Despite society's expectations for the role of women in a relationship, it is not necessary for women to conform to these unspoken rules.
I will then go on to explain Janie's transformation from the stereotypical woman in an unbalanced relationship to a woman with power in her relationship.
"'If you don't want him, you sho oughta. Heah you is wid the onliest organ in town, amongst colored folks, in yo' parlor. Got a house bought and paid for and sixty acres uh land right on de big road...'" (pg. 41) The expectation that women should marry for security as opposed to love.
"Jaine's first dream was dead, so she became a woman." (pg. 44) Shows that society marks womanhood by making compromises and giving up dreams.
"'Thank yuh fuh yo' complements, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-making'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home.'" (pg. 69) Society's expectations for women.
"'Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don't think none theirselves.'" (pg. 110) Shows the mindset towards women.
"'It's too late fuh y'all tuh be splittin' up and gittin' divorced. Just g'wan back home and set down on yo' royal diasticutis and say nothin'.'" (pg 127) An example of society's expectations.
"Then she starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see..." (pg. 135) An example of Janie being what everybody else wanted her to be.
"'Uh woman be herself is uh pitiful thing', she was told over and again. 'Dey needs aid and assistance. God never meant 'em tuh try tuh stand by theirselves. You ain't been used tuh knockin' round and doin' fuh yo'self, Mis' Starks. You been well taken keer of, you needs uh man.'" (pg. 139) Shows the mindset towards women.
"He set it up and began to show her and she found herself glowing inside. Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought it natural for her to play." (pg. 146) This is the first time she ever got to play what society considered a "man's game".
"It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it." (pg. 155) This is the first time Janie had the power over herself to do what she wanted, this is why she found breaking society's rules so pleasurable.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Journal #9
As Jake watched the two men on the basketball court, he felt the urge to join. He felt lonely on his island; the world they were in was nothing like his. They were in battle; losing was not an option. He was just sitting without the thrill of this fight. Jake could do better than these guys, he knew it. Nobody had ever asked him to play, but he knew that he was a man among children when it came to this game. He enjoyed the beauty of the game, the grace and brute force all rolled into one arena. He was very eager to play, but Patience suggested he wait. Who was He to tell him when he can do what he wants to do? Jake had no desire to obey Him, but he did out of habit. Soon after, the game ended, and new warriors were invited to join. Jake rose to his feet, stepped onto the court, and a new battle began.
1. I used the metaphor of the basketball game being battle in order to show the intensity and passion that is involved in the game between the two men.
2. I personified patience to make it seem that Jake, while not in the game at that time, was fighting his own fight. Making patience a tangible figure gives a visual of the dilemma that Jake was facing.
3. The word choice (diction) that was used helped form the battle metaphor. Instead of only saying players, I called them warriors to show how important this game was to these people.
1. I used the metaphor of the basketball game being battle in order to show the intensity and passion that is involved in the game between the two men.
2. I personified patience to make it seem that Jake, while not in the game at that time, was fighting his own fight. Making patience a tangible figure gives a visual of the dilemma that Jake was facing.
3. The word choice (diction) that was used helped form the battle metaphor. Instead of only saying players, I called them warriors to show how important this game was to these people.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Journal #8
One technique Hurston uses in these two chapters is personification. She personifies doubt in a similar way that she did for death. "In the cool of the afternoon the fiend from hell specially sent to lovers arrived at Janie's ear. Doubt." (pg. 163) She does this to help explain the internal conflict that Janie is experiencing at this point in the story.
She also continues her motif of power, but it is transforming into more of a mutual power between Janie and a man (Tea Cake). When Hurston describes the relationship between these two she mentions "All those signs of possession" (pg. 166) in order to show the power that both of them had. It shows how they both belong to each other, thus giving both of them power in the relationship. This is the first time that Janie holds any power at all over a man.
She also uses the metaphor of a tree to show the promise of the relationship between Janie and Tea Cake. "He could be a bee to a blossom- a pear tree blossom in the spring." (pg. 161) She used a tree in the spring as a parallel to Tea Cake's personality in order to show his excitement and beauty in Janie's eyes. Like a tree in the spring, their relationship had promise to become very successful.
She also continues her motif of power, but it is transforming into more of a mutual power between Janie and a man (Tea Cake). When Hurston describes the relationship between these two she mentions "All those signs of possession" (pg. 166) in order to show the power that both of them had. It shows how they both belong to each other, thus giving both of them power in the relationship. This is the first time that Janie holds any power at all over a man.
