Zora Neale Hurston: The Power Of Voice

“Lift every voice and sing/Till earth and heaven ring” (Johnson “Lift Every Voice and Sing” 1-2) Those with voice have power. Seen as a powerful weapon that one can wield, voice can often be used as a persuasive and compelling ability on individuals. In “Life Every Voice and Sing”, the power of voice is used in an imperative command that is given calling everyone and anywhere to come and raise their voices and all sing together. In this instance, everyone’s voices together become one voice, strong and powerful. “Lift Every Voice and Sing, was created by James Weldon Johnson as an anthem for all people. He promotes equality calling on all people without prejudice like Zora Neale Hurston. In her own works, she shows similar ideas of equality
After moving to New York City, Hurston met the minds of Langston Hughes and Countee Culle as well as many other creative minds at the time. Her first publication was in a literary magazine, and she had several successes in short story and playwriting contests by Opportunity magazine. Hurston’s works have often been proven to be invaluable resources for African Americans of her time. Her most famous work, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston writes about a girl named Janie and her journey as she becomes a proud, independent woman. Taking place between the 1920s and 1930s of rural Florida, the story displays racism and the undermining of women as well as allusions to the bible. Transforming from a young girl to a woman, Janie’s quest for spiritual fulfillment clashes with the values that are imposed on her, she finds the power of voice. In voice, she is able to conquer those who use their own voice to control her. Through her journey, Janie undergoes changes ultimately becoming a hero. In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching, Janie exhibits the heroic qualities of endurance, determination, and