It is interesting that hurston starts off her novel by calling into question a womans ability to accurately look at her past because their eyes were watching god is largely one woman telling her life story. In this chapter in our series on irony, were going to take a close look at cosmic. Of all the characters involved in a story, whose eyes are we looking through. What is the nature of that god and of their watching. Literary analysis their eyes were watching god project. I read the book a while back, and i believe the general tone was somewhat somber, but also very hopeful.
What kind of god are the eyes of hurstons characters watching. In the novel their eyes were watching god, zora neale hurston uses irony to illustrate that women are much more probable to reach their dreams in love than men. Irony is defined as a reality different from what appears to be true. Zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god depicts the journey towards maturity and independence of a young black woman in the south in the. Their eyes were watching god is a narrative about one womans quest to free herself from repression and explore her own identity.
The book depicted a journey through the life of one black woman in florida around the beginning of the 20th century. She interprets many important aspects of life and turns these events into symbols throughout their eyes were watching god. How does hurstons use of irony lend meaning to the narrative. Metaphors in their eyes were watching god, by vanessa lund. What is the role of the porch sitters in their eyes were watching god.
Start studying their eyes were watching god from test. Tony with compassion because the townspeople are present to witness his act of kindness. She lives by the idea that life will be better if she lives in other areas, but. Throughout the novel, the most important theme from their eyes were watching god is search of the main character janie for fulfillment and love in life. Zora neale hurstons novel, their eyes were watching god, is a third person narrative based around the life of a female protagonist, janie crawford.
The students are tasked with identifying examples of dramatic irony, situational irony, and verbal irony within the story. In the novel janie struggles to find someone that honestly loves her and she has to deal with the lost she felt when the she realized that the love that she received is forever lost. From the four novels that zora neale hurston wrote, this novel was written in 1937 while she was on a trip to haiti. Their eyes were watching god is hurstons bestknown work, a novel that centers around janie, a poor black girl raised in florida by her grandmother, who is always searching for something more. In their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston, the author uses all three forms of irony to create dissonance that pushes the reader to want to know more. Pdf many pragmatic accounts of irony were proposed over the last decades. In this lesson, we will look at verbal, dramatic, and situational irony in this novel. Their eyes were watching god is an inspiring and motivating piece of literature. Dramatic irony in their eyes were watching god how ironic. Writers block can be painful, but well help get you over the hump and build a great outline for your paper. Characters janie mae crawford the books main character.
This theory can apply greatly to any novel and richly enhances the understanding of students by looking closely at the text and analyzing the relationships between different aspects. Their eyes were watching god follows the life of janie crawford, a girl of mixed black and white heritage around the turn of the century. Their eyes were watching god is a novel by zora neale hurston that was first published in 1937. Here we will explain to you what the formalistic approach is and how it applies to zora neale hurstons novel, their eyes were watching god. Which type of irony is used when the porch sitters are friendly to janies face, but talk about her behind her back in their eyes were watching god. Symbolism of trees in their eyes were watching god essayszora neale hurston uses symbols throughout the novel to explain events, rather than sating them. What is striking about this example is that the verbal irony doesnt strive to be.
But jodys attacks were verbal, they were expressions of political power. Their eyes were watching god questions and answers. What are some examples of humor in their eyes were. Having set the novel in early twentieth century southern united states, hurston is able to use janie as a vehicle to portray the feminine roles bounded by the society of that time. Because men in this novel associate their sexual prowess with their reputation and worth as a human being, joe is devastated by janies comment. Essay about their eyes were watching god 962 words. Interpret the following statement using incidents from the story. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. An example of diction in their eyes were watching god, the 1937 novel written by zora neale hurston, is when the character janie describes joes appearance. Character analysis janie in their eyes were watching god. Hurston uses foreshadowing in chapter 2 when janie and nanny were talking after nanny had seen janie. Beth this is a line in a dramatic scene in the story, but it also speaks to the way most of the characters didnt understand that the main character hadmore this is a line in a dramatic scene in the story, but it also speaks to the way most of the characters didnt understand that the main character had claimed her place in the world as a young woman and her choices were made from a deeply. Define and characterize the genre of their eyes were watching god. Their eyes were watching god is a novel about a woman and the trials and tribulations that she goes through while trying to find the true meaning of love and loss.