She also uses the metaphor of a tree to show the promise of the relationship between Janie and Tea Cake. "He could be a bee to a blossom- a pear tree blossom in the spring." (pg. 161) She used a tree in the spring as a parallel to Tea Cake's personality in order to show his excitement and beauty in Janie's eyes. Like a tree in the spring, their relationship had promise to become very successful.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Journal #7
So Billy couldn't help but consider Failure. Failure, the taunting being that is always present in every action we take. He resides wherever we do, just waiting. Failure has no place to go, no place to stay. He follows us, begging for some company. He waits for a moment of weakness, even the slightest slip up, and takes advantage of the little window of opportunity he is provided. He succeeds when we cannot. Billy feared Failure more than any other being. Billy always thought that Failure would never find him, but there He was, standing by him as clear as day. Alone, Billy fought. Nobody could help him with this. No amount of expertise or experience could help him; this was his fight. Billy had to stay focused, no mistakes. He could do this! But the problem was, Billy had never stood so close to Him. He heard the stories; all the times He had won, but never considered sharing this fate. People gathered to watch as Billy struggled through, not sure what to think, but enjoying the show nonetheless. What gave them the right to do this? It didn't matter; they were there, waiting on the behalf of Failure, ready to join Him in his torture.
In order to replicate Hurston's style, I personified my word, Failure, throughout the pastiche. I capitalized words like He in order to show that Failure was personified.
In order to replicate Hurston's style, I personified my word, Failure, throughout the pastiche. I capitalized words like He in order to show that Failure was personified.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Journal #6
In this passage, death is personified. Hurston personifies death in order to give the readers a picture of death based on what it does. Also, she does this to show the control that death has; she refers to it as "The great one" (pg. 129).
Towards the end of the passage, the people of the town "squatted under the trees and waited" (pg. 130). This is another example of the tree motif. Throughout the book, trees have been used as a representation of the emotions being felt by the characters. When Janie was feeling unimportant, she "watched the shadow of herself" (pg. 119) working, but she really wasn't doing anything. To show this feeling, she was sitting under a shady tree. When Joe and Janie had just arrived at the town, everybody was very exited to see the town be built. When the supplies were brought in, the were "piled under the big live oak tree" (pg. 65). The tree was big and live because it represented the excitement of the people and the promise of a prospering town.
In the last sentence, a wingless bird is used as a symbol for rumor. This is because a wingless bird can not fly or do anything that a bird should do; it's useless. This is like a rumor because rumors mean absolutely nothing, even though they are taken seriously frequently in this book.
Towards the end of the passage, the people of the town "squatted under the trees and waited" (pg. 130). This is another example of the tree motif. Throughout the book, trees have been used as a representation of the emotions being felt by the characters. When Janie was feeling unimportant, she "watched the shadow of herself" (pg. 119) working, but she really wasn't doing anything. To show this feeling, she was sitting under a shady tree. When Joe and Janie had just arrived at the town, everybody was very exited to see the town be built. When the supplies were brought in, the were "piled under the big live oak tree" (pg. 65). The tree was big and live because it represented the excitement of the people and the promise of a prospering town.
In the last sentence, a wingless bird is used as a symbol for rumor. This is because a wingless bird can not fly or do anything that a bird should do; it's useless. This is like a rumor because rumors mean absolutely nothing, even though they are taken seriously frequently in this book.
Journal #5
Zora Neal Hurston uses the motif of judgment throughout her book in order to show how the expectations of others impacts the lives of those being judged.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Journal #4
FYI, my copy of the book is different from most of the books so my page numbers are different.
One pattern throughout the book so far is the flower dust motif. It represents happiness for Janie. It first appeared when she was lying under the tree when she saw the bee with the flower (pg. 24). The flower dust is mentioned again when Janie leaves with Joe. She is extremely happy at this point and expecting "to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything" for the rest of her life (pg. 54). After Joe hits Janie for the first time, it was said that she no longer have "dusting pollen over her man" (pg. 112). In this instance, the lack of dust represents unhappiness.
Judgment is another motif in this book. Someone is constantly talking about someone else. For example, in the beginning of the book when Janie returns and is talking to Pheoby. Pheoby explains how judgment is always present in the world, "So long as they get a name to gnaw on they don't care whose it is, and what about, 'specially if they can make it sound like evil." (pg. 17) Another example of someone being judged is when Matt Bonner is made fun of for his mule (pg. 82). This is done as a form of entertainment for the men on the porch, but it is always done at the expense of someone else.
