Their Eyes Were Watching God
By
Zora Neal Hurston
Harlem Renaissance- an African American cultural movement of the 1920s and early 1930s that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.
emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918 ,
blossomed in the mid- to late 1920s,
faded in the mid-1930s.
marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously
Some common themes existed:
an interest in the roots of the 20th-century African American experience in Africa and the American South (Their Eyes…)
a strong sense of racial pride and desire for social and political equality.
The Novel:
Setting- Eatonville in Central Florida, America’s first incorporated black town ,during the Depression era, 1930’s.
Themes:
1) personal duty
2) effects of racial inequality in the South
3) personal happiness versus social pressures
4) friendship
5) migrant workers
6) economic hardship
7) many others….
Chapter 1:
Personification- giving human characteristics to things that are not human
Ex.
Aphorism- A short pithy(full of meaning) instructive saying
Ex.
Dialect- speech/vocab. characteristic of a specific group of people
Ex.
1) “These sitters had been tongueless, earless, eyeless, conveniences all day long. Mules and other brutes occupied their skin.”
2) Why do you think Janie tells her story to Pheoby?
Self revelation-Revelation of one's thoughts, emotions, or attitudes, intentionally or unintentionally.
3) Horizon and Time Symbolism in first and last paragraphs of chapter.
Chapter 2:
1) The pear tree as a symbol (VERY IMPORTANT)
1. Double entendre- a term with two meanings, esp. when one of them has a risqué or sexual connotation
2. the use of such a term or terms; ambiguity
See pages 27 and 28
2) Why would Logan Killicks desecrate the pear tree, not literally?
3) Analyze the last six lines on page 31.
4) Analyze the quote on page 33, “Ah was born back due…and to do”
5) What do we learn about Janie’s grandfather and father in Nanny’s flashback?
6) Framed story- a story within a story, a story ends where it began. At the beginning, Janie is telling her story to Pheobe about her experiences from the last 1 1/2 years. The first chapter is the present with two women on a porch.The next chapters relate her adventures. The final chapter will return to the present again.
Chapters 3,4:
1) Analyze the following quotes on page 40 and 41:
A. “Humph…straightens-up.”
B. “ You come heah…’bout love.” (identify metaphor too)
C. “Tain’t no use…will change.”
2) Identify the metaphor in the last five lines on page 42. Explain.
3) Why would Janie be attracted to Joe Starks? List several reasons.
4) Identify the metaphor in the last paragraph on page 46.Explain.
5)Hair motif??
Motif-
6) morning symbolism on page 50? Explain.
Chapter 5:
1) Explain how Joe Stark’s character is developed even further. List several sentences with text for proof.
2) Explain how Janie and Joe’s relationship is developed further. List several sentences with text for proof.
3) Two metaphors on page 67. Write them down and explain them.
4) Analyze the first 6 lines on page 68.
5) Hair motif????????
Chapter 6:
1) significance of the mule throughout chapter:
a. mule talk in front of store
i. Janie is excluded
ii. Yearns to tell stories but Joe forbids it because she is the mayor’s wife
iii. Janie is forced to work in the store
iv. Excluded from mule’s funeral because she is the mayor’s wife and cannot be around commonness
2) Local Color- refers to fiction or poetry that focuses on specific features – including characters, dialects, customs, and history– of a particular region.
a. The stories told on the front porch of the store
b. The lies about the mule eating and sleeping in family homes
c. The mock funeral for the mule
3) Folklore – body of customs, superstitions, stories, dances, and songs that get orally passed down from one generation to another.
a. The mule stories will certainly be told to all future generations.
4) Be aware of the hair motif on page 68!!!!!!!!!
5) “Listen, Sam, if it was nature, nobody wouldn't have tuh look out for babies touchin' stoves, would they? 'Cause dey just naturally wouldn't touch it. But dey sho will. So it's caution.” “Naw it ain't, it's nature, cause nature makes caution. It's de strongest thing dat God ever made, now. Fact is it's de onliest thing God every made. He made nature and nature made everything else.”
This interchange, which occurs in Chapter 6, is an excerpt from a lively debate between Lige Moss and Sam Watson on the porch of Jody's store. In addition to being an excellent example of Hurston's use of dialect and idiomatic English, this dialogue speaks to Janie's developing understanding of herself in relation to the world. Here, Sam and Lige argue about the relationship between mankind and God and between themselves and the world around them. In modern terms, it is a discussion of nature versus nurture. Lige argues that humans are taught everything that they know; such a perspective implies a fundamental antagonism between humanity and the natural world. In Lige's terms, there are hot stoves everywhere, and humans must learn and be vigilant to survive. Sam, on the other hand, argues that humans are naturally cautious; such a perspective implies a fundamental harmony between humanity and the natural world. According to Sam, humans, as creatures made by God, are inherently part of nature. Over the course of the novel, Janie progresses through the obstacles that the world presents her until she finally, harmoniously, reaches the horizon that she has long sought.
