Literary EssayBook: Their Eyes Were Watching GodAuthor:Zora Neale Hurston

Essay by abdulbHigh School, 11th gradeA, May 2010

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Since humans were created and sent down to Earth by God, he sent everyone with different abilities, minds, unique identities but most importantly a heritage and SKIN COLOR. SKIN COLOR one of the unique attributes in our society and passed down for many generations. Just like names are given at birth our SKIN COLOR is determined by someone greater than ourselves - GOD. Skin color was a very big issue back in the days, especially for blacks. Even now racism still occurs in events around the world. People with extraordinary abilities have limited success and knowledge because of racism. In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God skin color and white characteristics, or white features affect how characters are treated in their community.

In the time of segregation and the Jim Crow Laws, and slavery white people were seen as superior to blacks. Predominately blacks were controlled by whites just like Nanny was controlled by Mistis and her Master.

When Nanny gave birth to a child, her baby had many characteristics of a white child. When Nanny was questioned by her Mistis on why her baby looked like a white child. Nanny replies, " 'Ah don't know nothin' but what Ah'm told tuh do, 'cause Ah aint nothin' but uh nigger and uh slave" (17). Nanny was in a situation where she was going to get hurt both ways, either by the Mistis or the Master (mistis husband) if she spoke the truth. Nanny was obviously raped by her Master and the child belonged to him because she was a slave. Black people during slavery were constantly under orders by their masters. Nanny was doing the same thing, she couldn't deny her Master from having sex with her because she had no power or say in the matter. As...