In this way, women ensure that they see themselves as living out their dreams. Irony in its broadest sense, is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or event in which what. Formalistic approach on their eyes were watching god home. In the first quote, hurston in many ways accuses blacks of looking to whites to learn what their futures hold. Analyze how point of view enhances literary irony, humor, suspense and mood with this no prep lesson plan, student handouts and answer key. Jan 03, 2009 dramatic irony in their eyes were watching god how ironic. Their eyes were watching god by mario lopez on prezi. Janie comes from a mixed black and white heritage around the turn of the century.
The meaning of love and loss in their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston 1435 words 6 pages. Their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston classics corner is a feature in which i highlight those classics that i am reading and offer my views and comments in the hopes that you will be inspired to read some of them in addition to all the great ya reads out there. A summary of chapters 910 in zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god. Love in their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston. Janie and nanny live in the backyard guesthouse of the washburns, a white couple in the neighborhood. Verbal, situational, and dramatic irony will be defined, but the focus of the. In the novel their eyes were watching god, hurston uses several literary devices to help make points or draw the readers attention to something. Symbolism of trees in their eyes were watching god essays.
An unnamed woman returns at sunset to a small town in the american south that was once a place she called home. Cosmic irony occurs when the gods fates show him that his goodness and all his talents are. She is africanamerican but has very white features. Free symbolism in their eyes were watching god essay. Hurston was an african american author, born in eatonville, florida on january 7, 1891. Take our free their eyes were watching god quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. See a complete list of the characters in their eyes were watching god and indepth analyses of janie mae crawford, tea cake, jody starks, nanny crawford, and mrs. Find the best essay sample on ap english language glossary in our leading paper example online catalog. Literary device evaluation their eyes were watching god. The essay offers an analysis of the text in reference to other african american literary works. The personal becomes political in their eyes were watching god and the story is very much about womens selfempowerment, not about race issues as it is commonly misconceived to be. Images in literature are verbal evocations of the senses. Jan 14, 2010 their eyes were watching god follows the life of janie crawford, a girl of mixed black and white heritage around the turn of the century. Hurstons their eyes were watching god detail women and men with their own separate genderbased roles in society.
The function of language and dialect in their eyes were. Vinia delois jennings saartjie baartman, also known as the hottentot venus, was an enslaved khoikhoi woman taken from south africa and put on display throughout europe during the 19th century because of her prominent sexual features. Use music lyrics to teach types of irony, point of view and authors purpose. Can someone help me with irony in their eyes were watching. Folkloric men and female growth in their eyes were. The africanamerican female body as spectacle in hurstonazs. Conclusion the quiet tones found within the ironies, symbols, and themes create a connection that highlights the true meanings of the novel in terms of peoples basic interactions and janies self realization which of course can be applied to modern society and issues prevalent. Their eyes were watching god questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. Hurstons other novels were jonahs gourd vin e 1934, the tale of a black preacher. Double consciousness and their eyes were watching god free. What is the significance of the novels final sentences in this regard. Zora neale hurston does a fantastic job of illuminating language and dialect in her novel their eyes were watching god. Their eyes were watching god tells the story of janie crawford, a southern woman living in florida in the early 1900s. Their eyes were watching god is story that follows janie crawford, a confident, and an attractive young black women that returns to her hometown eatonville in florida after being gone for 2 years.
Literary criticism comparison and assessment projects evaluation. The literary device used throughout their eyes were watching god is irony. With janie, joe has no audience, and so he feels no. Janie is raised by her grandmother nanny, and never met her mother or father. Her struggle with who she wants to be versus who others expect her to be is a central conflict throughout the novel. Zora neale hurston novel, their eyes were watching god is a very important piece of literature written in the late 30s which told the story of a woman and her struggle and quest as a black person, a woman and most importantly, a human being with unique goals and desires. Discuss the significance of these symbols and metaphors in the novel. Essay on gender roles in their eyes were watching god cram. Their eyes were watching god of the many themes that course through zora neale hurston’s well known 1937 novel, their eyes were watching god, the evolution of the protagonist, janie’s, voice is one of the more well known subjects. This download contains a list of twenty commonly used sat words and a quiz over the list. Critical analysis of zora neale hurstons uw courses web. How do janie and each of her men widen her horizons. The readers of the novel their eyes were watching god get a better understanding of the work of fiction and its themes by this beginning sentence. Tea cakes fears are physical janie cheating on him and so is his potential responsea.
