Zora Neale Hurston wrote her stories about human experiences. In her stories people experience love, hate, forgiveness and betrayal. Her stories also tell of people’s relationships and feelings. Also, she provides her readers on discrimination and racial inequality which were popular at her time. She wrote about these issues from her own experience and her own feelings. “Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the grand-daughter of slaves” (Hurston 762). Besides, some of her stories had happy ending where characters achieved their entire goals and found their way to joy. However, death sometimes takes place in her stories. It is bringing some changes into the characters’ lives. “The Gilded Six-Bits,” “Sweat” and “Magnolia Flower” explores relationships between men and women through racial inequality in Hurston’s time. In “The Gilded Six- Bits”, the author looks at Joe and Missie May’s relationships through race. At that time black people were discriminated against by white people. Majority of the black people were unequal in society. In some parts of the country they didn’t have the right to vote. Langston Hughes says “ In Mississippi the state spends nine times as much for the education of each white child as it does to educate a Negro child, yet the Negro population equals the white, and the wealth of the state is based on the labor of Negroes in the sun of the cotton fields” (Hughes 768). From the beginning of the story, Zora Neale Hurston writes about a place where the main characters live. “It was a Negro yard around a Negro house in a Negro settlement that looked to the payroll of the G and G Fertilizer works for its support” (Hurston 336). She gives an idea that those people live in their small black community inside of the big white world. The author draws attention to the word Negro. By this she shows a kind of bad attitude towards black people at that time. Also, the author draws a parallel between race and money. In “The Gilded Six – Bits” Missie May is happy to spend silver money until Slemmons shows her his gold coins. After that she betrays her husband Joe to get gold money. Therefore, this situation spoils their relationships and makes them unhappy. “Hurston seems to suggest that silver money is black, good money and that gold is evil money of white corporate America” (Holler 762). Besides, while race defines Joe’s economic dependence on white industry, gender defines Missie May’s economic dependence on Joe (768). “The Gilded Six-Bits,” demonstrate positive heterosexual relationships of Joe and Missie May. In “The Gilded Six-Bits” Joe and Missie May clearly show their pure and romantic relationship. In the beginning of the story the author shows that their life harmonizes and satisfies them emotionally and spiritually. Samuels says “Joe and Missie May relationships are in which neither misogyny nor narcissism occupies a meaningful place” (Samuels 248). They share their love with each other and they are happy in their marriage. For example: Joe’s thoughts on his way home, “that was the best part of life – going home to Missie May” (Hurston 340). Moreover, Hurston shows their “marital happiness” in a meaningful game between Joe and Missie May (Baum 773). Saturday they play their favorite game, “Joe throwing silver dollars at the door of Missie May to pick up and pile beside her plate at dinner, Missie coming to the door to scold anyone who would “be chunking money” at her and the two entwining in “a furious mass of male and female energy” until Missie May has emptied Joe’s pockets of the candy kisses, chewing gum, and other sweets” (Hurston 336). Baum calls it a “play – fight” of two loving people, who enjoy each other and who plan to have children (Baum 773). From the beginning of the story author shows Joes positive attitude towards Missie May through his actions, thoughts and emotions. Although Joe has neither a big belly nor gold jewelry, like Slemmons has, he has a wife he loves more than anything (Gates xviii). He likes to be with her a he is proud to be her husband. Besides, he satisfies with his life and he doest want change it. Joe says “Ah’m satisfied de way Ah is. So long as Ah be yo’ husband, Ah don’t keer ‘bout nothin’ else…” (Hurston 339) Also, Joe is imagining his lovely wife as something sweet. Therefore, he calls her different words which have meanings of sweet things. “You ain’t hungry, sugar” (337). For this reason, he buys for her all of those candies and especially her favorite candy kisses which are significant for both of them. Besides, many people might become evil after they catch someone that they love in