Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Realism, Naturalism, Modernism (1940-1960)
My period was Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism. I was responsible for the introduction and overview of the time period. My questions for you are...Which writer/ poet/ playwright had the most impact on African American literature during this time period. And support your answer with evidence
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Character summary of Their Eyes Were Watching God.
My blog is about a character summary of Their Eyes were Watching God. The characters I am going to give discriptions about are Janie, Tea Cake, and Jody Starks.
Janie- Although Their Eyes Were Watching God revolves around Janie's relationships with other people, it is first and foremost a story of Janie's search for spiritual enlightenment and a strong sense of her own identity. When we first and last see Janie, she is alone. The novel is not the story of her quest for a partner but rather that of her quest for a secure sense of independence. Janie's development along the way can be charted by studying her use of language and her relationship to her own voice.
Tea Cake- Tea Cake functions as the catalyst that helps drive Janie toward her goals. Like all of the other men in Janie's life, he plays only a supporting role. Before his arrival, Janie has already begun to find her own voice, as is demonstrated when she finally stands up to Jody. As we see at the end of the novel, after Tea Cake's death, Janie remains strong and hopeful; therefore, it's fair to say that Janie is not dependent on Tea Cake. Nevertheless, he does play a crucial role in her development.
Jody Starks- Jody's character is opposite that of Tea Cake. He is cruel, conceited, and uninterested in Janie as a person. But his cruelty is not a result of any specific animosity toward Janie; rather, it is a reflection of the values that he holds and the way that he understands his relationship to the world. Jody depends on the exertion of power for his sense of himself; he is only happy and secure when he feels that he holds power over those around him. In Janie's words, he needs to “have [his] way all [his] life, trample and mash down and then die ruther than tuh let [him]self heah 'bout it.” He needs to feel like a “big voice,” a force of “irresistible maleness” before whom the whole world bows.
Janie- Although Their Eyes Were Watching God revolves around Janie's relationships with other people, it is first and foremost a story of Janie's search for spiritual enlightenment and a strong sense of her own identity. When we first and last see Janie, she is alone. The novel is not the story of her quest for a partner but rather that of her quest for a secure sense of independence. Janie's development along the way can be charted by studying her use of language and her relationship to her own voice.
Tea Cake- Tea Cake functions as the catalyst that helps drive Janie toward her goals. Like all of the other men in Janie's life, he plays only a supporting role. Before his arrival, Janie has already begun to find her own voice, as is demonstrated when she finally stands up to Jody. As we see at the end of the novel, after Tea Cake's death, Janie remains strong and hopeful; therefore, it's fair to say that Janie is not dependent on Tea Cake. Nevertheless, he does play a crucial role in her development.
Jody Starks- Jody's character is opposite that of Tea Cake. He is cruel, conceited, and uninterested in Janie as a person. But his cruelty is not a result of any specific animosity toward Janie; rather, it is a reflection of the values that he holds and the way that he understands his relationship to the world. Jody depends on the exertion of power for his sense of himself; he is only happy and secure when he feels that he holds power over those around him. In Janie's words, he needs to “have [his] way all [his] life, trample and mash down and then die ruther than tuh let [him]self heah 'bout it.” He needs to feel like a “big voice,” a force of “irresistible maleness” before whom the whole world bows.
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