本篇論文的撰寫主旨乃是在閱讀佐拉.尼爾.賀絲登<<他們的眼睛正望著上帝>>中的門廊交談為非裔美人建構一個文化論述. 從他們由從屬地位掘起而反抗奴隸制度,經由他們政治權利的獲得,再到他們文化的反殖民,非裔美人不斷地從事不同的經濟,政治,和文化的訴求,而發出他們不同的聲音. 非但關照到非裔美人整個族群和白人族群的關係,這個論述也關照到男性和女性的關係. 相對於非裔美人之於白人為其從屬階級,而非裔美人在帝國主義和父權主義的宰制之下,則陷入了雙重從屬的地位. 本篇論文亦觸及女性非裔美人如何發出她們不同的聲音來反抗這種困境. 在本文當中,我閱讀在門廊交談中的故事,歌曲,和遊戲為非裔美人展現他們語言方面的"表意"的技巧. 從模仿經由修正到改寫,非裔美人塑造了一個屬於他們自己的論述. 他們不但竊取白人的語言為己用,而且還創造出一個非裔美人的論述來和抗辯. 就他們打破白人語言上的習慣和規則,非裔美人的"表意"的技巧可被閱讀為"嘉年華式"的踰越. 扮演"表意猴"來諷刺白人對他們的經濟的剝削,政治的壓迫,和文化的殖民,非裔美人成功地塑造一個論述,並且進而從事政治方面的競爭和文化的反殖民.

This thesis embodies my attempt to read the porch talk in Zora Neale Hurston'sTheir Eyes Were Watching God as the construction of an African-Americandiscourse based on their cultural characteristics. Articulating differentvoices, African-Americans struggle to undo their subalternity from theirsubaltern insurgency to fight against the institution of slavery, through their gains of civil rights, to their cultural reinscription. More than discursive practice, they resort to stronger measures not only to build apolitical substance to contest with the whites'monolithic imperialism but alsoto establish a cultural institution to combat the whites'culturalcolonization. In this thesis, I will interpret those cultural activities on the porch, such as tall tales, spiritual songs, tricky games, and playful dances, as African-Americans'practice of Signifyin(g). From imitation and mimicry through modification to revision and retextualization, African-Americans appropriate the colonizer's language to talk back. By means of their practice of Signifyin(g), African-Americans beat their oppressors withtheir subtle power of songs and laughters, instead of violence. In the sense oftransgressing, the porch talk is also read as carnival festivities held by African-Americans. The carnival-like meetings on the porch release African-Americans momentarily from the whites'exploitation, oppression, and colonization. Usually occupied by males, the front porch is dominated by menfolks. On the porch, they can express the whites'economic exploitation, political oppression, and cultural colonization. Living in a male-dominatedworld, women is seldom heard on the front porch. They can only gather on the back porch to share their feelings with each other and comfort one another. Sometimes they even preempt the front porch to speak their minds, if necessary. They bravely confront the menfolks without flinching. With hercelebration of this African-American cultural activities,Hurston saves the porch talk from sinking into oblivion. With her elaboration on female voices,Hurston molds a new face for African-American women.