Jonahs gourd vine is the 1934 debut novel by zora neale hurston. Jonah s gourd vine is a thinly disguised biography of zora neale hurstons parents, whose names she barely veils in the novel. Jonahs gourd vine, zora neale hurstons first novel, originally published in 1934, tells the story of john buddy pearson, a living exultation of a young m. Jonah s gourd vine a first novel that was, for its time, remarkable in is ambition and achievement. Jonahs gourd vine the canadian center of science and education.
Shoes as a symbol of romantic mobility in zora neale hurstons. C ucurbits are frequent subjects of art, literature, and myth. That she makes this ageold dilemma come so alive is a tribute to her understanding of the vagaries of human nature. Since ancient times, people the world over have been fascinated by the fast growth of cucurbits, from seed to a rampant vine bearing prominent, attractive fruits within two or three months. Constellations of power in zora neale hurstons jonahs gourd vine. The story focuses on john pearsons rise from a poor. The jonahs gourd vine community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Zora neale hurston, jonahs gourd vine, mobility, romance. Lucy, his longsuffering wife, is his true love, but theres also mehaley and big oman, as well as the scheming hattie, who conjures hoodoo spells to ensure his attentions. Jonah s gourd vine, zora neale hurstons first novel, originally published in 1934, tells the story of john buddy pearson, a living exultation of a young man who loves too many women for his own good. The novel is a semiautobiographical novel describing the migration of characters, similar to her parents, from alabama to hurstons home of eatonville, florida it took hurston only three to four months to write the novel. Jonahs gourd vine doesnt give a certain answer to these questions, but rather lets the reader reflect on the topics.
Jonah s gourd vine is the 1934 debut novel by zora neale hurston. The book suggests that good intentions arent enough in order to make morally correct decisions, but doesnt really show any plausible alternative. Digitizing sponsor kahleaustin foundation contributor internet archive language english. Jonahs gourd vine, zora neale hurstons first novel, originally published in 1934, tells the story of john buddy pearson, a living exultation of a young man. Lagenaria siceraria bottle or calabash gourd, a fastgrowing climber. Even today, the novel holds up, in the words of pulitzer prizewinning poet rita dove, as. When publisher bertram lippincott read zora neale hurstons short story the gilded sixbits in story magazine in august 1933, he wrote to inquire whether. The outlined escape motif impresses the spirit of every reader by making them realize the beast and the angel which live together in one person. Escape motif in zora neale hurstons jonahs gourd vine.