--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Africa has her mouth on Moses." description: "\"Africa has her mouth on Moses.\" — Zora Neale Hurston" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png" --- # Africa has her mouth on Moses. ![“Africa has her mouth on Moses.” quote by Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png) > “Africa has her mouth on Moses.” [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Metaphorically, Africa is portrayed as a powerful, vocal force influencing Moses. **In simple terms:** Africa is depicted as a strong voice. Key Takeaway Recognize the influence of cultural forces. Themes power culture mythology Mood thoughtful critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - interpretive literature study - cultural analysis - theological discussion Key Concepts Symbolism historical narrative Questions to Reflect On - What does Africa represent in this metaphor? - How does this shape your view of Moses? A Different Perspective Interpretations may vary; metaphor may be obscure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Africa Mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa-mouth-4594167/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouth/) [Mouth Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouth-moses-3745799/) [Mouths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouths/) ## Related quotes > [First, it is not unimportant that the legislative texts of the Old Testament are placed in the mouth of Moses and within the narrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ricoeur/first-it-is-not-unimportant-that-the-legislative-texts-of-the-old/) [Paul Ricoeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ricoeur/) > [Life is more fun when you open your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/life-is-more-fun-when-you-open-your-mouth/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [Try to keep your mind open to possibilities and your mouth closed on matters that you don't know about. Limit your 'always' and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/try-to-keep-your-mind-open-to-possibilities-and-your-mouth-closed-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Normally people can't keep their goddamn mouth closed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-donato/normally-people-can-t-keep-their-goddamn-mouth-closed/) [Dick Donato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-donato/) > [When chimps threaten, they open their mouth and show their teeth. It's a little like waving a knife in front of you. It's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/when-chimps-threaten-they-open-their-mouth-and-show-their-teeth-it-s/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [Your day usually follows the direction of the corners of your mouth. So SMILE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-dickow/your-day-usually-follows-the-direction-of-the-corners-of-your-mouth/) [Gregory Dickow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-dickow/) > [I do have a mouth - I will say. I speak up when I see things I don't care for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bishop/i-do-have-a-mouth-i-will-say-i-speak-up-when-i-see-things-i-don-t/) [Kelly Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bishop/) > [I act as the tongue of you, ... tied in your mouth . . . . in mine it begins to be loosened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-act-as-the-tongue-of-you-tied-in-your-mouth-in-mine-it-begins-to-be/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [That, who keeps his mouth, keeps his Soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/that-who-keeps-his-mouth-keeps-his-soul/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [Your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-day-will-go-the-way-the-corners-of-your-mouth-turn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me and my big mouth! I'd get rid of it, only it's such a handy place to keep my teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/me-and-my-big-mouth-i-d-get-rid-of-it-only-it-s-such-a-handy-place-to/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Say me aye," he whispered against her mouth. "Say me aye." How could she say anything else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-kurland/say-me-aye-he-whispered-against-her-mouth-say-me-aye-how-could-she/) [Lynn Kurland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-kurland/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) ## More by Zora Neale Hurston > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/ships-at-a-distance-have-every-man-s-wish-on-board-for-some-they-come/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Please God, please suh, don't let him love nobody else but me. Maybe Ah'm is uh fool, Lawd, lak dey say, but Lawd, Ah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/please-god-please-suh-don-t-let-him-love-nobody-else-but-me-maybe-ah/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“But mostly she lived between her hat and her heels, with her emotional disturbances like shade patterns in the woods—come and gone with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/but-mostly-she-lived-between-her-hat-and-her-heels-with-her-emotional/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Light came to me when I realized that I did not have to consider any racial group as a whole. God made them duck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/light-came-to-me-when-i-realized-that-i-did-not-have-to-consider-any/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Gods always behave like the people who make them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/gods-always-behave-like-the-people-who-make-them/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Love, I find, is like singing. Everyone can do enough to satisfy themselves, though it may not impress the neighbors as being very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/love-i-find-is-like-singing-everyone-can-do-enough-to-satisfy/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“The woman took the faded shirt and muddy overalls and laid them away from remembrance. It was a weapon against her strength and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/the-woman-took-the-faded-shirt-and-muddy-overalls-and-laid-them-away/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“They plan and they fix and they do, and then some kitchen-dwelling fiend slips a scorchy, soggy, tasteless mess into their pots and pans…So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/they-plan-and-they-fix-and-they-do-and-then-some-kitchen-dwelling/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“Years ago, she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass. It had been a long time since she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/years-ago-she-had-told-her-girl-self-to-wait-for-her-in-the-looking/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“Ah jus lak uh chicken. Chicken drink water, but he don’t pee-pee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/ah-jus-lak-uh-chicken-chicken-drink-water-but-he-don-t-pee-pee/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“Like the pecking-order in a chicken yard. Insensate cruelty to those you can whip, and groveling submission to those you can’t. Once having set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/like-the-pecking-order-in-a-chicken-yard-insensate-cruelty-to-those/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [The Haitian people are gentle and lovable except for their enormous and unconscious cruelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/the-haitian-people-are-gentle-and-lovable-except-for-their-enormous/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Now, suppose a Negro does something really magnificent, and I glory, not in the benefit to mankind, but in the fact that the doer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/now-suppose-a-negro-does-something-really-magnificent-and-i-glory-not/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Anybody depending on somebody else's gods is depending on a fox not to eat chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/anybody-depending-on-somebody-else-s-gods-is-depending-on-a-fox-not/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) [Explore all 326 Zora Neale Hurston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/) [Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/) [Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) [Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Africa has her mouth on Moses.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zora Neale Hurston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Africa" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/zora-neale-hurston-923_africa_africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses-2162435_2162435.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Africa has her mouth on Moses.” — Zora Neale Hurston", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Zora Neale Hurston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Africa has her mouth on Moses.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/africa-has-her-mouth-on-moses/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```