Mary Wollstonecraft said, “I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves”. Women often feel inferior to men therefore allowing them to control their lives. This statement urges women to take control of their own lives before anything else. In “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston and “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez this idea of submission is very prevalent as they are both written regarding a time where cultural traditions are the basis of family structure. Overall, despite gender roles being so deeply embedded in culture, throughout the novels, particular characters learn to defy these gender expectations and essentially overcome these social barriers.
Furthermore, in both “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and “In the Time of the Butterflies”, Hurston and Alvarez provide details which ultimately clarifies in greater depth the inequalities these women must face due to the fact that their culture glorify these gender norms. Throughout the book, “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, a mule is referenced several times. The mule represented the “load” the white man inevitably threw down “and tell de ni**er man tuh pick…up” signifying that black people are beasts of burden which is similar to mules as they are used for strenuous labor. In addition, Janie’s grandmother adds, “de ni**er woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see”(Hurston 14). By her saying this it becomes evident that black women were at the bottom of the social caste system as black men bestowed upon them an even greater “load”. Moreover, almost immediately after Joe’s death we learn that Janie has decided to take off her ker kerchief from her hair. The fact that Janie took off her kerchief demonstrates power, fostering the idea that when Joe died and she took off the kerchief from her head she gained a sense of independance. Janie had said “the glory was there” when she let her hair down. In addition, Janie’s hair in a way described her relationship with Joe as he was very possessive and jealous(Hurston 83). Joe had already established the idea that Janie’s “Hair was NOT going to show in the store” before Janie even had a chance to speak her mind(Hurston 51). Moreover, “In the Time of the Butterflies” we see similar yet different symbols. One uncommon symbol is that of the rum glass. Jaimito telling Dede to get him another cup of rum symbolizes how Dede had little power in her marriage. During this scene Jaimito to an extent ignores Dede’s question as in his opinion it is of lesser importance than her getting him some more rum. Dede complied to this command as she “had gone obediently to the icebox in the back of the house…”(Hurston 175). In addition, the use of the rabbits and the cage early in the book serves a strong purpose. Minerva freeing the rabbits from the cage represents the notion that not everyone wishes to escape their reality. Dede for example still remains in this cycle of a stay at home mom while the husband goes out to work. Dede states, “we women followed our husbands”, significantly showing this acceptance of culture, and more importantly, acceptance of her reality(Hurston 171-172).
To continue, in both of the novels the idea of figurative language illustrating a bigger picture is supported. Joe’s ideas of male dominance is essentially expressed through what he tells Janie, for example, “Somebody got to think for women and chillun [like] chickens and cows. I god they sho don’t think none theiselves”(Hurston 67). This exemplifies the idea that Joe was comparing women and children to animals in the aspect that they cannot think for themselves which ultimately shows that women are inferior to men. In addition, after Janie told Joe how he was not the most beautiful creature she went on and questioned herself, “why must Joe be so mad with [me] for making look small when he did it to [me] all the time”(Hurston 77). This means that Joe was mad as Janie made him feel inferior and self-conscious because of his ill-looking body. Joe eventually hit Janie as hard as he could as she had humiliated him and he would not accept behavior like that from her. After Joe died and Tea Cake and Janie began spending more time with each other and Eatonville surely had their own opinions. The townspeople said “Looking like some young girl, always in blue because Tea Cake told her to wear it. Poor Joe Starks. Bet he turns over in his grave every day”(Hurston 105). This extreme exaggeration describes how the townspeople make the assumption that Joe is twisting and turning in his grave due to not only his jealousy but also the fact that Janie is with a younger man who both is in agreement as well as encourages Janie to defy gender norms. Earlier in the story when Tea Cake attempts to accompany Janie home he tells her “Jes lak uh lil girl wid her Easter dress on. Even nice!" He locked the door and shook it to be sure and handed her the key. "Come on now, Ah’ll see yuh inside yo’ door and git on down de Dixie.” Tea Cake references an “Easter dress” which is typically a bright fruity dress. Tea Cake is in a way appropriating these fruity dresses with women which somewhat diminish their image. After Dede got married with Jaimito in Alvarez’ “In the Time of the Butterflies” Dede says she “had looked at her husband a long look as if she could draw the young man of her dreams out from the bossy, old-fashioned macho he’d become.” This means that Dede couldn’t help but look at how Jaimito had become, she compared two different types of people and Jaimito had essentially made Dede submit to him. When papa was telling everyone’s fate he said “You, mi nipita, you’ll be our little coquette, you’ll make a lot of men’s…a lot of men’s mouths water.” What papa was essentially saying was that Maria Teresa’s only job would be to attract the attention of men. At such a young age they were already told the expectation society would bestow upon them. In addition to this, Minerva states “my shoulders, my elbows, my knees ached to be touched”(Alvarez 47). In reality does one ache to be touched on their elbow? Probably not, signaling her desire for a man. If Minerva was aching to be touched in places such as her elbows she was definitely desperate to find a man to fulfill her needs. When Minerva mentions her want to be a lawyer mama jumps right up and says “Ay, dios mio, spare me…just what we need, skirts in the law”(Alvarez 10). Besides the point that mama was already crushing Minerva's dream simply because being a lawyer was not an option to women due to these gender expectations, she references God. Mama essentially said “Oh God” ultimately telling him to put sense in her daughter or to pretty much not include her in what her daughter might do. Mama would rather be spared meaning left out than have to endure Minerva’s behavior.
