Language Interpretation & Appreciation (Ch 1)

One particular line from the beginning of the novel that stuck out to me was “So ‘tain’t no use in me telling you something’ unless Ah give you de understandin’ to go ‘long wid it. Unless you see de fur, a mink skin ain’t no different from a coon hide” (7). This was spoken by Janie to Pheoby as a justification for why Pheoby is having a difficult time understanding what Janie was talking about when she explained where she had been. On the surface this quote seems simple in that Janie knows it would be pointless to simply tell Pheoby something without proper explanation. Her language allows one to infer that she thinks doing so would not allow Pheoby to grasp its true value. The peculiar part is when Janie makes the comparison to animal skins and furs. My interpretation is that she is saying the animal’s fur is like the understanding she needs to give Pheoby. It will allow Pheoby to take what Janie says and interpret, then apply its actual meaning. When reading this however, I thought it might also connect with the concept of racism or maybe even sexism. Hurston makes a symbolic point here that the two animals may look different based on their fur, but without this superficial difference, their true roots are essentially indistinguishable from each other. Perhaps she wants the reader to draw a parallel here, and see that despite discrepancies in race, gender, and other areas all humans are ultimately equal beings. While Hurston's novel may not be based on racism, it is possible that small innuendos such as this are located within the novel to add her other more developed themes. This interpretation might be a stretch so early in the novel, but I think it could represent how Hurston’s language can have multiple meanings.