Where the Talking Happens in Hurston's “Spunk”

By Jade Harrison

In “Spunk,” nearly 80 percent of the dialogue takes place in Joe Clarke’s store, and Elijah Moseley speaks 44 percent of all the dialogue. The story’s key events, including Lena Kanty’s six words and Spunk Banks’s dying words, reach readers only through Elijah’s retelling in the store and on the street.

Related: 

• Black Short Story Findings