Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Journal 7

Theme words :

Death
Gender issues
Religion
Jealousy
Time
Freedom
Relations
Dreams

1. Hurston illustrates the need for people to strive to obtain an ambition or dream they have even if they know they are going to fail.

2. Hurston uses time to better contrast Janie's mentality in different sections of the book to show how differently she handles and is in relationships.

3. Hurston uses jealousy to illustrate how vicious people can become through their own jealousy brought out by simple insecurity in oneself.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Journal 6

1. In the first sentence Annie Taylor's death is spoken of to illustrate Janie's fear of not realizing her dreams.

2. I believe the purpose of the second paragraph is to compound the uncertainty Janie holds of her future.

3. In the third paragraph Hurston display's a sense of hope that Janie can attach to by "waking up" with the sun rising.

Purpose : The overall purpose of this passage is to contrast the feeling of uncertainty Janie holds towards her future and the chance of realizing her dreams with hope for the future that she will.

Adria blog -
The personification of the sun could be another reference to God. It could just be a stereotypical idea of God "dressed all in white" and just emphasizing the motif.

Xiao blog -
I liked your idea behind the white vs red contrast. The colors in this book are interesting and I think play an integral role in developing the theme and mood.

Emily blog -
Your observation of Hurstons use of "Ah'm" was really interesting to think about it. I agree that it makes you feel a lot closer to Janie's pleading because you find yourself pronouncing it how its spelled without thinking beforehand, so you find yourself pleading with her.

Journal 5

They put her to bed and sent for her married daughter from up around Ocala to come see about her.  The daughter came as soon as she could and took Annie Tyler away to die in peace.  She had waited all her life or something, and it had killed her when it found her.
      The thing made itself into pictures and hung around Janie's bedside all night long.  Anyhow, she wasn't going back to Eatonville to be laughed at and pitied.  She had ten dollars in her pocket and twelve hundred in the bank.  But oh God, don't let Tea Cake be off somewhere hurt and Ah not know nothing about it.  And God, please suh, don't let him love nobody else but me.  Maybe Ah'm is uf fool, Lawd, lad dey say, but Lawd, Ah been so lonesome, and Ah been waitin', Jesus.  Ah done waited uh long time.
      Janie dozed off to sleep but she woke up in time to see the sun sending up spies ahead of him to mark out the road through the dark.  he peeped up over the door sill of the world and made a little foolishness with red.  but pretty soon, he laid all that aside and went about his business dressed all in white.  But it was always going to be dark to Janie if Tea Cake didn't soon come back.  She got out of the bed but a chair couldn't hold her.  she dwindled down on the floor her head in a rocking chair.

(Hurston, 119-120)

Parallel structure - It's interesting how this passage is constructed. First when its talking about Annie Taylor, she goes to bed and it talks about how she was going after her dreams and it "killed her when it found her". Then it goes straight to Janie talking about her dreams, and then it says Janie goes to sleep. I believe Hurston, through this passage, is trying to say that Janie hasn't realized her dreams. Not having realized her dreams could mean she'll only be happy when she's free from being oppressed?

Repetition - The repetition of the word god and lawd, or lord, could be Hurston trying to emphacize Janie's situation. She so desperately wants to realize her dreams. Whether or not being with Tea Cake is her ultimate dream I don't think matters either, just the fact that she thinks it is.

Motif - I believe the repetition and parallel structure also help create a motif of light vs dark. God is represented by light normally and then its juxtaposed in this passage with darkness, death, falling asleep etc.

Mood : The mood I feel best describes this passage is uncertainty.

I believe the purpose of the passage is to show the contrasting sides of what could happen. On one side there's Annie Taylor who has died in peace after finally realizing and attaining her dreams. However,  then it immidiately flips to Janie who describes her dreams having not been fulfilled; Tea Cake isn't there with her. At this point we don't really know whether or not he will come back. Furthermore, we don't really understand whether this is her ultimate goal.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Eyes Journal 4

 So Janie began to think of Dreams. Dreams, that small creature with the big presence who lived deep down inside. The big one who lived in the old box like a prison with a padlock, and without another exit. What need do Dreams have for a release, and what ideas can knock him down? He waits in his small box tucked into a deep crevice. Sits ready and motionless all day with his head held high, waiting for his master to release him. Been sitting there before there was light, night or blight. She was likely to spot a glimpse of his genius crawling to the surface any day now. She was mad and disheartened as well. Unlucky Jack! He shouldn't have to be confused in there alone. She sent Michael in to promote a meeting, but Jack said No. These psychologists were all right with the Godly sick, but they lacked the understanding for a situation such as this. He'd be fine right when the two headed dog spotted what was hidden right in front of him. He would never not exist. That was what he hoped. But Michael informed her the opposite, so she realized. After then if he hadn't the next day she was promised to know, for creatures met in the park under the moon and willow tree. People too timid previously strolled through and did not come close. Just laid under the grass's will wished. Whisper, that fin-less fish, had circled the village.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Eyes Journal 3

In chapter 6 Hurston characterizes Hurston as a very docile character. In this quote, Janie again submits to her subliminal training by Jodie and keeps quiet "So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned how to hush". She does this even though she has something to say and illustrates just how insecure she is with herself. However, the transformation in herself is remarkable compared to the first chapter when she's entering the town. He strolls through all the towns people sitting on their porches whispering about her but it seems like it doesn't bother her anymore. This I believe juxtaposes the change in her personality when set right next to the following chapters, 6 included. This could also be the reason why Hurston chose to flip the chronological order of events, to show the growth of Janie as an individual.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Eyes Journal 2

"Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home." Janie made her face laugh after a short pause, but it wasn't too easy. She had never thought of making a speech, and didn't know if she cared to make one at all. It must have been the way Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom off of things. But anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold. He strode along invested with his new dignity, thought and planned out loud, unconscious of her thoughts. "de mayor of uh town lak dis can't lay round home too much. De place needs buildin' up. Janie, Ah'll git hold uh some body tuh help out in the de store and you kin look after things whilst Ah drum up things otherwise." "Oh Jody, Ah can't do nothin' wid no store lessen youse there. Ah could maybe come in and help you when things git rushed," (Page 43).

Motif - "She's uh woman and her place is in de home." This is a motif because of the racial and sexist expectations of both African Americans and women that are expressed. This would likely be a motif for any novel written in this time period when both suffrage and civil rights were just getting started.

Symbol - "mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-making'" In this quote, it almost seems implied that when "speech making" is said it could be interpreted to mean general intelligence. The only expectation Janie is held to is that of a house keeper as her "place is in de home".

Antihero - "Oh Jody, Ah can't do nothin' wid no store lessen youse there." Here, a line spoken to Jody portrays him in an unfavorable light when reading it. It makes it seem like Janie is again totally helpless without Jody or a male figure.


Mood - Cordial


Tone - Condescending


Purpose - The purpose of this section of the novel could be to see the effect that sexism and racism has on an individual, Janie in this case. Later on she's transforms into a carefree women who is seemingly strong willed. But, right now she seems weak and generally docile. First there's this idea that all women have a predetermined role which can only be fulfilled within a a kitchen. On top of this you have the belief that they have no real intelligence and they have no business sense.