Answer:
Hurston comments on the wasted beauty of youth and the cruelty of aging through her portrayal of the main character.
Step-by-step explanation:
The only comparison being made in this excerpt is the difference between Matty Redding's eyes when she was young and her eyes now. Hurston says that they "might have been beautiful" but now they are "watery and weak". This description shows the wasted beauty of youth and the cruelty of aging since the change of Matty Redding's eyes shows that they are less beautiful than they once could have been. There is nothing in the passage to suggest Hurston is exploring women's roles in the home or community, nor is it comparing women to men.