Another pattern is color. White is portrayed as a beautiful or powerful color. This has a particularly large impact on the story because of the time period and the area in which it takes place. For example, when Joe had his house built, he had it painted "a gloaty, sparkly white". He painted his house this way in order to show is authority in the town; it worked. Everyone else in the town felt that his house was the center of the town, and the color made this an even stronger idea. Another example of white being portrayed as a "good" color is when the men on the porch are trying to impress the women walking by. When a woman named Daisy is walking by, she is wearing white clothes. She has "big black eyes with plenty shiny white in them" and her hair has "a kind of white flavor" (pg. 106). This woman is thought of as beautiful, and almost every description of her included the color white. This shows how white is used to put a positive outlook on what it is being used to describe.
One pattern throughout the book so far is the flower dust motif. It represents happiness for Janie. It first appeared when she was lying under the tree when she saw the bee with the flower (pg. 24). The flower dust is mentioned again when Janie leaves with Joe. She is extremely happy at this point and expecting "to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything" for the rest of her life (pg. 54). After Joe hits Janie for the first time, it was said that she no longer have "dusting pollen over her man" (pg. 112). In this instance, the lack of dust represents unhappiness.
Judgment is another motif in this book. Someone is constantly talking about someone else. For example, in the beginning of the book when Janie returns and is talking to Pheoby. Pheoby explains how judgment is always present in the world, "So long as they get a name to gnaw on they don't care whose it is, and what about, 'specially if they can make it sound like evil." (pg. 17) Another example of someone being judged is when Matt Bonner is made fun of for his mule (pg. 82). This is done as a form of entertainment for the men on the porch, but it is always done at the expense of someone else.
Another pattern is color. White is portrayed as a beautiful or powerful color. This has a particularly large impact on the story because of the time period and the area in which it takes place. For example, when Joe had his house built, he had it painted "a gloaty, sparkly white". He painted his house this way in order to show is authority in the town; it worked. Everyone else in the town felt that his house was the center of the town, and the color made this an even stronger idea. Another example of white being portrayed as a "good" color is when the men on the porch are trying to impress the women walking by. When a woman named Daisy is walking by, she is wearing white clothes. She has "big black eyes with plenty shiny white in them" and her hair has "a kind of white flavor" (pg. 106). This woman is thought of as beautiful, and almost every description of her included the color white. This shows how white is used to put a positive outlook on what it is being used to describe.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Journal #3
The Harlem Renaissance figure that I researched is Duke Ellington. He was a very well known musician at this time. His music appealed to both black and white listeners, which helped provide them with common ground. He wrote many songs and touched many people with his music.
I chose to do an east coast dialect because I am originally from New Jersey and I am accustomed to the dialect.
Pronunciation
-er endings go to -ah (ex: paper = papah)
Words tend to be fused into one (ex: five dollars = fi-dallahs)
er in the middle of words sounds like oye (ex: New Jersey = New Joisy)
beautiful is pronounced as beauty-ful
Vocabulary
Managutz = an Italian pasta dish
Gravy = tomato sauce
Gubalini = hat
Grammar
singular and plural get mixed up with words like don't or doesn't (ex: he don't like that)
some words are left out (ex: why did you do that? = why you do that?)
the word "eh" is added to the end of a question, used similarly as huh (ex: how are you today eh?)
Just to reinforce the stereotypical name for someone on the east coast, my character is named Vince.
As Vince walked down the street, he heard amazing music that he had never heard before being played very well by a man.
"That music is beautyful," said Vinny, "I'm Vince, got a name?"
The man took a break from playing and looked up.
"My name is Duke, Duke Ellington", he said.
Impressed and intrigued by this new music, Vinny couldn't contain his excitement.
"What do you call that music eh? Never heard it before", he said.
Pleased to enlighten his new fan, Duke said with a smile on his face, "Well, I hate to describe an entire type of music with one word, but it's known an jazz"
"Jazz eh? How come I never heard it before?", said Vince.
"Its just startin' up now, but it's gonna be big, believe me", Duke said with some excitement of his own.
"If it all sounds somethin like what you'se was just playin, you bettah believe I'll be listenin to it", said Vince.
I chose to do an east coast dialect because I am originally from New Jersey and I am accustomed to the dialect.
