janie, and to andproves be theone mansheneedsfor loveandcompantrue he ionship. Although is notmaterially his wealthy, attitude rich is andstimulating her. for Thisharmony between and Janie Tea Cake,however, threatis ened when an antagonistic force,Mrs. Turner highyellow (a Africana womanwho showscolorprejudice), attempts disrupt to their home. a of Potentiallymember theBlue Veins Society whose members traditionally abhorred blackness, Turner Mrs. not attacks onlyTea Cake's colorbutdark-skinned Blacks in general. She erroneously believes thedark-skinned that Blacksarethe source of theraceproblem America that in and wereitnotforthem, there wouldbe noracism. Janie's response a reflectsknowledge a class of problem: don'tfigger evergointuh "Ah dey want for us comp'ny. We'se toopoor"(p. 210). However, Mrs.Turner responds the that problem color, class.To her, is not raceitself does notplaya part in theoppression theAfricana of people.Thinking thedarkthat

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skinned Africanans hinder progress therace,Mrs.Taylor the of comments, "Tain't poorness, decolor defeatures" 210). de it's and (p. to She eventries arrange meeting a her between brother Janie, and a better mateforJanie, she thinks, since he is "bright," both physically intellectually. and Enraged this by effort break his to up home, Cake resorts physical Tea to prowess; slapsJanie, in he first order reassure to himself he ownsher, secondtoestablish that and whois the bossinhishousehold. a brief For time only, fallsinto he thetrap thetradition maledomination, of of physically overpowering thewomanand then bragging aboutit in order provehis to masculinity. thenovelsuggests, great As a obstaclein relation to male/female harmony sexism. is From to in sexism classism, novelculminates an indictment the ofracism we movefrom privacy theAfricana as and the of family to community the American societyin general. Outsideof the confines the of Africana community, Africanans forced the are into an integrated situation As hurricane comes during hurricane. the the uponthem, Tea are to Janie, Cake,andMotor forced lookbeyond themselves human and in for beings general answers; nowlook they toGod.
Theyhuddled closerandstared thedoor.. . . The time at was past forasking white the whatto lookforthrough door.Six folks that eyeswerequestioning [p. 235]. God

this Clearly is an important herethat passage,foritis notuntil the titleof thenovel is first intoa suggested. They are forced confrontation whites they forced with as are from security the of their home. for Looking safety, flee, when they but they toseek stop refuge, aretold the they by whites there noroom for that is left them. Nonetheless, survive; they however, whenitcomestime buryfor ingthedead,racism itstruest in form emerges. Thereis a white and bodiesare placedin cemetery an Africana graveyard. White but are coffins, Africanans dumped a holeandcovered Tea in up. the Cakeobserves injustices responds, and "Looklakdeythink God nothin' don'tknow 'boutde Jim Crowlaw" (p. 254). Janie, Motor, andTea Cake consider theinjustices all before them,

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to their their souls askinifHe meant measure puny might against His. Theyseemedto be staring thedark, their at but eyes were watching [p. 236]. God

The factthatthetitleof thenovelcomes in at thisjuncture in Hurston's racism a is establishes that, fact, indictment against in keyissue.It is onlyhere that title the appears theentire text. this a makes strong indictment Although chapter against racism, ostensible in attiinconsistencies reference theAfricana/white to the tudes toward eachother comeinto play.After whites discriminateagainst them safe refuge a Africanans, by disallowing first and during hurricane, secondbydenying the proper burial the for dead, theylatercome to therescueof one Africana personin of when is tried the for murder Tea Cake,who she particular, Janie, hadbeenbitten a rabid andattacked Thisincident her. by dog points so at the bond of sisterhood, idealizedamongwhitefeminists, where basichuman empathy breaks down.Later, however, before Tea Cake's funeral, Africanans the come around and accepthis deathas unavoidable. knewall alongthat was it of Janie, course, love forTea Cake that resented forher her becauseof their they difficult ofself-defense. act In thefinal has in a analysis, Hurston succeeded realizing numberofpositive endsin thiscontroversial novel.As Turner (1971: 108-109)asserts,
and wivesof Through Nanny, Miss Hurston denounced slavery the . slave owners; . . and through Turner ridicules Mrs. she Negroes who hatetheir race.She succeeded in best,however, delineating a woman the perceptively whosesimple desires mystify meninher life.

