I remember reading Their Eyes Were Watching God in high school and feeling instantly drawn into Janie's story and her search for self. In this unit, we will explore our own identities through various writing exercises beginning with the "I am searching for..." Writing Activity. As we read Zora Neale Hurston's novel, use this posting to share your writings and your reactions to the novel. Enjoy!
27 comments:
HELLO BLOGGERS: Their Eyes Were Watching God is an interesting book so far. I mean the concept of " I am searching for"..makes others think if they really know who they are. In Janie's case she does not know who she is. So far the novel reveals her past..maybe thats why she dont know who she is. I mean if I would of went through what she have been through I would of been confused myself. So far to me I dont think it's her fault that she don't know who she is. Her grandma kept her locked in, her first husband to, and now her third husband makes her feel like she has no voice what so ever. Lets see what happanes with her next husband?.. because the ways it's going now... she going to run again. Maybe that's the case...
Their Eyes Were Watching God is an great book.Although it's hard to really understand the text, I'm getting the hang of it. At first I was confused,and Laymaris I agree with you I'm searching for the concept still. But as we read each day I'm getting it.I think Janie should be able to express herself and do as she please and not let her grandmother hold on to her,because at the end of the day it's her.She's young and she should be able too have fun.But I understand back then wasn't the same as now.
i actualy like the text! i thought it was very interesting! i think it makes the class concentrate more on the book. ok so the book itself? well it sems to be very interesting.I love the fact that Jamie's ideas of men and of the world are very much like the ideas of women today. The book really has me off my seat to see wat happens next!
"Their Eyes Were Watching God" has really caught my attention. the text makes the book a little difficult to understand , but im getting the hang of it. Janie is a very interesting character, even though i dont understand why she keeps getting married with different guys. I thought the book was going to be very hard to understand and i wasnt going to like it...but it turned out to be the other way.... i really like the book i hope it keeps getting more and more interesting as we read
Hey everyone! well this book is very interesting. I do agree with my other classmates saying that the book is kind of difficult to understand but once you start reading it, you will understand what the characters are saying. I feel sorry for Janie because she is being controlled by her grandmother, and her 1st and 2nd husband. she doesnt has a voice to defend her rights as a woman.On chapter 6, she is being physically abused by Joe just because he doesnt like the things she do.If she do something wrong in the kitchen, he slaps her on the face. I dont like the fact that Janie is letting Joe take control over her. He doesnt represent the "Pear tree"
anymore for her. He has taken her feminity and sexuality away from her by making her tie her hair just because he gets jealous when men look at her beauty.Well.. this book is getting more and more interesting as we continue reading. I wonder if she will be strong one day and stand up for herself....
Hey Guys!!!....I do agree with Elayne. She has no voice, without that of course he is going o control her. The end of chapter 6 did suprise me a lot, when had something to say of the conversation they were having. The only thing that stood out was her controllin husband telling her she is gettin out of line. I'm wondering how much more can she take. Why does she put up with her husband stuff? If it was me I would of been left.
Happy belated birthday ms. levine, YOUR SO YOUNG!!!!
Okay guys, The Eyes Were Watching God is turning out great!!!I love the fact that Janie is growing and expending her ability to try new things that Joe never let her do on her own.Tea Cake might have change her in some ways and also the death of Joe might have wakening her up.Janie is now in control over her life.I can make a text to self connection. My parents always made me do something I never wanted to do but now that I'm getting older I know whats right and whats wrong.I have a mind of my own.When Janie was my age she was married it might have been cool if it was with someone her age.Well as we keep reading lets just hope that her and Tea Cake make there relationship work cause he's very nice from what we have read and also young.
As we all know Their Eyes Were Watching God is based on finding your identity. A part of your identiti is your voice. Without your voice your no one in life. In the novel Janie's voice has been taking away from Joe. She has no saying to anything. Her voice is not like Joe's. "He had always wanted to be a big voice"(45). As we all know it did happened. Joe became mayor and had everything controlled even Janie as if she was a piece of property. "...but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin"(61). Here's another example where Joe takes her voice away. The whole point of having a voice is that it equals power. It's a way to communicate, to send messages, and much more. Now there is one question I would like to ask is if there is more then just identity to this novel?
hey everyone!!! I do agree with Laymaris about the identity of Janie and I also agree with Clariann. I like the fact that she is finally finding her identity. She is having a voice and people are getting surprised on the way she is changing after Joe died. She left her hair down and doesnt tie it up anymore. she gained voice."Aw naw they don't.They just think they's thinkin'.When ah see one thing Ah understands ten. You see ten things and don't understand one"(90).Here she proves to Joe that she is smarter than him and that he is mistaken on the way he thinks about her.She is finally finding her identity by having a voice and also by trying new things such as when she is with Tea Cake."It was so crazy...that she felt like a child breaking rules"(123).She is feeling like a little girl breaking the rules and having fun with Tea Cake which means that he makes her strong and secure about herself. Her "Pear tree" came back alive after Joe and Logan killed it. Tea Cake is awakening Janie's sexuality again by reviving the " Pear Tree". Well I hope that Janie finds her true Identity and become a strong woman.
