The story is set in a time and place in which racism was commonplace, and the author does not shy away from depicting the harsh realities of life for Black Americans. Despite the heavy subject matter, the style of the story is often colloquial and playful, and is characterized by its use of dialect and lyricism that captures the speech patterns of the story's African American characters.
Hurston's writing style is unique in that she employs a mixture of dialect and Standard English. This allows her to capture the speech patterns of the characters while still making the story accessible to a wide audience. The result is a story that is both raw and authentic, while still being easy to read. Hurston uses word-play and colloquial turns of phrase:
Ah jus' wisht Ah'd a' caught 'im 'dere! Ah'd a' made his hips ketch on fiah down dat shell road.
Hurston's short story also employs a realist style, featuring stripped-down descriptions with no reliance on flowery prose. This realistic style captures the harsh realities of life for many African Americans in the early 20th century. Hurston uses very short sentences to convey the events in the story, and there is very little description or commentary from the narrator. This creates a sense of realism and immediacy, and allows the reader to focus on the events of the story itself.
Here, Hurston's use of dialect and descriptive details allows readers to feel the characters' weariness:
It was a hot, hot day near the end of July. The village men on Joe Clarke’s porch even chewed cane listlessly. They did not hurl the cane-knots as usual.
This style is characterized by its focus on everyday life and its use of common language. Hurston uses simple language to tell a complex story, and her use of dialect adds to the authenticity of her characters. Her combination of colloquial language and stripped-down prose transports the reader into rural Florida, and forces them to confront the realities and adversities of her characters' lives.
