Zora Neale Hurston uses non-academic English in this excerpt primarily to portray the dialect of Black Americans during the period. This choice reflects the cultural and linguistic identity of the characters, grounding the dialogue in a specific historical and social context. Hurston's use of dialect helps to convey authenticity, emotions, and the distinctiveness of the characters while illustrating their experiences and perspectives.
Read the excerpt from Zora Neale Hurston’s “John Redding Goes to Sea.”
"Cose you allus tries tuh know mo' than me, but Ah ain't so ign'rant. Ah knows a heap mahself. Many and many's the people been drove outa their senses by conjuration, or rid tuh deat' by witches."
Why does Zora Neale Hurston use non-academic English in this excerpt?
to emphasize the relationship between John and his parents
to provide a historical context in which the events occur
to portray the dialect of Black Americans during the period
to reflect the mixed emotions John’s mother has about her child
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