Pronunciation
-er endings go to -ah (ex: paper = papah)
Words tend to be fused into one (ex: five dollars = fi-dallahs)
er in the middle of words sounds like oye (ex: New Jersey = New Joisy)
beautiful is pronounced as beauty-ful
Vocabulary
Managutz = an Italian pasta dish
Gravy = tomato sauce
Gubalini = hat
Grammar
singular and plural get mixed up with words like don't or doesn't (ex: he don't like that)
some words are left out (ex: why did you do that? = why you do that?)
the word "eh" is added to the end of a question, used similarly as huh (ex: how are you today eh?)
Just to reinforce the stereotypical name for someone on the east coast, my character is named Vince.
As Vince walked down the street, he heard amazing music that he had never heard before being played very well by a man.
"That music is beautyful," said Vinny, "I'm Vince, got a name?"
The man took a break from playing and looked up.
"My name is Duke, Duke Ellington", he said.
Impressed and intrigued by this new music, Vinny couldn't contain his excitement.
"What do you call that music eh? Never heard it before", he said.
Pleased to enlighten his new fan, Duke said with a smile on his face, "Well, I hate to describe an entire type of music with one word, but it's known an jazz"
"Jazz eh? How come I never heard it before?", said Vince.
"Its just startin' up now, but it's gonna be big, believe me", Duke said with some excitement of his own.
"If it all sounds somethin like what you'se was just playin, you bettah believe I'll be listenin to it", said Vince.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Journal #2
"Through pollinated air she saw a glorious being coming up the road. In her former blindness she had known him as shiftless Johnny Taylor, tall and lean. That was before the golden dust of pollen had beglamored his rags and her eyes" (Hurston, 25)
This paragraph is about perspective. Before her experience with the bee and the pear tree, Janie viewed this boy as "shiftless". He wasnt anything special. But after the pear tree, she sees him as a "glorious being". The recurring idea of judgment and its impact on life is present here. The symbol of pollen being present is mentioned twice in this paragraph because the pollen represents enlightenment in the sense that her eyes were opened to a new perspective by the pollen from the tree. The scene is set with the phrase "through the pollinated air". Her change in perspective is marked by the "golden dust of pollen" that "beglamored his rags and her eyes", it made her see past his exterior. She refers to her perspective before the pollen as blindness, because she had never considered life in this new way. This short paragraph shows the importance of considering more than one point of view. Once Janie started doing this, she was able to enjoy the company of Johnny without the limitation of her previous judgments of him.
This paragraph is about perspective. Before her experience with the bee and the pear tree, Janie viewed this boy as "shiftless". He wasnt anything special. But after the pear tree, she sees him as a "glorious being". The recurring idea of judgment and its impact on life is present here. The symbol of pollen being present is mentioned twice in this paragraph because the pollen represents enlightenment in the sense that her eyes were opened to a new perspective by the pollen from the tree. The scene is set with the phrase "through the pollinated air". Her change in perspective is marked by the "golden dust of pollen" that "beglamored his rags and her eyes", it made her see past his exterior. She refers to her perspective before the pollen as blindness, because she had never considered life in this new way. This short paragraph shows the importance of considering more than one point of view. Once Janie started doing this, she was able to enjoy the company of Johnny without the limitation of her previous judgments of him.
Journal #1
If I were to tell a story of my own that is similar to that of Janie, I would tell it to a close friend. This is because a friend is the most likely person to understand what I would be trying to say and see it from my point of view. I feel that if this story was to be told to a family member, they would be very judgmental and not be able to understand the situation, even though family members are the closest people in my life. At the same time, close friends are also very influential and have opinions that I respect and value. Since I feel that they can see from my point of view, their opinions would have even more meaning to me.
I would tell this story starting with what I learned from it, a theme or moral. This gives the story a structure from the beginning and can help justify or explain the actions that were taken. If the listener can know what the end meaning or goal of the story is, they can better understand everything that happens on the way to finding it. For example, after reading Their Eyes Were Watching God all the way through and then revisiting it, knowing some of the desired themes have helped explain just the first page. This is why I would start the story with a theme.
I would tell this story starting with what I learned from it, a theme or moral. This gives the story a structure from the beginning and can help justify or explain the actions that were taken. If the listener can know what the end meaning or goal of the story is, they can better understand everything that happens on the way to finding it. For example, after reading Their Eyes Were Watching God all the way through and then revisiting it, knowing some of the desired themes have helped explain just the first page. This is why I would start the story with a theme.
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