Throughout the novel, Zora Neale Hurston uses a lot of symbolism in her writing. Symbolism is when a small idea is used to represent a larger concept.
One example of symbolism is the pear tree metaphor. “Janie had spent most of the day under a blossoming pear tree…from barren brown stems to glistening leaf-buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom” (27). The blossoming pear tree was used to represent Janie’s sexuality and longing for everlasting love.
Another example of symbolism is Janie’s hair. In literature, a woman’s hair can represent many ideas. Some are her individuality, creativity, freedom, femininity, beauty, and independence. “The head rag business irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store” (73).
The next example of symbolism that was mentioned in the novel is voice. Voice plays a huge role in a person’s identity. Identity is one of the main themes in the novel. Voice can also represent power, control, and ability to become a leader. One of the main characters that represented a person with a big voice was Janie’s second husband, Joe. “He always wanted to be a big voice…” (45).
Those are some of the symbolisms used in the novel so far.
Hey guys how everything is going. Through out the book there are clues that info you on what is going to be next. This is called foreshadow, to give a clue for something that would happen. An example of this is “He tipped his hat at the door and was off with the briefest good night (120).”This means that Tea Cake can leave with in the briefest moment. A another example is “On the train the next day, Joe didn’t make many speeches with rhymes to her, but he bought her the best things the butcher had, like apples and a glass lantern full of candles (50).This is quote is important because this shows that Joe is not the pear tree Janie wants. It also shows that Janie would not be loved but, she will be a trophy wife.
Hey everyone! Here's a Quote ID from chapter thirteen.
"He drifted off into sleep and Janie looked dowm on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from it's hiding place" (151).
The speaker of this quote is the narrator. This quote is mentioned after Janie and Tea Cake get married and move to Jacksonville. This quote also occurs right after Tea Cake comes home from gambling and gets injured while he was trying to leave. This quote is significant because it gives the readers a visualization of how much they love each other. We can feel the love and honesty within this relationship. This quote is also significant because this is the chapter where Janie finds her identity. This quote relates to our theme. Throughout the novel Janie has been struggling to find herself; now she has. When she married Joe, Janie created two identities for herself. One of her identities represented her soul being hidden. Now Janie has progressed. Loving and being with Tea Cake allowed her to release her soul from within. This is a new life and begining for Janie. That's why this quote is significant.
do u ever think janie will be totally set free? totally "not controlled"? idk my bff jill, i think its like every person in this world...theres no way to satisfy that need...or is there?...u c i blogged!! lol
Hey guys I hope everyone is having a good vacation. I do agree with Davisa this is a new leaf on life for Janie. Who would have known that they would get married? I guess Janie pear tree metaphor has come to its bloom because her dream has come true. In chapter thirteen tea cake amazes me. For example “An told you’ before dat you got de keys tuh de kingdom.” “You can depend on dat.” This is significant because tea cake is the prince that Janie finally met.
Tea Cake and Janie are in love and that’s beautiful because I don’t think Janie would have thought she would full in love. Also in chapter fourteen Janie is wearing blue denim overalls and this is important. For example “What if Eatonville could see her now in her blue denim overalls and heavy shoes (157)”. This quote is significant because this explains why Janie came back to Eatonville with blue denim overalls. Her surroundings is different and she’s free so who cares how she looks.
i think that georgie is so right because janie is finally free, she has a voice. she is actually being heard too even if its only by tea cake. the great thing about it is that she fount her pear treee metaphor and she is happy and living the life that she wanted. janie fount her identity and im happy for her. i was just waiting for that moment to come for her to realize that she needed to find herself and not be who everybody wanted her to be.
ok guys this whole love thing is great!! like awesome oh wow , like totally freakk me out..but somthing about this Tea Cake is wierd it seems to be fishy!! the whole Janie getting a job thing threw me off!! y should she get a job? (although she enjoys it!) i love how shes so eager to serve her husband! one quote that caught my attention was,"..the higher the monkey climbs, the more backside he shows u." I can personally relate to it and i think its definitly a huge theme, with Janie getting "the better life."
Hello class!!!
While reading chapter sixteen, we have come across a new character. Her name is Mrs. Turner. She is a very opinionated and judgemental woman.
These characteristics about her are easy to comprehend. The one thing that I found difficult to understand is her race.
I am confused on whether she is black or white?
In the novel it says "Ah got white folks features in mah face...even if dey dont't take us in as whites, dey oughta make us uh class tuh ourselves" (165).
If she is black, why does she talk about black people in the manner that she does?
If she is white, then what did she mean when she said "dey don't take us in as whites"?
What do you guys think???
Hey guys I to agree with Davisa Mrs. Turner is an opinionated and judgmental woman and I am also not sure what her race is. Mrs. Turner views her ethnic background in a negative way. I think Mrs. Turner talk about her race in the manner she does because of her up bringing. Also I think it was good Tea Cake was there to hear what Mrs. Turner said to Janie and I think it is good that Tea Cake inform Janie that she is not the best person to be around. “Since she hate black folks so, she don’t need our money in her ol’ eatin’ place (166)”.This is significant because why would you be in a place that you are not liked or spend money that is not wanted from you.