novelclosesona note love,theelements racism, Whilethe of of classism,and sexismare dominant issues,particularly they as reflect three-fold the plight theAfricana of woman.Moreover, the although mostexpounded issue in thisnovel is sexism, on evident theauthor's in of of treatment thecomplexity therelationthe ship between Africana male and Africana female, Hurston seemstosuggest this that obstacle notinsurmountable. is Certainly

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fore in eighteenth-century unaddressed the epistolary novelandthe nineteenth-century sentimental novel.In redefining traditional the novelthrough modification, a newor modified literary form has evolved. spite this In of traditional her literary form, characters are revolutionary. Through muchstruggle strife, and theyhave the responsibilitydefining ownrolesinsociety, of their unshackled by thoseof thepast.In order achievewholeness, to mustultithey mately freethemselves theinflexibilities traditional of of roles. Henceboth malesandfemales whatis necessary them, do for and as theplotunravels, perform they nontraditional chores well. as Whileitis quiteevident TheColorPurple, Their that like Eyes Were Watching God, addresses issueof racism, the classism, and sexism, like Walker, Hurston, focuses moreon thesexualvictimization herprotagonist, of Celie.Although considered woman's a the novel, racialdimension thenovelcannot glossedover. in be It underscores predicament thequality life eachcharacter the of of of in thisnovel,and playsa majorrolein theoverallplight the of characters. example,in a moving For scene whereone of the characters has Sofia, a confrontation allthree with forms oppresof sionsimultaneously, Walker succeeds demonstrating racism in that

lisheda new dimension, new level of oppression race- heretoa

Janie overcomes theseshortcomings herculminating in relationship with Cake.Hence, Tea while external the forces racism of have a continuing impact uponAfricanans within owncommunity, their a creating tension within Africana the the community, family and remain communities strong. evident "the are Clearly and continuity cohesiveness Blackculture, of racism" despite 1983:28). (Mikell, While the notedcharacteristic the mid-twentieth-century of Africana novelis itscontent the reflecting "Negro"in searchof identity, modern-day the novelestablishes newtrend, itaims a as at renaming redefining onlyitsliterary and not but form, itscharacters, bothmenandwomen. order achievethisgoal,Alice In to the Walker, recent author The of twentieth-century, award-winning ColorPurple, topsy-turvied convention theplotof the has the of epistolary which novel, points the at victimizationthe of woman in a traditional patriarchal system. this Walker estabThrough act, has

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and classism are the greatestenemies to Blacks, which, unlike in sexism,do notresolvethemselves thenovel. wife],he say. Alwaysgoingon over Now Millie [themayor's She prizefighter. look colored finally ... (she)lookatSofiaandthe She at theprizefighter She eyeSofiawristwatch. sayto Sofia, car. for wouldyouliketowork me, All your children clean,shesay, so lookatSofia,pushhis be mymaid?Sofiasay,Hell no.... Mayor whatyousay to Miss wifeouttheway.Stickouthis chest.Girl, Thepolices the Millie?... He slapher.... Sofiaknock mandown. the off bangtheyheads slinging children themayor, come,start Sofia really startto fight.They drag her to the together. wanttojumpin ... Sofiasay ground.... He [Sofia'scompanion] on anyway. guns him home. Policeshavethey No,takethechildren he 1982:86]. One move, dead [Walker, of Here again,theclassic paradigm racismemergesas itbecomes thatMiss Millie condescendsto Sofia solely because she apparent for She assumesthatSofia is herunderling, had Sofia is Africanan. she been white,withthe obvious materialaffluence, would never have asked herthatquestion.Walkershows how bothracismand classism are enforced theleaders and thelaw makers,and even by as thoughshe does not expound on themas thoroughly she does sexism, it is apparentthatthey foreverhover over the lives of Walker'svictims. form thework of the Aboundingin sexual subjugation, literary and is highly significant perhapsconsciouslyselectedbytheauthor. novel, an eighteenth-century formof the epistolary This literary for paves theway in themeand plot structure the literary form, art sentimental novel. Compatiblewithherstrong nineteenth-century of Walker'ssymbolicalinversion of rejection femalesubmissivity, of againstmale theplot structure thisliterary formis a retaliation of dominationand femalesubjugationso characteristic the tradiin novel. As one tionalpatriarchal systemreigning thesentimental criticobserves, on Walker codesand draws certain In adopting epistolary the novel, in but them sucha wayas toturn of conventions thegenre, revises sentimental novel on its head. Like the typical the sentimental

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heroine, Celie is orphaned earlyin thenovel.Like thePurebut Betrayed Maidenof thesentimental story, Walker's heroine a is victim sexualabuse[Henderson, of 1985: 14].

