Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

English

Date of Award

5-2002

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Yousif A. Elhindi

Committee Members

Steven Gross, Robert Russell, Darryl E. Haley

Abstract

The principal objective of this paper is to investigate the use of Hurston’s figurative language in the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Metaphors, symbolism, and personification have always been present in the African American language. Hurston uses the richness of figurative language to depict the African American experience in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century. Figurative language is observed in various instances in the novel, such as when the author places special importance on the porch and the “lies” told there. Other significant examples of figurative language include the kiss and the bloom. Hurston also uses the seasons in a symbolic manner to reflect the main character’s state of mind through winter, spring, and summer.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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