Organize your thoughts in 6 simple steps narrow your focus. Hurstons narrative focuses on the emergence of a female self in a maledominated world, she tells her magnificent story of. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in their eyes were watching god, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Irony from the novel their eyes are watching god answers. Analysis about their eyes were watching god english. Their eyes were watching god 1937, which was widely praised as her finest novel, told the story of a young black womans growth toward selfawareness and independence. This frame is a story within a story where janie is telling her lifes tale to her best friend phoeby after returning home from her long journey of finding herself. The africanamerican female body as spectacle in hurstonos their eyes were watching god loren lee advisor.
Their eyes were watching god cliffsnotes study guides. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Their eyes were watching god is one of the texts which were written during that time, and hurston succeeds in presenting the black protest literature. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more. Irony, point of view and authors purpose with music. In the novel their eyes were watching god, the author, zora neale hurston uses a technique called symbolism with the characters to create a story.
Folkloric men and female growth in their eyes were watching god sallyann ferguson a major theme in zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god is the blossoming of janie crawfords consciousness. In this type of irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writers true meaning. Ironies, themes, and symbols in their eyes were watching god. Janies verbal assault on joes manhood is perceived by him as castration, both physically and socially. My first impression on the use of language and dialect in the primary text was one of contrast. Feb 18, 2017 their eyes were watching god tells the story of janie crawford, a southern woman living in florida in the early 1900s. As an adolescent, janie sees a bee pollinating a flower in her backyard pear tree and becomes obsessed with finding true love.
Tony with sympathy and kindness, even though he cannot be compassionate to his own wife. Frame formalistic approach on their eyes were watching god. The story their eyes were watching god, is set up in a frame. Can someone help me with irony in their eyes were watching god. Their eyes were watching god wheelersburg high school. Their eyes were watching god essay examples download. When janie returns to home from an extended time away, she is followed by a. Metaphors in their eyes were watching god, by vanessa.
Irony, symbolism, point of view, metaphor, simile, sensory imagery, and foreshadowing. Zora neale hurstons underlying theme of selfexpression and. What do the names of janies husbands logan killicks, jody starks, vergible tea cake woods tell us about their characters and their relationships with janie. Their eyes were watching god biblical illusions zora neale hurtson uses many allusions in this book old as methusalem pg 78 is one of them. The main character, janie, kept looking for happiness with one of three husbands in different towns of the country.
Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Verbal irony and situational irony are quite similar, while structural irony is quite distinct. Their eyes were watching god homework help questions. In order to reflect fully the powerful influence of patriarchal values in this process, hurston plots janies growth within the context of. Literary criticism evaluation their eyes were watching god. And of their eyes were watching god in particular, he characterizes the narration as a divided voice, a double voice unreconciled 294. Their eyes were watching god from test flashcards quizlet.
Similarly, recent scholarship on their eyes finds that this complex narrative is underlain by a subtext that subverts the surface text. What is the main theme or message of the novel their eyes were watching god. Give examples of symbolism that inform the central theme of the novel. The townspeople, the womans former neighbors, are sitting together on pheoby watson s porch.
The pear trees, bees, and the horizon occur in several instances in their eyes were watching god. Her story, based on selfexploration, selfempowerment, and selfliberation, details her loss and attainment of her innocence and freedom as she constantly learns and grows from her experiences. She wrote their eyes were watching god in seven weeks, which was published on september 18, 1937. In her novel their eyes were watching god, zora neale hurston presents the theme of gender roles and their significance in african american culture during the 1930s.
Verbal irony is when the author or a character says the exact. In considering examples that at rst sight seem to work di erently from the. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of their eyes were watching god and what it means. Zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god depicts the journey towards maturity and independence of a young black woman in the south in the early twentieth century. Folkloric men and female growth in their eyes were watching god. Verbal, dramatic, and situational irony are often used for emphasis in the.