Zora Neal Hurston: Mules and Men

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 Word Count: 395

From Mules and Men by Zora Neal Hurston

“I ask… that the wombs of their women shall not bear fruit except for strangers, and that they shall become extinct. I pray that the children who may come shall be weak of mind and paralyzed of limb” (415).

“I was led to drink from the cup containing their mindled bloods, and each of them in turn beginning with Turner drank mine” (418).

“He hate me and make all the trouble he can … he must leave this town or die. Yes it is much better if he is dead. Then she burst out, ‘Yeah, he should be dead long time ago. Long before he spy upon me, before he tell lies, lies, lies. I should be very happy for his funeral” (420).

Zora’s narrative was truly very different from anything we have read so far. The way Zora described Voodoo was very hardcore and demonic, but even so she seems okay with it, maybe even comfortable. These ceremonies required dedication to this craft but the reason for doing it was for the gaining of your own power. The practices itself were also graphic but even so, said without horror. The amount of animal killings and the drinking of blood and so many other practices is concerning. 

The curses described were also horrible. It was also very interesting that though these curses were very descriptive and in depth that they seemed to contradict themselves. One of the curses Turner described mentioned both the lack of survival of their line, or in other words the fact that they would have no babies, but then immediately after says if there are babies let them be weak. It seems to me, this implies that they do not truly have confidence in their power.

All the people involved, whether giving or receiving the voodoo seemed to be very violent people. The lady near the end who had asked for their services got angrier and angrier at these people and wished a horrible death upon him without any regard for anyone else but herself and her comfortability. This is unbelievably misguided since this act would not actually help her in the long run. I truly do not understand how Zora or anyone else can be comfortable with these practices but she evidently was based on the rhetoric of the descriptions and her dedication to the practices, involving a grueling initiation.


Comments

  1. Carly Dutch BlogApril 5, 2023 at 6:43 AM

    I didn't focus on writing the Voodoo as much, but you do a great job of explaining all the processes. I think you did a good job explaining what the practices were and how they were done. I do find it interesting and true that you touched on how comfortable it made her. In which towards the end she did want to stay with the Voodoo doctor. Your incite on this topic was great and eye opening.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Olivia PauliusApril 5, 2023 at 6:43 AM

    The voodoo ceremonies were not taken lightly, and I found it a little disturbing at points the things she had to do, and did not ever say no to doing. I thought the way they described the acts that took place was very vulgar and made me uneasy. I personally could never dedicate myself to doing something, let alone ever have the thought of contributing to this.

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