Drenched in Light free essay sample

In Zora Neale Hurstons Drenched in Light, the character of Isis embodies the ideals for poor black people that Langston Hughes presents in The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain. Specifically, her character is the epitome of the simple joy that supposedly comes with the poor black persons life, something that even wealthy white people in the story admit she has and they lack. However, the fact that Isis joy is simply bought from her and her grandmother for the amusement of wealthy white people demonstrates that Hughes ideas actually contribute to the degradation and ownership of blacks under whites. Hughes claims that the low-down folks in the black community, who arent concerned with white culture are filled with joy [that] runs [] into ecstasy (92). He praises them for their hip of gin on Saturday nights and how they play, sing, and dance!, suggesting these simple passions lend them a greater sense of joy than whites and blacks trying to be white (92). We will write a custom essay sample on Drenched in Light or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Isis embodies this image of simple, poor blacks, and she c[an] dance most anything she s[ees] which earns her the title of little Isie Watts, the joyful (699, 696, my italics). On the surface, her character seems to suggest that Hughes idea is correct, Isis ordinary life as a poor black girl is filled with joy and the same basic pleasures he describes. However, Isis grandmother who lives this same life, gains nothing but worry and exhaustion. She is the counter to Isis joy, always glowering, [with] switches in hand as she frequently whips and beats Isis to punish her for her mischief (701, 700). Rather than bringing pleasure to her life, Grandma Potts living situation fills her with anxiety and frustration. The stark contrast between povertys effect on Isis, compared to her grandmother, is demonstrated during the festival, as Isis uses Grandmas new red tablecloth as a beautiful Spanish shawl to wear while she enjoys herself dancing (699, 700). Grandma however, sees Isis dancing before a gaping crowd in her brand new red tablecloth and is driven frantic by such a waste of her hard earned money (700). The same red tablecloth symbolises euphoria for Isis and bitter misery for Grandma Potts, which demonstrates that the common-folk black persons life is not as one dimensionally peachy as Hughes claims.Hurston shows through white peoples treatment of Isis and her grandmother, that no matter whether a life of poverty brings black people merriment or anguish, they are still vulnerable to being controlled and having their joy consumed by whites. When the white people in the car pick Isis up, they refer to her as a shining little morsel, portraying her as less a human being than a source of joy to consume (701, my italics). Furthermore, the white woman declares that she want[s] brightness and [] Isis is joy itself, as though she is simply a remedy for the womans misery (702). Hughes might argue that this is a testament to the high-quality life poor blacks live, that even wealthy whites lack their sense of simple pleasure. However, the objectification of Isis by the white people shows that although Hughes is correct in that wealthy whites lack the same level of joy as poor blacks, this only leads to whites objectifying blacks and purchasing their merriment for their own amusement and entertainment. In fact, Hurston writes that when the woman put[s] her arm about the red draped figure at her side [she] dr[aws] it close, clearly referring to Isis as an item, a morsel to satiate the woman as she look[s] hungrily ahead of her (702 twice, 701, my italics). This relationship is confirmed by their purchase of Isis time from the grandmother for five dollars, only because they want her to go on to the hotel [they are staying at] and dance in th[e] tablecloth for [them] (702). Isis, who represents the contentment within black poverty, is totally compliant with the deal, saying the she is gointer stay wid [the white people], because she is unfortunately unaware of the sentiment that she is light to be soaked into [the white peoples] soul[s] (702). Her youthful naivety is similar to that of many other poor blacks who are left vulnerable to being infantilized by whites. On the reverse side, the grandmothers poverty also forces her to be compliant, as she is desperate for the money offered to her, and must immediately take the role of the polite inferior, saying that Isis kin go, yessum (702, my italics). Ultimately, Hurston demonstrates the joy black common-folk experience due to the simplicity of their life is liable to be snatched and consumed by wealthy whites; the romanticization of a life of poverty by an upper class person, Hughes, fails to capture the hidden suffering encompassing the situation.