BREAKING BOUNDARIES: A FEMINIST READING OF ZORA NEALE HURSTON’S SERAPH ON THE SUWANEE

Abstract

Breaking Boundaries: A Feminist Reading of Zora Neale Hurston’s Seraph at the Suwanee explores the themes of gender, electricity, and identity inside Hurston's 1948 novel. Through a feminist lens, this study specializes in the person of Arvay Henson, whose adventure toward self-discovery and private autonomy serves as a critique of the patriarchal constraints imposed on ladies within the early 20th-century South. Arvay's marriage to the domineering Jim Henson, her struggles with societal expectations, and her eventual quest for independence spotlight the demanding situations girls face in negotiating strength dynamics inside each private and social spheres. Hurston’s portrayal of Arvay’s transformation, along with the intersectionality of race, gender, and sophistication, illustrates how Seraph at the Suwanee affords a narrative that demanding situations conventional gender roles and celebrates girl business enterprise. This feminist analyzing contributes to a deeper information of Hurston’s work, emphasizing her critique of gendered oppression and the possibility of liberation and self-empowerment.