ENGL207 reading response
mometag
engl_207-theireyes.pptxTheir eyes were watching god
Dr. Vincent Williams
Zora Neale Hurston
Raised in all black town
Trained as journalist & anthropologist
Background and training informs and shapes her authenticity in story and language
The Journey of Janey
Narrative of Their Eyes Are Watching God is structured through Janey’s three romantic relationships
Logan Killicks, Jody and Teacake
Her growth through sexual liberation is barely subtext
Sexual Liberation=liberation liberation
Janey’s journey begins with her sexual awakening
The stifling, explotative nature of her marriage with Killicks reflected in her nonexistent sex life
She and Jody jibe in all ways until he begins to get old…and all the symbolism that goes along with it
And then there’s Teacake
Hurston=cultural anthropologist
Hurston’s stories “feel” authentic because of her attention to detail
Linguistically (issues of voice and dialect), Hurston is better than most
Their Eyes’ sense of place is as important as the story itself
legacy
Most important black female voice in literary history
Helped to center a Southern, rural aesthetic
Perfect example of how “political” work functions in various ways
questions
How does the dialect “read” and “sound” to you?
How does this fit in our ongoing conversation?
Frame this as a political work
