In chapter 16, the author introduces a new
character- Mrs. Turner. She is a “milky sort of woman” who has a deep hatred
for “negroes” (Hurston 139). Mrs. Turner represents what is wrong with society.
As a black woman who is lighter than most, she believes that the solution to
fixing society is to gather people like herself and Janie to “lighten up de
race” (Hurston 140). The imagery that the author uses to describe Mrs. Turner displays
her personality perfectly. “Mrs. Turner’s shape and features were entirely
approved by Mrs. Turner” (Hurston 140). She was happy with any part of herself
that separated her from the black race. She would rather side with the white
people and continue to segregate than fix the true problems in the world.
The
author uses Mrs. Turner in direct contrast with Janie. Mrs. Turner’s characterization
in the novel is placed side by side with Janie’s in order to compare their
views towards “negroes” (Hurston 139). In doing this, the author succeeds in
showing how good Janie’s heart is. Janie is proud to be married to a black man,
which disheartens Mrs. Turner. Mrs. Turner is part of a time period in which
love was based on the physical features of a man rather than the emotional.
Today,
there are still issues with light skinned people feeling as if they are
superior. The link below is an article introducing the concept of colourism. It
directly relates to Mrs. Turner’s feelings of superiority and brings the
concept into modern times.
No comments:
Post a Comment