Zora Neale Hurston has written the mission impossible novel- it is both beautiful, lyrical, and devoid of superfluities. Such is true in the following quote.
"The people all saw her come because it was sundown. The
sun was gone, but he had left his footprints in the sky."
sun was gone, but he had left his footprints in the sky."
These two little, concise lines are so full of imagery and beauty. It is such a prefect, poetic way of explaining the rays of color and light just above the horizon for the few minutes after the sun has set, but it's mark is still visible. Not only do these lines create a savory image in your head when you read them, but it places you in the setting. You see the sunset; you feel the light wind that you are only just beginning to notice, now that the warmth of the sun is gone; you can sense the tiredness and relief at the end of a day. From these two lines, I wanted to read more, both because I felt connected with the moment Hurtson described, and because I was enjoying the awe-inspiring language.
These lines also begin to introduce a motif in the novel. The personification of nature, and it's place as a key force in the novel is present in these lines. We only get a hint of it, when Hurston refers to the sun as "he" and describes the last bits of light on the horizon as his "footprints in the sky." Later, in chapter two, the same device is used when when Hurston uses the blossoming of a picturesque pear tree as a metaphor for Janie's entrance into womanhood.
This use of personification elevates the sun to an almost god-like status (which isn't surprising given Hurston's obsession with mythology) in which he controls the character's days and nights, leaving an impact on their lives. Hurston takes a simple moment and reveals its deeper meaning with exquisite language. Perhaps what I find most alluring about Hurston's writing is that she lets it speak for itself- she trusts her readers enough to appreciate it and understand it without beating us over the head with explanations and repetition.
Basically, Hurston's a genius.
These lines also begin to introduce a motif in the novel. The personification of nature, and it's place as a key force in the novel is present in these lines. We only get a hint of it, when Hurston refers to the sun as "he" and describes the last bits of light on the horizon as his "footprints in the sky." Later, in chapter two, the same device is used when when Hurston uses the blossoming of a picturesque pear tree as a metaphor for Janie's entrance into womanhood.
This use of personification elevates the sun to an almost god-like status (which isn't surprising given Hurston's obsession with mythology) in which he controls the character's days and nights, leaving an impact on their lives. Hurston takes a simple moment and reveals its deeper meaning with exquisite language. Perhaps what I find most alluring about Hurston's writing is that she lets it speak for itself- she trusts her readers enough to appreciate it and understand it without beating us over the head with explanations and repetition.
Basically, Hurston's a genius.
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