Examples Of Dialect In Their Eyes Were Watching God

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“Separated by a Common Language:”1 Dialect in Their Eyes Were Watching God In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, dialect is used in the dialogue. Hurston uses two very distinct writing styles in Their Eyes Were Watching God. One is in a style not so different than that of other American writers. The narrator begins Chapter 11 with, “Janie wanted to ask Hezekiah about Tea Cake, but she was afraid he might misunderstand her and think she was interested” (139). Hurston contrasts this style by using a strong African-American dialect. Later in Chapter 11, Janie says to Hezekiah, “Oh dat’s all right, Hezekiah. Thank yuh mighty much” (143). Hurston chooses to define her characters’ voices using the vernacular in which