In order to understand Janie different aspects of her life and her behavior must be taken into account. When Pheoby tells Janie that she’s taking a “mighty big chance” with Tea Cake Janie responds and says, “Jody classed me off. Ah didn’t. Naw, Pheoby, Tea Cake ain’t draggin’ me off nowhere Ah don’t want tuh go. Ah always did want tuh git round uh whole heap, but Jody wouldn’t ’low me tuh”(Hurston 107). This short dialogue between Janie and Phoeby show just how much Janie has changed throughout the novel. With Joe she was scared to speak the truth, but now that she has gained a sense of independence she now talks about the effects the relationship with Joe had on her. Furthermore, because of the way Tea Cake has treated Janie, she now tells Phoeby, “’Tain’t so big uh chance as it seem lak, Pheoby. Ah’m older than Tea Cake, yes. But he done showed me where it’s de thought dat makes de difference in ages. If people thinks de same they can make it all right”(Hurston 109). Because of Tea Cake Janie is now more open and accepting. Now that Janie is experiencing a life filled with more independence, “Tea Cake and Janie gone hunting. Tea Cake making flower beds in Janie’s yard and seeding the garden for her”(Hurston 105). What this ultimately means is that Janie is accepting and taking advantage of her new reality. These gender defying actions are some of the most important after Joe’s death as they signify a change in Janie that would have otherwise been expected when she was married with Joe as Logan had her working like a mule. The foreshadow in the beginning of the novel indicated that “the men noticed her firm buttocks like she had grape fruits in her hip pockets; the great rope of black hair swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume; then her pugnacious breasts trying to bore holes in her shirt. They, the men, were saving with the mind what they lost with the eye”(Hurston 2). The foreshadow in the beginning tells us that this description of Janie is one of her older self. Generally, Janie is described with beautiful features but is admired greatly for her beautiful hair which has to be put in a kerchief during her marriage with Joe so other men wouldn’t see her hair. Janie can be described as a dynamic character as her values and ways of looking at life greatly changed. She began to think with an open mind rather than accept traditional values. Similar to Janie, Dede changed immensely. Dede found herself telling Jaimito “All they have is colds, for God’s sake. And Tinita’s here with them. Jaimito blinked in surprise at her sharp tone”(Alvarez 183). Dede finally broke out of her shell as her ambition finally overcame her fear of Jaimito. In addition to Dede’s attitude, she began to doubt her decisions a lot less. Dede came to the decision that “she would leave him”(Alvarez 180). Unlike Janie, Dede had the courage to leave Jaimito and defy his idea of submission. Another example of defiance that Dede makes very clear is how “There, in the dark, sitting on a sack of bark chips for her orchids, Dede had slowly turned the dial on Jaimito Enriquez’s transistor radio. The static crackled, then a voice, very taken with itself, proclaimed, ‘Condemn me, it does not matter. History with absolve me!”(Alvarez 181). Dede understood well that Jaimito would have a problem with her listening to this banned political radio station so instead, Dede snuck off and listened to the station disregarding what Jaimito might say. Moreover, Dede was a very dynamic character. Not only did she eventually become an activists but she learned to defend herself and essentially escape from a relationship that she did not want to be a part of.
To conclude, “In the Time of the Butterflies”, and “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston and Julia Alvarez respectively, both heavily examine the topic of gender norms. Although gender expectations played a extensive role in the protagonist's behavior and way of thinking, as the story progressed, these characters began to critically analyze their stance in the relationships they had. This caused these women to essentially defy stereotypes and expectations society had established and bestowed upon them. The women in these stories eventually changed in a positive aspect fostering great defiance towards a gender norms. Reflecting upon these two novels, if someone has accepted and normalized living under submission is it right to influence that person into changing their lifestyle?