Wright’s Criticisms of Hurston
Richard Wright's criticism of Their Eyes Were Watching God was very interesting to read as we are in 2018. I think nowadays the notion that someone can write about what they want to write about, whether it's social or political or personal, is much more accepted and encouraged than at that time with the situation of black and white relations in America. With African American literature really emerging as a genre that Americans were reading more and more, Wright thought it wasn't just an option, but an obligation for African American novelists to write about the struggles of blacks in the white supremacist system. When Hurston wrote more about the personal story and growth of a black woman than about racism in America (there were barely any white people in the story, although she did make a point of the racism in the court-- not really sure what to make of that scene though), Wright was very disapproving. And added on to that, he felt that Hurston was just giving the whites what the wanted. A funny love story, with what he says are minstrel like characters, which is a pretty heavy statement.
Similar to what we discussed in class, and what Ralph Ellison’s response was to Wright’s critique of Invisible Man, I would argue that African American literature doesn’t need to be protest literature. Just like any other writer, anyone should have the right to write about what they want to write about. Just the fact that Hurston is a successful female African American writer is already protesting the societal expectations of an African American woman. Celebrating the black culture and showing it’s beauty is a symbol of power for African Americans. Not every black person in America is Bigger Thomas. White oppression of blacks doesn’t need to be the focus of every novel. Showing the strength and independence and beauty of black culture in America, despite the history of black oppression America has, is a protest novel. Hurston allows herself to go deeper with her characters and let them be individuals, self reflecting and having more independence than Bigger had.
What do you guys think?
Similar to what we discussed in class, and what Ralph Ellison’s response was to Wright’s critique of Invisible Man, I would argue that African American literature doesn’t need to be protest literature. Just like any other writer, anyone should have the right to write about what they want to write about. Just the fact that Hurston is a successful female African American writer is already protesting the societal expectations of an African American woman. Celebrating the black culture and showing it’s beauty is a symbol of power for African Americans. Not every black person in America is Bigger Thomas. White oppression of blacks doesn’t need to be the focus of every novel. Showing the strength and independence and beauty of black culture in America, despite the history of black oppression America has, is a protest novel. Hurston allows herself to go deeper with her characters and let them be individuals, self reflecting and having more independence than Bigger had.
What do you guys think?
I like how you frame Wright's thoughts of TEWWG in terms of the times. I totally agree that no one has an obligation to write any sort of literature, but as you point out, we're living in 2018. It could've been seen as a radical change in what African American literature should be at the time that Hurston wrote the book. And with her being a black woman, I can imagine that she would have had dissenters from all sides. But Hurston brought something totally new to the table when she did write the book, and I'm glad that she did in the end.
ReplyDeleteReading any 20th century novel in the 21st century is always interesting. We tend to be more disturbed by things (especially sexual, racial, and political) and find them socially unacceptable whereas they were clearly okay for the 20th century because those works were published. Even within he span of 50 years, Hurston's novel was read much differently than it was during her lifetime.
ReplyDeleteCool post! I definitely agree that Wright seems to be missing just about everything that is special about this novel. He totally overlooks any feminist message that the novel has (which might not be surprising given the roles of the female characters in Native Son). He also misses the fact that the setting of the novel allows black characters to behave as themselves much more than they would be able to if they were interacting with white characters.
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