Unlikethetraditional, sentimental epistolary novel,TheColor Purple closes on a note of triumph the victims sexual for of whiletheir oppression, oppressors, once theyresolvetheir too, chauvinistic inclinations, achievea morecomplete life.Walker delights readers her with participation metamorphosis the and of themales here,particularly his Harpo,who overcomes narrow in attitude hisresolution sexualexploitation. of At thevery of opening thenovel, is informed thedomione of nation female of subjugation. thetender offourteen, At age Celie falls victim both to incest childmolestation. and Threatened her by stepfather, is warned "Youbetter never nobody she that, not tell but God.It'dkillyour 1982:11).Succumbing his to mammy" (Walker, threat ofbothfearandshame, doesjustthat, thus out she and the novelassumes shapeintheform "letters," addressed its of first to God,a confidant whomshecan shareherinnermost with secrets andfeelings. necessity writing This for of instead openly speaking outdemonstrates forced the suppression thevoicetowhich of the womanhas been relegated centuries. for Throughout novel, the women,like Hurston's Janie,are cautioned againsttoo much mouth. Moreover, menhave traditionally that felt they have the right abusetheir to women. The following passageillustrates the misinformation confusion Harpoexperiences and that regarding themale/female relationship: Harpo hisdaddy hebeat Mr.-----say, ast why me. Cause shemywife. Plus,shestubbon. women All goodfor-hedon't finish.... beat like beat children 30). He me he the (p. In fact, hasbeensucha long-standing this stance with Celiethat shebelievesittobe right. Hence,whenHarpocomestoherlater for adviseonmaking newbride, his Sofia, obeyhim, responds, she "Beather"(p. 43). Celie is so indoctrinated victimized sexism Indeed, and by that evensheherself in participates itsperpetuation.

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Unlike Celie,Sofiadoesnot succumb female to submissiveness. her She remains own person, refusing be dictated by the to to traditional of thewoman, roles and bothphysically emotionally. Thussheadmits.
I rather out in the fieldsor fooling be withthe animals.Even and chopping wood.Buthe love cooking cleaning doing and little things round house(p. 63). the

Infact, is ultimately she forced physically verbally to and protect herself against husband's her physical domination. a physical After confrontation inwhich beatsHarpoandhe cries, reveals, she she "All he think He aboutsinceus married howtomakeme mind. is don't want wife, want dog"(p. 67). Later a he a when Sofia'smother three serve their dies,sheandhertwosisters (alongside brothers) as nontraditional pallbearers. Bewildered, Harporesponds, mother . but ... what gonlooklike? . . Three stout .. still is . big women pallbearers look like they ought be homefrying to this of chicken.... People tomen use doing sort thing. Women weaker,. . people . think weaker, they they say weaker, anyhow. it Women totake easy. ifyou spose Cry want Not totake to. try over
[p. 195]. Whoeverheardof womenpallbearers. .
.

. I know she your

of and like Sofia'sstrength senseofselfhood, that Sug (Celie's husband's former lover), havea very positive effect Celieinthat on of Sofiahelpshertoredefine personhood, her elements retaliation against sexualsubjugation. in Another important Africana female element Walker's novelis the bondamong strong support women. as SofiaandSug serve Just as positive, assertive for female models Celie(reaching tolend out in their hands guiding reaches tohelp Celie'saction), out Celie,too, herfellowsister, MaryAgnes,alias "Squeak,"who has become Harpo'sladyafter Sofialeaveshimandis later imprisoned. When askedhowtogetHarpo'sattention, now Celie,herconsciousness the on offers goodadviceoffirst developed, insisting Harpocalling herbyherrealnamerather allowing toaddress with him her than

