Zane and the Hurricane

New Orleans is a city with a rich cultural history. In Zane and the Hurricane, two specific New Orleans traditions contribute to the formation and expression of characters’ cultural identities: jazz music and regional dialect.

New Orleans is known as the “cradle of jazz,” and the music was born from the city’s ethnically diverse population. While many cultures helped shape its development, jazz was most importantly influenced by the musical heritage of African slaves and free Creoles of color, who contributed traditions of drumming, dance, and call-and-response patterns to the genre. The music became integral to African American culture, expressing community and solidarity.

Jazz music also helped bridge racial division. Jazz bands were among the first to integrate, and the growing popularity of the music gave talented Black artists a chance to cross both class and racial divides. At the same time, jazz was often dismissed by white critics because they associated it with Black culture and thought it was inferior. By the 1930s and 40s, however, jazz became widespread and popular throughout the country (Aldrich, Harriet. “Black History Month: Jazz and the Evolution of Music.” The Bubble, 28 October 2015, https://www.thebubble.org.uk/culture/history/black-history-month-jazz-and-the-evolution-of-music/). 

With its roots in slavery and oppression, Jazz evokes the Black struggle for freedom from inequality. By making Tru a jazz musician, Philbrick adds a layer of complexity to older man’s character. Tru carries the weight of history in his profession. He represents the triumphs and the struggles of Black American culture. Although society has made progress in ending inequality and discrimination, a racial divide still exists. Boss Man’s disdain for Tru’s profession, for instance, adds to his racist assessment that Tru is inferior. Tru, however, is proud of his profession, his skill, and his heritage.

Malvina, Tru, and Miss Trissy all speak with a unique dialect. Their speech is a mixture of a New Orleans dialect called “Yat” which originated with European immigrants and is prevalent in the Ninth Ward; Creole, a mix of French and African languages; and African American English, or AAE, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE). These languages share deep cultural roots and inform the characters’ identities.

Scholars believe AAE was either developed by enslaved Africans brought to the US who created a common language to communicate or from learning English from other non-native speakers. AAE has its own complex grammatical structure and many unique grammatical and pronunciation features. Speakers often drop the verb “to be” out of a sentence or replace a “th” sound with “d.” As Zane notes, Malvina, “says ‘doe’ instead of ‘door,’ and stow’ instead of ‘store,’ and troot’ instead of ‘truth,’” (78). The dialect Yat has similar features, including the d/th replacement, though Yat is slowly disappearing. As Tru notes, saying “True dat” is becoming cliché.

Malvina thinks that Zane, who does not speak AAE, “talks funny.” By not speaking AAE, Zane marks himself as community outsider. Those who speak AAE express unity in their heritage. AAE is often wrongly disparaged by non-speakers. AAE speakers face profiling and discrimination: They are assumed to be less educated than those who speak standard English ( “’Do You Speak American?’ For Educators. African American English.” PBS.org, https://www.pbs.org/speak/education/curriculum/college/aae). Readers see evidence of language discrimination in the novel when Boss Man ridicules Tru’s speech.

Tru, Malvina, and Miss Trissy’s New Orleans dialect reflects their racial heritage and their pride in their community. It gives them a sense of shared belonging that is central to their identity.