Battered Women No MoreThe Power of Resilience and Sisterhood in Their Eyes WereWatching God and The Color Purple

Abstract

The aim of this Ph. Dissertation is to analyze marriage dynamics within African- American society. For this, the focus will be on Zora Neale Hurston’s and Alice Walker’s novels; Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Color Purple. Moreover, Black Feminist thought is going to be object of study to provide a proper contextualization, along with the literary paths and activism of both Alice Walker and Zora Neale Hurston’. It is my primary focus to analyze both female protagonists Janie Mae Crawford and Celie and to consider how their marriages have shaped their growth as independent women within a patriarchal society which prioritizes men. In the same sense, I will delve into how these women interact with both female and male characters. While women come together to support each other in their journey towards individuality, men rely on violence and oppression to exert power. Both novels portray the silencing of black women through several layers of oppression. Both emotionally and physically they have endured violence and abuse while at the same time they have been regarded as objects for men to harm. Throughout these novels, both protagonists have attained individuality with the help of sisterhood and resilience.