In addition to that I think Mrs. Turner behaves that way towards her people because she’s unhappy. I got this idea because when Tea Cake was talking to her husband he found out that all the kids Mrs. Turner had died.“Ah’ reckon you ain’t ‘cause dey all passed on befo’dis one wuz born. (167)”.This is significant because this maybe why Mrs. Turner is opinionated and judgmental.
In tonight's reading, I was able to win back my sympathy for Tea Cake. In chapter eighteen, Tea Cake and Janie flee to escape the hurricane. While doing so Janie ends up having a hard time swimming and gets into trouble with a dog. The dog tries to kill her and she panics. Tea Cake comes over and fights the dog. He ends up killing the dog with his knife. He also ends up with a bite mark on his cheek. "You was twice noble tuh save me from dat dawg. Tea Cake, Ah don't speck you seen his eyes lak Ah did. He didn't aim tuh jus' bite me, Tea Cake. He aimed tuh kill me stone dead. Ah'm never tuh fuhgit dem eyes" (191).
Not only does this make me believe that Tea Cake does represent the "Pear Tree", it also has a significance with readers being able to make a prediction or foreshadowing. Since readers already know that Tea Cake will die, we can infer that he will die from some sort of infection from the dog bite. In the novel it says that the dog was angry and full of hate, and then after Tea Cake kills him they are unable to find a doctor at Palm Beach. That's how this scene in chapter eighteen was able to allow readers to make a prediction about Tea Cake and provides an example about the relationship between Tea Cake, Janie, and the "Pear Tree".
Ciao classe! (Italian)
Last night's reading was intense. I felt sorry for Janie, for the fact that she lost her husband, Tea Cake. She had to shoot him to save her own life. I can't believe it! I thought he was going to die from an infection from the bite. It turns out that Janie used her skills of shooting to kill him. She had good reason to do so and I am glad that the judge did not find her guilty of his murder.
Janie's story has almost come to an end and I have a question.
Is she going to use this experience as a positive to help her grow stronger, or is she going to take it as a negative experience and sink into a depression?
What does everyone think???
ummm ok so Thankx davisa for the ending of the book! no need 4 mi to read anymore!! anywho, this book has been in my head a lot latley. idk if this is apprioate, but the fact that im christian and im growin in my faith helps me understand how janie has grown into something so beautifully!! it rockz!!!
HelloO classmates!! Wow I cant believe the way that the book ended. The last thing that I ever thought of was the fact that Janie was going to kill Tea Cake. But I also understand the fact that Janie had to choose either her life or Tea Cake's. She had to defend herself even though she loved him. I also like that Janie took everything in a positive way. She learned from this experience and is proud of all of the decisions she made. Something that I want to point at is the quote that Janie said that she is too grief to dress up like a grief. this is really interesting because in Joe's Funeral she didn't dressed like a grief because she didnt feel like a grief. But in Tea Cake's funeral, she didnt dressed up like a grief because she felt too grief to dress up like one.This is very Contradicting but I do understand the way she is feeling and the reasons why she didnt dressed up like a grief in any of the funeral.
I really like this book because it is really interesting and it also shows how people need to gain a voice to have "power" or to be able to defend themselves. I also learned that Voice plays a big part in One's Identity. Hope that the book that we are going to read next, will be as interesting as this one... bye!!
Wow, who would have known that the story would come out this way? Janie’s pear tree is dead and he is gone. I know Janie had a good reason to shot Tea Cake, but I think it was the wrost thing for her to do. I think Janie and Tea Cake should have died together. It was a good story to read and as time went on I got to enjoy the book. This book has helped me in my other subjects. For example it has helped me in U.S history and has given me insight to the author life.
eyes are watching god is one of he grratest books i ever read in the history of my life.My first reaction tothis book was very unpleasant because honestly i thought itwas one of those silly books i always read in most of my classes.This book proved me wrong in so many levels especially with the great ending uit had.I have a very positive reaction to the novel as i read it bcause inever thought in a million years how relivant most of the points and symbolism of the novel was,like identity,race,love,nature,power and the likes.How love conquers all fears and helps a person finds their identity.How power silences a persons voice and how a persons silenced voice affects he decisions they make.How power rules and controls a persons a personsidentity,how race affects blacks and whites and how even black folks are racist against their own people.The end of the chapter also proves tha in order to find what you truely hope for,you have to go against all odds and against what people think or how they feel in order to get what your heart desires.''you've got to go there to know there''(chap.20)this quote is significant because until you are actually in a situation,no one else would understand the decisions you make in your journey through live but you.For instance the people in EATONVILLE never nderstood Janies decision to marry TEA CAKE after jody's death buut her and that why she sort for love in the hand f another mas who was capable of fufiling her drean of the blossoming pear tree.
I agree with the rest of u guys this was absolutley one of the best books ive ever read!! the movie was great because it aws visual of what we read!!! nice job Ms. Levine!!!! hope the next book is better..if thats possible...
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