EXPLORATION OF BLACK LIFE IN THE POST-RECONSTRUCTION ERA: A STUDY OF ZORA NEALE HURSTON’S JONAH’S GOURD VINE

Abstract

The present paper critically examines Jonah’s Gourd Vine to understand better the complexities of Black existence in the post-Reconstruction period. Hurston’s writing portrays the complexity of African American lives during socio-political change, set against the background of a racially divided South. Identity, cultural resiliency, and the fight for autonomy under repressive systems are some of the topics covered in the research. This paper explores how religious symbolism, folklore, and the lasting effects of slavery interact with African American communities via an analysis of the protagonist’s journey. The study emphasizes the value of storytelling as a strategy for resistance and cultural preservation via Hurston’s tale. By shedding light on the ways that Hurston’s writing captures the hopes and realities of African Americans in the early 20th century, this paper seeks to further the conversation about Black literature.