Moses, Man of the Mountain

Super Short Summary

Moses, Man of the Mountain by Zora Neale Hurston is an allegorical retelling of the biblical Moses story, recasting Moses as an African-American man who leads his enslaved people to freedom while incorporating African-American dialect, folklore, and culture. The novel parallels the oppression of the Hebrews in Egypt with the enslavement of African-descended people in the United States, highlighting themes such as the continual struggle for freedom, the presence of divine power in nature, and the political significance of storytelling. The narrative follows Moses's journey from his hidden birth and upbringing in Pharaoh’s palace, through his realization of his Hebrew roots, his flight from Egypt, his marriage to Jethro's daughter Zipporah, his divine encounter at Mt. Sinai, and his eventual leadership in guiding the Hebrews out of Egypt and towards the Promised Land. The story addresses topics of racism and enslavement.