Rhetorical Analysis Of Janie Crawford, By Hurston

Thesis: Authors use rhetorical devices to demonstrate the impact that society plays on the personal development of an individual.
The main character in Hurston’s novel, Janie Crawford, Janie’s hair is a symbol that portrays her individuality and resistance to the stereotypes that are intertwined in her society. As Janie begins to settle into her home in Eatonville, she is soon confronted by her husband, Jody, and the townspeople’s antithetical views about her proper role in society. In response to the constant critiques Janie receives for wearing her hair down, Jody demands that she begin to wear a head rag. After the next twenty monotonous years of Janie’s life, she begins to finally find her inner voice that had been suppressed by Jody’s
Amir’s father, Baba, sees the cowardice that Amir possesses and the constant need he has for his father’s approval. As the story progresses, Amir witnesses an act of evil in the aftermath of the kite running festival. He sees Hassan, his only friend, being raped by Assef, the town bully. Overwhelmed with horror and fear, Amir flees the scene, leaving his faithful friend behind. As a young boy, he seeks redemption for having abandoned his friend by seeking out physical pain as punishment. Amir narrates, “I hit him with another pomegranate, in the shoulder this time...‘Hit me back, goddamn you!’ I wished he would. I wished he'd give me the punishment I craved, so maybe I'd finally sleep at night. Maybe then things could return to how they used to be between us”(Hosseini, pg 92). Amir longs for forgiveness and to share the bond they once had. This incident serves as a lesson to Amir that redemption requires much more than encouraging Hassan to throw a pomegranate at his chest. While Hassan is a loyal friend, who might have recognized Amir’s attempt at redemption, Hassan refuses to participate. This failure at redemption leads to Amir distancing himself from Hassan, and the two continue to grow farther apart. The theme of redemption re-appears when Amir receives a phone call from his old friend, Rahim Khan. As Rahim finishes his conversation with Amir, he says, “Come. There is a way to be good again” (Hosseini, pg ). Without the prodding from Rahim, Amir may have never overcome the regret of his cowardly mistake. Even though he has grown and matured into adulthood, he realizes that his past is still a heavy burden. It is not until Amir returns to Afghanistan that he succeeds in finally securing atonement. After hearing the news of Hassan’s death and the fate of