There is a lot of controversy that surrounded Their Eyes Were Watching God. A lot of it had to do with race of course and how Zora portrayed the black race and dialect of the 20th century. Some things that were criticized were that she exposed divisions between lighter skinned African Americans and darker ones. She also created divisions between Black men and women. Also she portrayed the white race as being the dominant race. Some people said certain things. Richard Wright called it “ a minstrel show that makes the white folks laugh.” Ralph Ellison said “ The book contained a “ blight of calculated burlesque.” All this criticism caused Zora to go away and hide from her peers not being known or discovered until the 70’s. What would have happened if she would have stayed out is up for argument but her writing was still influential even to this day, nonetheless.
I can see why some people criticized her novel. I see that they saw the division between lighter and darker skinned black people and black men and women. I also see how her use of the dialect could cause some to think this was nothing but as comedy for the “white-folk” to laugh at. Personally I don’t think these are things that are truly worthy of being criticized. Still though that was a different time period, something we can’t completely understand. The barrier between lighter and darker skinned black people might have been an issue back then. Obviously the male female barrier was a huge issue along with race. The way she portrayed the black dialect of that time might have been humorous to white people, or at least it was speculated to be. If that is true then back then, there was definitely room for criticism at least in their eyes.
I personally don’t agree with her critics. I think that a big point of literature and books sometimes is to reveal the truth about life and how life is in places we cant experience ourselves. Books can also bring certain issues into view like race or sexism. I don’t personally believe that is something you can really criticize. Back then, like I said, it might have been a bigger issue. Now in my times and views I think those accusations are foolish. A writer shouldn’t be criticized for talking about issues like racism or sexism. These are real life issues and we will all encounter them sometime in our life. I do not see why it cant be in a book either. I think the writing should be criticized for being boring, and bad not for covering past and now modern issues.
Overall I think the accusations of Zora’s critics are uncalled for. She has a right to write what she wants and about what she wants. Maybe it was a touchier subject that couldn’t be talked about back then. Really though racism and sexism are real life issues and shouldn’t be criticized for being in a book. Zora’s writing is good and very informing of life back then. She should be praised and not criticized for what she wrote. 
http://www.literaryhistory.com/20thC/Hurston.htm
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