Woman’s Search for Identity in Hurston’s Seraph on the Suwanee and Thei

Womans Search for Identity in Hurstons Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God. The main effeminate characters of Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Seraph on the Suwanee, move from oppression to liberation throughout the course of the novel. Their journey to find their own niche in life occurs via their relationships with men. For Janie, her relationships with overriding male figures stifle her identity as well as her ability to achieve self-actualization. For Arvay Meserve, her personal background and relationship with her authoritarian husband cause miscommunication and thusly prevent her from personal growth and awareness. In both cases, a hurricane is the mechanism through which both women find their identities and place in life.Janies previous husbandsLogan and Joeand Arvays husband, Jim Meserve, sometimes play more the role of substitute parent than that of a husband (Roark 207). Clearly, this type of relationship impedes ones self-actualization (including the recognition of ones personal desires and aspirations). While a father figure is completely...