Feminist Lens vs Marxist Lens

Feminist Lens vs Marxist Lens When reading a book, or any piece of literature of that matter, the readers background is important. It is apart of how the reader perceives the piece. Two different readers with different viewpoints and backgrounds are naturally going to have different opinions and will analyze the same piece of writing very differently. For example, a feminist lens and a marxist lens. A feminist lens would notice all cases where a man and a women are not being compared as equal or a woman is being more dependent . A marxist lens would analyze everything as a higher power and a lower power, everything from their viewpoint would involve rank of importance and power. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, there were many ways a person with a feminist lens and a person with a marxist lens would analyze the same situation completely different. When the main character Janie moved to Eatonville with her new found husband, Joe Starks, he became the mayor, making Janie the first lady. On the night of recognition when everyone celebrated Joe's accomplishment, Janie was asked to give a speech. Instead of Janie turning down the offer, Joe turned it down before Janie had the chance. A feminist would see this action as Joe speaking for his wife because she's not strong enough to speak for herself. Around this time in history, women didn't have much right to speak. They were known as unknowledgable because they were too emotional, so their men spoke for them. A marxist would see this as a subliminal message of Joe saying "There is no reason for her to speak. She is not in control, I am. She makes no decisions." since he wouldn't let her reject the offer herself, and instead made this and many other decisions for her. Janie was well known for her long hair which was a very important aspect of her character since it was mostly how she was identified and was a representation of her power. Janie's hair is what set her apart from everyone else