A woman robbed of her love is more terrible than an army with banners.
Reflecting on Hurston’s recently published collection, I needed to steep, sip and reflect on my thoughts on a few of my favorite stories.
In John Redding Goes to Sea, I could feel a tumult of emotions, especially for John, wanting to see the world outside of his childhood. A father encouraging his son, but the difficulty of a mother letting go. When John ventures outside of the boundaries he’s always known, we too now face the reality, he’s never coming back.
Just like that in the first story, Ms Hurston if you please. The Conversion of Sam had me thinking of how influential a black woman can be when Sam is motivated to get his life together. But also how jealousy can drive others to influence you back into bad habits. Sometimes you realize too late all you’ve lost. But will shame and embarrassment stop you from really turning around from the life you left, for good?
In the story SWEAT, I was watching Delia work hard although Sykes was a triflin’ no good nothing of a human. Delia worked hard, endured much and I think I was sweating in my feelings watching her deal with his foolishness. I was WAITING for Delia to show Sykes that an iron skillet can be used for MORE THAN JUST COOKING.
She seized the iron skillet from the stove and struck a defensive pose, which act surprised him greatly, coming from her. It cowed him and he did not strike her as he usually did.
Throughout this collection, I found a #Varietea of people and places, feelings and emotions. If laugh and get upset, but there’s glimpses into the simple joys of childhood and I appreciate Zora for showing me ‘A bit of Harlem,’ so I could enjoy being ‘Drenched in Light.’ I liked The Country in the Woman too because Hurston introduced us to Caroline in another story but I liked that Caroline wasn’t one easily defeated. If Delia (from Sweat) was friends with Caroline, I imagine they both would have been a force with the men folk they were dealing with but I digress.
Books By the Cup 