treachery. For example: the man could hurt or hit his wife. These kinds of people never ever loved this person. Joe didn’t even realize that he loved Missie May even right after he caught her with another man because she was in his heart. Therefore, he doesn’t want to hurt Missie May. He would never ever hurt her because he was a man who had a love inside him. However, he was hurt by her betrayal and he felt bad. He wanted Missie May to understand his feelings. Although he appears to accept Missie May’s explanation that his motives were altruistic, he denotes, by leaving under their pillow the coins he took from Slemons during their brief struggle, how ephemeral materiality can be: the coins are gilded! (Samuels 249). Moreover, Joe is extremely proud of his beautiful wife. Therefore, he wants her to dress her best and show her off in the ice cream parlor. He wants the new and wealthy owner, Otis D. Slemons, to meet his beautiful wife. Missie May loves her husband and she express her love toward Joe in different ways. First of all, Missie May shows her love and attitude towards her husband through the atmosphere in their house. Missie lords over their simple but “sunshine – filled home”, which she keeps clean and beautiful (Samuels 248). “Everything clean from the front gate to the privy house… Fresh newspaper cut in fancy edge on the kitchen shelves” (Hurston 337). Also, Missie May’s betrayal was a step to help Joe. She knew that Joe wanted to have more money and he was a little jealous about Slemon’s wealth. Besides, Missie May realizes that she hurts Joe and his feelings. She really misses their romantic relationships, “no laughter, no banter”; there are “no more Saturday romp (Hurston 342). She realizes that “their love has lost its mystique” (Gates xviii). She misses her husband so much and she wants to make it up. Therefore, she makes a step and gives Joe his dream, a baby boy. In “The Gilded Six-Bits” the key to Joe’s and Missie May happiness was in forgiveness and in the birth of their baby. Joe and Missie May went through betrayal and forgiveness to stay together. Baum said “Hurston focused ^ a man who stood and felt without thinking and without seeing with his natural eyes… [who] kept on feeling so much and not knowing what to do with all his feelings” (Baum 773). However, he stays in her bed instead of sleeping somewhere else. Also, inside himself he understood that she did that to help him. Therefore, he told her “Well, don’t cry no more I got you gold piece for you (Hurston 341). He struggles with his feelings and finally love and forgiveness win. More important, the baby became a main sign for Joe and Missie May’s happiness. Joe really wants to have a baby with the woman he loves. He even dreams about children on his way to the home, “they ought to be making little feet for shoes. A little boy child would be about right” (340). Moreover, Joe’s and Missie May’s dream came true. The baby brought them the greatest happiness and made their family closer. “The birth of their son – ‘de spittin image of Joe’ and Joe’s effort to sort and control his overwhelming feelings create a new basis for a less innocent but perhaps deeper relationship” (Baum 771). The birth of the baby represents the reunion and joyfulness of Missie May and Joe. In “Sweat” Zora Neale Hurston draws Sykes and Delia’s relationships through race. As many black people at that time Sykes were angry on all white world. He was ashamed that his wife worked on white people laundry. He felt depended of white money and he didn’t respect Dalia’s work. Therefore, his attitude towards Delia was even worse. “Yeah, you just come from de church house on a Sunday night, but heah you is gone to work on them clothes. You ain’t nothing but a hypocrite. One of them amen – corner Christians – sing, whoop, and shout then come home and wash white folks’ clothes on the Sabbath” (Hurston 352). Delia and Sykes are marital couple who live together and apart at the same time. Their relationships are very cold and full of lack of happiness. For many years Sykes and Delia live under one roof, but both of them have their own lives. Sykes doesn’t respect his wife and makes her life and their relationships miserable. Also, for fifteen year of their marriage Delia didn’t do anything except “sweat, sweat, sweat! Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!” (Hurston 353). Unlike Joe and Missie May, Sykes and Delia don’t share diners together. Also, they don’t go out together. In “Sweat” the author depicts a man who hates his wife. “In characterization of Sykes Jones in ”Sweat” Hurston takes a more adamant position and makes a strong statement against narcissistic male behavior, which is not exonerated by the patriarchal community” (Samuels 247). Sykes is driven by narcissism. Therefore, he didn’t respect his wife and he treats her as if she were nothing. Baum explains Syke’s attitude toward Delia as “ Sykes, increases his mistreatment of her, first by flaunting his affair with fat Bertha and second by trying to frighten and then kill Delia with a rattlesnake” (Baum771). Also, Delia works very hard as a washwoman. He doesn’t not only respect her work he doesn’t even care about it. For example: “she saw that Sykes had kicked all of the clothes together again” (Hurston 352). Moreover, Sykes doesn’t tell his wife “sweet” words. Every day he tries to offend or hurt her. “How Ah hates skinny wimmen!” (Hurston 353). He doesn’t care about his wife and her feelings. Although, he knows that she is afraid of snakes, it brings him pleasure to scare her. “Course Ah knowed it! That’s how come Ah done it.” “If you such a big fool dat you got to have a fit over a earth worm or a string, Ah don’t keer how bad Ah skeer you” (352). Besides, he shows his disrespect toward Delia by showing his relationships with other woman in front of everybody in their neighborhood. Sykes abuses his wife not only psychologically. Also, physically abuse takes place in his attitude towards her. He even beat her right after two month of their marriage. Delia through her thoughts and actions shows exhaustion from Sykes and negative attitude towards him. Delia was tired from her unhappy life with Sykes. She knew that she lived with a man who never loved her. “Delia, is a symbol of goodness, love, and faith, experiences rebirth and renewal as she emerges from her flower bed, listening but unmoved by Sykes’s inevitable and violent demise” (Samuels 248). Also, she knew about his relationships with other women through all their marital life. She was crushed morally and psychologically. “Too late now to hope for love, even if it were not Bertha it would be someone else” (Hurston 353). Besides, at the beginning of the story author shows Delia as a passive and weak woman. She never resisted from Sykes or asked somebody for help. Delia just quietly accepted all his abuses and insults. She tolerated Sykes for fifteen years, but she completely changed when Sykes brought the snake into the house. In this situation she stood up to him. “Ah hates you, Sykes,” she said calmly. “Ah hates you tuh de same degree dat Ah useter love yuh. Ah done took till mah belly is full up tuh mah neck. Ah hates yuh lak uh suck – egg dog” (Hurston 357). For Delia in “Sweat” happiness was to become free from her husband. She suffers from her husband because he doesn’t respect her. Her life is full of mistreatment and indignity. Also, he prepared a death for her, but he fell into his own trap. “Indeed, Sykes’s death clearly signifies the triumph of good over evil” (Samuels 248). She saw his death and he hoped for the help. Baum says “ the man who has loomed above her through the years now crawls toward her, his fallen state emphasized by the frame of the door and Delia’s standing figure; the man who has treated her with continuous contempt and cruelty now hoped for help from her. (Baum 773). In moment of his death Delia tried to overcome her “surge of pity” for her husband (Hurston 359). Also, after Sykes’s death author shows the change in her miserable life. “Eventual progression of Delia’s life: from “Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!” to freedom (Baum 772). Delia’s key to happiness was in Sykes’ death. After his death she became stronger. Besides, after his death she could start new life without abuse. Unfortunately, for Delia happiness arrived with the death of her husband. In “Magnolia Flower” author shows the effect of racial inequality on John and Magnolia’s relationships. Zora Neale Hurston in this story raises a question about slavery. Magnolia’s father many years spent in slavery. Bentley worked for white people and hated them. He had miserable life there and that time stayed in his memory for the rest of his life. Therefore, he became evil and white people became enemies for him. “He hated anything that bore the slightest resemblance to his former oppressors. His servants must be black, very black or Cherokee” (Hurston 35). Therefore, John’s race became barrier for him to marry Magnolia. “He don’t like you at all. Youse too white”