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theinferior nameconnoting mousy a position. naming In oneself, one defines oneself well.Laterinthenovel, as Mary Agnesdemonstrates power self-naming self-respect, the of for self-definition, and publicidentification. she acknowledges, Thus "WhenI was Mary AgnesI couldsinginpublic" 183). (p. Walker takesthepowerofthevoice a stepfurther thescene in of Celie's confrontation herhusband with after discovers she that heis concealing letters toher her sent by beloved sister, Nettie, now a missionary Africa. power the in The of voice,Celie'svoice,is so great that transcends a mystical here it to level.Bynow, the as novel unfolds, Celie no longer writes God; she feelsthat can no to she longer identify an assumed with white God. She begins demand to things herself, rather towaitfor than Godtodo them her. for Hence, whenAlbert (Mr. -----) to her refuses surrender letters, realizing sheis cognizant them, ejaculates, that of she
I curse you.... Until do right me,everything touch will you by you crumble.... everything evendream willfail.I giveitto about you him straight, likeitcometome.Anditseemtocometomefrom just thetrees.... Every lickyouhitme youwillsuffer twice... You better because all I'm telling stoptalking you ain'tcoming just I in from Looklikewhen openmymouth airrush andshape me. the words.... Thejail youplanforme is theone in which youwill rot.... A dust devilflew onthe up porch between full mouth us, my withdirt. The dirt say,Anything do to me,already you done to I'm I you.... I'm pore, black, maybe uglyandcan'tcook,a voice saytoeverything But listening. I'm here[p. 187].

Thispassagepresents author's the mostpowerful comment on thepower thewordandthemystical of world. intertwines She the in two,shrouded thefemale assertive voice.This achieves maximumeffect, it rejects presupposition mysticism as the that and femaleassertiveness have no place in our material, patriarchal society. As one reviews plotandstructure Hurston's the of Their Eyes Were God Watching andWalkers's ColorPurple, can see The one of theemergence a newtype novelbytheAfricana of one woman, that takes into consideration three all obstacles threaten that major

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theexistence thefree of Africana woman. be sure, To these artists in are in theforefront determining shapeof future the Africana woman's writings, functioninga paradigm a refined/redefined for as literary form. Theyrender meaningful contributionstheevoluto tionoftheAfricana female novelas an artform, wellas to the as growth theAfricana of female voice as bothauthor character. and in Although addressing, hopesofcorrecting, tripartite of the plight theAfricana woman which a crucial is concern today, needfor the at prioritizing thesevariousforms oppression some timeis of tantamount. Notwithstanding emphasis female the on subjugation on thepart bothHurston Walker their of in and novelshere, they nonetheless demonstrate keencognizance thecritical their of exisof of tence thetriple plight Africana women.

REFERENCES
BLASSINGAME,J.W.(1979)TheSlave Community. York Oxford: New and Oxford Univ. Press. DOUGLASS, F. (1968) My BondageandMy Freedom. Salem,NH: Ayer. work (Original published 1855). of in GAYLE, A. (1982) "Zora Neale Hurston: politics freedom," R. T. Sheffey the (ed.) A Rainbow HerShoulder. Round Baltimore: Morgan State Univ.Press. HENDERSON, M. (1985) "TheColorPurple: and revisions redefinitions," 2. Sage HURSTON,Z. N. (1978) Their EyesWere Watching God.Urbana: Univ.ofIllinois Press. JOYCE,J.A. (1982) "Change, chance, God in Zora Neale Hurston's and TheirEyeswere watching God," in R. T. Sheffey (ed.) A RainbowRoundHer Shoulder. Baltimore: Morgan State Univ.Press. MIKELL, G. (1983) "The anthropological imagination ZoraNeale Hurston." of Western J.ofBlackStudies (1): 27-35. 7 TURNER,D. T. (1971) "ZoraNeale Hurston: wandering the in minstrel,"Ina Minor Chord. Carbondale: Southern Illinois Univ.Press. WALKER,A. (1982) The ColorPurple. New York: Washington SquarePress. WELTER,B. (1976) "Thecultoftrue womanhood" Dimity in Convictions: American The Woman theNineteenth in Century. Athens: OhioUniv.Press. WILLIAMS, S. A. (1978) "Foreword," Their in EyesWereWatching God. Urbana: Univ. ofIllinois Press.

ClenoraHudson-Weems AssociateProfessor Englishat Benjamin is of Banneker HonorsCollegeat PrairieViewUniversity. received Ph.D. inAmerican! She her African-American Studies theUniversity Iowa,Iowa City. HudsonWorld at of Dr.

/TRIPARTITE PLIGHT OF WOMEN Hudson-Weems

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Issuesin in and of Weems author "Cultural AgendaConflicts Academia:Critical is " Journal BlackStudies, of in Women Studies, tobepublished theWestern Africana of Till: The Impetus the ModernCivil RightsMovement, Fall, 1989; Emmett " Till: Process, of 1988; and "TheUnearthing Emmett A Compelling Dissertation, Dr. with is The Iowa Review,October1988. Dr. Hudson-Weems also co-author March1990). Toni (Twayne, Wilfred Samuelsofthebookentitled: Morrison