Whenever we encounter people in our lives, we automatically and instantly label them and sort them into certain categories. For example, a woman with short hair who wears clothes that are generally assumed to be more likely worn by men will often be expected to be a lesbian. A bodily disabled person, meanwhile, may cause great surprise in many people when he or she proves to be an excellent athlete.
There are innumerous stereotypes or general assumptions that are created in relation to a person’s looks, biology, and physiognomy, which have an enormous impact on our perception of our environment. They weave a very complex construct of beliefs about what is “natural” for a person to be and do, which sociologists seem to have proven e.g. for the concept of race. It has been created by society itself and only gains its seeming legitimacy in its members’ incorporation of these values and according behavioral patterns. What does not fit in these created schemes is most often discriminated against, while in reality the supposed “otherness” or “unnaturalness” only exists through the myths woven around a person’s outer appearance. However, on the background of this dynamic, through the “gaze of the other”, and depending on the extend to which they incorporate these societal ideas, subjugated people and groups may actually become the way they are seen. They apply the generally assumed characteristics of their sex or race to themselves and thus give them their seeming legitimacy, while in fact race, gender, age or whichever roles must not be seen as static, but as “uh movin’ thing” (Hurston, 191).
In the following I will try to depict how Janie, the female protagonist in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, emancipates herself from the beliefs and values her environment tries to impose on her.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Janie's emancipation from the gaze of the other in Their Eyes Were Watching God
- The gaze of the other – the race concept as an example
- Janie's emancipation from society's conventions in Their Eyes Were Watching God
- Zora Neale Hurston
- Summary
- Opposing and deconstructing society's “assignments”
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work analyzes how Janie, the protagonist in Zora Neale Hurston's novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," emancipates herself from the societal expectations imposed upon her. It examines how the "gaze of the other," particularly in the context of race, constructs identity and shapes perceptions. The focus is on Janie's struggle to break free from the limitations of societal norms and find her own sense of self-definition.
- The construction of race as a social concept.
- The role of the "gaze of the other" in shaping identity.
- Janie's journey of self-discovery and emancipation.
- The influence of societal norms on individual perceptions.
- Deconstructing stereotypical expectations and limitations.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage by exploring the concept of the "gaze of the other" and its impact on individual identity. It emphasizes how societal perceptions and assumptions can influence the way people see themselves and others, especially in relation to concepts like race, gender, and sexuality.
The first chapter delves into the construction of the race concept as an example of the "gaze of the other." It explores the historical development of racial categories and how they are shaped by social, political, and economic forces. The chapter provides a framework for understanding how societal beliefs and stereotypes contribute to the formation of racial identity and how these concepts can be deconstructed.
The second chapter focuses on Janie's journey of emancipation within the context of "Their Eyes Were Watching God." It discusses Janie's struggles to break free from the expectations imposed upon her by societal conventions, particularly those related to gender roles and race. This chapter explores how Janie challenges the "gaze of the other" and actively seeks to redefine her own identity.
The final chapter, the conclusion, is not included in this preview to avoid spoilers.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The central keywords of this work are: "gaze of the other", racial identity, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," Janie Crawford, Zora Neale Hurston, societal conventions, race construction, social concept, emancipation, self-definition, and stereotype.
- Quote paper
- Julia Balogh (Author), 2007, Janie’s emancipation - The “gaze of the Other” in Zora Neale Hurston’s "Their Eyes Were Watching God", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/178400