Drenched in Light by Zora Neale Hurston
"Drenched in Light" is a short story by Zora Neale Hurston that explores the vibrant spirit of a young African American girl named Isis. Set in a rural Southern community, the narrative opens with Isis, referred to as "Isis the joyful," longing for adventure beyond her grandmother's constraints. The relationship between the exuberant child and her stern grandmother is central to the story, highlighting a generational conflict between a desire for freedom and the insistence on proper behavior. Through a series of mischievous antics, including a humorous episode involving shaving soap, Isis embodies the joy and spontaneity of childhood.
As the story unfolds, the reader witnesses Isis's transformation from a mischievous girl into a captivating dancer at a community barbecue, where her joy attracts the attention of well-to-do white visitors. Her encounter with them presents a moment of connection across racial and social divides, as they appreciate her spirit and offer her a ride. The story concludes with Isis being offered a chance to dance for the visitors, symbolizing both her individuality and the complexities of her social environment. Overall, "Drenched in Light" captures the essence of childhood exuberance set against the backdrop of cultural expectations, making it a poignant exploration of innocence, joy, and the longing for freedom.
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Drenched in Light by Zora Neale Hurston
First published: 1924
Type of plot: Autobiographical, regional
Time of work: 1900-1910
Locale: Eatonville, Florida
Principal Characters:
Isis Watts , a mischievous eleven-year-old black childGrandma Potts , her exasperated grandmotherA white lady and two men , travelers on the road
The Story
Isis Watts is perched on the gatepost of her home, looking with longing up the road to Orlando. The conflict between the child and her grandmother is evident from the opening paragraphs. Isis is a child who is filled with the joy of life and yearns for the horizon, while her grandmother urges her to stop dreaming and instead work around the house. Isis has earned the nickname "Isis the joyful" among the neighbors, but her grandmother seeks to restrain the child's exuberance and orders her to sit on the porch like a lady rather than romp with the dogs in the yard.
After the noon meal, Grandma falls asleep with her sewing in her lap. Isis and her brother Joel decide to shave the gray hairs on their sleeping grandmother's chin. The children get into mischief and make a mess, lathering the dogs and the walls with shaving soap. Grandma, her face covered in lather, awakens to discover Isis standing over her, razor poised. Grandma exits screaming, Joel runs off to go fishing, and Isis crawls under the house to await the whipping that is sure to follow the adventure.
Isis is quickly distracted by a parade of people marching down the road to a community barbecue. His spirits rise, and she begins to run and dance after the band. Realizing that her dress is torn and dirty, not suitable for dancing at a carnival, Isis snatches up her grandmother's new red fringed tablecloth, which she wears like a gypsy shawl as she imitates a Spanish dancer, the shawl trailing in the dust.
At the picnic, all eyes are on Isis, the joyful dancer. An automobile drives up and two white men and a lady get out and are watching Isis when an angry Grandma arrives, and Isis flees into the woods. Isis pauses beside a creek, and knowing a whipping is in store for her, she resolves to drown herself. She wades into the creek, where she is soon splashing and singing. The car and its occupants, lost, stop by the creek, and recognizing Isis as the dancer from the barbecue, they ask her for directions. She tells them they need to be on the shell road that runs by her house, and they ask her to ride with them and show them the way.
Isis is thrilled to ride in the car, and during the drive, she charms the white lady with her stories of herself as a princess who travels to the horizon and wears golden shoes and trailing gowns. As the car approaches Isis's gate, her grandmother spots her and bawls for the child to "Come heah dis instant." Isis, wrapped in the dirty tattered shawl, and the white lady confront Grandma, who clearly intends to punish the misbehaving child.
The white lady gives Grandma five dollars for a new tablecloth and for permission to allow Isis to come to her hotel and dance for her, because she "could stand a little light today." The story ends with Isis snuggled into the car with her benefactress, who says "I would like just a little of her sunshine to soak into my soul."
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