What is the difference between a Negro and a human? Both people dressed, ate, and worked, but that was considered insignificant. Society segregated blacks because of the common perception that blacks were different economically and socially. However, the only real difference was their physical appearance. In the 1930's, the color of one's flesh defined him or her, which caused uproar among the black population.
In an era of injustice, authors began writing about this contentious racism. Many authors in literature use racial disparity to convey a message revealing an author's personal viewpoint on the issue. In "The Gilded Six-bits," Zora Neale Hurston utilizes a biblical allegory of the renowned story, "The Garden of Eden," to emphasize the similarities between blacks and whites, which are necessary to promote human sameness.
Zora Neale Hurston, American author. Deutsch: Zora...
Zora Neale Hurston Photographer: Carl Van Vechten....
English: The story of the Eden Garden. The temptat...Through many descriptions from the story, Hurston integrates multiple references from "The Garden of Eden." Instantly, Hurston writes, "A mess of homey flowers", which is related to the divine setting described in the Garden of Eden. The audience becomes aware that both environments illustrate an oasis of love and beauty. For this time period in history, a typical stereotype was believed that the black community was oppressed to poverty, resulting into homelessness or unconditional homes. Hurston chose to home these loving African Americans in a stunning surrounding to reinforce the importance of equality and diminish the public misconception.
Along with the multitude of descriptions, Hurston also alluded the African-American protagonists, Joe and Missie May, to the eminent Adam and Eve respectively. This is evident when Hurston writes, "Missie May kept on crying and Joe kept on feeling so much and not knowing what to do with all his feelings" (94). This shows how Missie May followed into temptation, just like Eve, shattering the passionate relationship and conflicting the...