Authors Biography
By: Madeline Griwac
On
January 7, 1891, Zora Neale Hurston was born in to the world (www.zoranealehurston.com). Although she
was born in Notasulga, Alabama, she moved to Eatonville, Florida when she was
just a tot. It was Eatonville that she called her home. Her parents, John and
Lucy Ann Hurston, were former slaves, but while Zora was alive, her father was
a pastor (www.biography.com). After
experiencing 13 years of blissful childhood, Zora’s mother passed away, forcing
her to grow up (www.zoranealehurston).
Zora began to look for work and ended up joining a Gilbert and Sullivan troupe
as a maid. In 1917, at the age of 26, she made the decision to finish her high
school education. She ended up in Baltimore, and unfortunately, she had to be
high school-age to qualify for free public education. She cut 10 years off of
her life and pretended she was a 16 year old high school student. From here to
the rest of her life, she posed as a woman who was 10 years younger than she
really was. By 1928, not only was she graduated from high school but also
obtained a college degree from Bernard College. By 1935, she had published many
short stories and also a novel. Her most famous work, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was published in 1937. She moved to
New York in the Harlem neighborhood and was a fixture in the art scene that was
thriving in that time and place.
Later on,
Hurston suffered several strokes and passed away in 1960. Ms. Hurston never
received the financial awards she deserved, and there was not enough money to
provide a headstone. Her grave remained unmarked until 1973.
There are
several key events in Hurston’s life that are significant in light of her work,
Their Eyes Were Watching God. Perhaps
one of the most straightforward connections is that Hurston and the novel’s
main character, Janie, both lived in Eatonville (www.zoranealehurston). Another
connection is the relationship between Janie and Tea Cake. It is modeled after
a relationship in Hurston’s life. Hurston was caught up in a passionate
romance, just as Janie was with Tea Cake.
Hurston
reflected her worldview into her book as “she certainly used it to convey her view that women were the equals of men
in every way-and that their inner lives were infinitely rich and worthy of
exploration (www.zoranealehurston.com).” These are some elements of Hurston’s personal life and
worldview that is reflected in to her famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God.
"Zora Neale Hurston." The Official Website of. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014
"Zora Neale Hurston."
2014. The Biography.com website. May 10 2014