(Hurston 36). Bentley couldn’t allow his only daughter to marry to white man. He didn’t understand that slavery destroyed his life, but his hatred destroyed his daughter’s life. In this story author demonstrates love and relationships which went through all barriers. Louis Gates said about this story “Magnolia Flower is about the triumph of love over evil” (xvi). Magnolia and John are young people whose love is pure and strong. Their love became stronger and stronger every day. Also, they are both fighting for their right to be together and love each other. They continued their relationships in spite of attitude of Magnolia’s father and his strict rules. For Magnolia and John love become main part of their life. Therefore, they decided to elope to keep their relationships. “The couple is determined and courageous and rewarded with freedom” (Gates xvi). John in “Magnolia Flower” loves Magnolia even more than his own life. He enjoys being with Magnolia and spending time with her. He was glad to be her teacher and teach her because it was only one way to enjoy her company. “She had taught the teacher to sing with his eyes, his hands, his whole body in her presence or whenever he thought of her” (Hurston 36). John’s love towards Magnolia was real and strong. Therefore, he wanted her to be his wife for the rest of the life. “Nothing remains for me to do, now that I have your consent, but to ask your father for your sweet self. I know I am poor, but I have a great Vision, a high purpose, and he shall not be ashamed of me!” (Hurston 36). Also, he knew that Magnolia’s father was very strict and a lot of people were afraid of him. John realized that he rescued his own life by asking Magnolia’s father to marry her. However, he didn’t give up. His desire to marry Magnolia was much stronger than his fear of her father. “He would merry her unless hell froze over” (37). Besides, similarly to Joe in “The Gilded Six-Bits”, John shows his attitude towards Magnolia by the words he calls her. “I’ll get him out of that, just trust me, precious” (36). By this word he wants to show that she is the most valuable person for him. Also, for him Magnolia was a symbol of sweetness and purity (37). For Magnolia, John became her real love and the main person in her life. Gates said about her “the powerless daughter’s victory over her cruel father” (Gates xvi). Magnolia loves John so much and she is happy to be with him. As a real person who loves someone, she doesn’t care about his material status and race. She just enjoys each moment with him. Also, she knew that her father would never let her to get married with John. Therefore, she tried to protect him from her father and just escape. “She wept and pleaded with him – told him of Bentley’s terrible anger and his violence, begged him to take her away and send her father word” (Hurston 36). Besides, she struggles with her father to protect her love. Magnolia yelled and tried to fight her own father. “A woman robbed of her love is more terrible then an army with banners” (37). She become crazy when her Bentley tied John’s hand and foot to kill him. “Stop!’ cried Magnolia Flower, fighting, clawing, biting, kicking like a brown fiend for her lover” (37). Moreover, she wasn’t even scared when her father told her that he would marry her to crazy Joe. Magnolia was so upset and she didn’t care about her future life because she didn’t see her future without John. “I’ll stay right here and make him kill me long with John” (38). Also, in the end of the story author shows that Magnolia escapes from her wealthy house with John. Magnolia and John’s happiness was to be together forever. After they realized that their happiness was in danger they decided to escape. They wanted to be together because they couldn’t live without each other. Also, they went through all barriers and stayed together. “The couple is determined and courageous and rewarded with freedom”
(Gates xvi). Moreover, in the end of the story Zora Neale Hurston shows Magnolia and John in forty years. They got back to their town. Magnolia and John became older, but they were still together. Their final conversation shows that they love each other and they are happy. If they would have chance to repeat their life over again they would repeat it they same way. “You never have regretted, Magnolia?” “Of course not!” (Hurston 40). In conclusion, in “The Gilded Six – Bits,” “Sweat” and “Magnolia Flower” Zora Neale Hurston in her works demonstrates different relationships of men and woman through race. She shows how racial inequality may effect relationships. Moreover, the author shows the differences in understanding of happiness and joy for people. For some people this word means pleasure in their families and children. For others happiness comes through the death of other people.