How important is Hurston's use of dialect to our understanding of Janie and the other characters and their way of life?

Huston's use of dialect is important in helping us to
understand and these characters and the novel as a whole. Because so much of the novel
is concerned with Janie "finding her voice," it is essential that as readers we hear
that voice in our minds, that we too "find her
voice."

Hurston's background as a folklorist and
anthropologist is also critically important in this regard. Not only is Hurston
capturing the experiences of her main character, she is also weaving in historical
information regarding her hometown of Eatonville and much of the life and folklore of
the emerging African American culture.

In short, without
the dialects the novel would not hold the power that it does. Part of "magic" that makes
this story work so well is the authenticity with which it is
told.