Free Essays: Oppression in Ethan Frome and Their Eyes Were Watching God :: comparison compare contrast essays

Repression and Oppression in Ethan Frome and Their Eyes Were Watching God In society, people are laden in numerous ways, such as blacks not being able to vote back in the 60s, or women not having as many rights as men. There are many social constraints that hold people back from their dreams and desires. The two novels, Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton and Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, both accurately portray the power of social constraints. In each novel the main character struggles with the tremendous impact of social constraints on their lives but their is a with child(p) difference between repression and oppression. In the book Ethan Frome, the main character, Ethan, is oppressed in many different ways. First of all, Ethans wife, Zeena, has become a load on Ethan psychologically and finacially. Zeena seems to have a form of paranoia that makes her think she is much sicker than she actually is. This problem has gotten to Ethan at many points in the book. She has also become a finacial burden on Ethan because of her almost monthy commutes to Bettsbridge, where she sees a doctor about her failing health. In Ethan Frome, Zeena seems to be the one that is always oppressing Ethan. Zeena never lets Ethan do what he wants, when he wants. In the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie is basically oppressed by society and the laws of society. She is oppressed mainly because she is black, but also because she is a woman. In each of her deuce-ace marriages, Janie is oppressed by her husbands. All of them expect her to do things the way they want them done, and she does not seem to respect this. Janie also is not allowed to strive for her dreams or desires because she is black. In this situation, it seems that it is a combination of societys oppressive laws and the repression of Janies feelings and desires that hold her back from her goals. In Ethan Frome and Their Eyes Were Watching God, each character finds his or knowledge way t o overcome their suffering and pain due to the oppression of their desires and dreams. In Ethan Frome towards the end of the story, Ethan wants to drive Mattie into town to the train station so she can go home.