6) Note how Janie and Joe’s relationship continues to deteriorate:
a. Prohibits Janie from wearing her hair down
b. Prohibits Janie from talking on the front porch and attending the mule’s funeral
c. Yells at her for being careless at store (pages 89-90)
d. Joe slaps her because of a poor dinner
i. We will read page 91/discuss the metaphor
7) Reread pages 94-95/Analyze….
Chapters 7,8:
1) Explain the following metaphor(s) on page 96, first paragraph: “She was a rut in the road. Plenty of life beneath the surface, but it was kept beaten down by the wheels.”
2) Analyze, “A big laugh…done before.” on page 98.
3) Analyze page 100.
4) Theme of hypocrisy regarding Joe Starks first paragraph page 101? Explain. Use text for proof!!!!!!!
5) Analyze what Janie and Joe talk about in their final discussion on pages 106-107. Does Joe forgive her? Explain.
6) Explain the symbolic significance of Janie’s hair at the end of chapter 8. THINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapters 9,10:
1) Page 109—“…Weeping and wailing…the world.” Analyze the message/metaphor.
2) Page 110---“ She hated…after things.” Analyze the message/metaphor.
3) Explain the metaphorical marketplace in the first two lines on page 111.
4) Explain Ike Green’s comments on page 112.
5) List several sentences about Hezekiah.
6) Vergible Woods (Tea-Cake)
a. Appears in chapter 10
b. Antithesis of Joe Starks
i. Humble- calls himself “dumb” Why admirable?
ii. Plays checker with Janie
iii. Tells Janie she could learn checkers and he would teach her
iv. Flirts with her (throwing hat at her feet,reread)
v. Walks her home, arm in arm J
Chapters 11,12:
Unrequited love-
Requited love-
Soul Mate-Someone for whom you have a deep affection/love
1) Tea Cake’s Romance:
a. Imaginary guitar/song
b. Checker Playing
c. Fishing at night---spontaneity
d. Romantic Dinner page 104
i. Playing piano
ii. Singing blues
e. compliments about eyes/hair
f. Strawberries in the morning
g. Sunday School Picnic
2) Analyze last paragraph on page 127—pear tree!!!!!!!!!
3) Page 133, “Dat’s Jealousy and malice…” Hypocrisy/Why?
4) Page 134, third paragraph/meaning?
5) Page 136, “She was borned…common news yet.”
Chapters 13,14:
Tea Cake and Janie have left Eatonville, and are now in Florida working in the muck---Everglades in Florida.
1) Mrs. Tyler and Who Flung’s significance regarding Janie?
2) Discuss how Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship is deepened.
3) Analyze, “What if Eatonville could see her now in her blue denim overalls and heavy shoes.”
Chapters 15,16
1) Why would Hurston dedicate an entire chapter toward Janie’s jealousy?
2) How is bigotry and racism introduced/maintained in chapter 16? What character epitomizes racist and bigoted tendencies?
3) “So she didn’t cling to Janie Woods the woman. She paid homage to Janie’s Caucasian characteristics.”
Chapters 17,18:
Situational irony-when things turn out to be to opposite of what would be expected in any given situation
1) Reactions to Tea-Cake’s beating of Janie? Ironic? Why?
2) Tea Cake’s “defense” of Mrs. Turner?
3) “People don’t die till dey come no-how, don’t keer where you at. Ah’m wid mah husband in uh storm, dat’s all.” Page 182
4) “The wind…but their eyes were watching God.” Meaning? Page 183
5) End of chapter 18!!! Very important!!!!!!!!
Chapters 19,20
1) “She looked hard at the sky for a long time. Somewhere up there beyond blue ether’s bosom sat He…Did he mean to do this thing to Tea Cake and her? It wasn’t anything she could fight…Her arms went up in a desperate supplication for a minute. It wasn’t exactly pleading, it was asking questions.”
2) Why white women on the jury instead of white men?
3) Symbolism of attending Tea Cake’s funeral in overalls? Compare with what she wore in Joe Stark’s funeral.
Indomitable human spirit-
Personal Introspection-
Literary odyssey