Can I just say WOW!?! I cannot believe that Janie shot and killed Tea Cake. I found that some of the same situations that Janie was faced with in her marriage to Jody she was faced with again in her marriage to Tea Cake. They were both mean at the end of their marriages, they both passed away, and they both went to sleep in different bedrooms.
I think that the separate bedrooms is of great symbolism. In both marriages it represented an end. Jody moved out of the bedroom as soon as Janie stood up for herself,and commented on his manhood. On page 183 the dialogue between Janie an Tea Cake represents that the marriage is soon going to end. When Tea Cake states "Janie, how come you can't sleep in de same bed wid me no mo? How come you ruther sleep on uh pallet than tuh sleep in de bed wid me? This passage shows the misunderstanding and lack of communication that the two characters show. Even though Tea Cake was sick and delusional, the communication was not there. He even accused her of cheating on him. His personality does a 180 and still Janie does not communicate with him.
When Janie shoots her beloved Tea Cake, it shows the strength that she now has. In the beginning of the novel, she was under the rule of the men. Now she was in charge. I was reminded of the book Old Yeller. The young boy loves his dog so much, but he has the ability and strength to shoot and kill him. I saw this strength in Janie. Her ability to defend herself by killing her husband is remarkable, however, I'm not sure what Huston's point of this was.
I was happy with the way this novel ended. I liked the fact that Janie got off on killing her husband. She really truly loved him. She buried him with respect. I also liked the full circle ending in which Hurston referenced in the begging of the book and the overalls. At first it was hard to understand where she was going with that. Hurston left me fulfilled unlike any author that we have read prior to this point. The main character found love, and isn't that what we are all looking for regardless to race?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Janie
I am very suprised and happy to see how the character Janie has developed. It is impecable to see Hurston write about a woman character like this, especially during the enlightment of Women's Rights.
Janie sticks up for herself on page 78 and 79 of the novel, not only did she speak up for herself she spoke up to a man. I loved how she spoke up for her rights to look good and age well. This passage was just the start of her own sexual revolution. She put down "her man." He then moves out, Hurston is trying to portraty a sterotype between men and women. This is a different syle of writing in which we as a class have not read before.
I also like the passage right after Jody had passed. Page 87 describes it the best "She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight the length the glory was there." It is almost as if she is stripping the way of the past, and the feeling of being old that Jody had instilled in her. She knew that her marriage was over long a go but she still had to apear to be upset about Jody's passing.
That night she burnt her head rags. I imagined this as women buring their bras in the 1960's. She was standing up for her right to bare all for the wold to see she. She was no longer Jody's wife. She was her own person with her own style.
Hurston really is showing the race relations and the gender differenecs for the time period, I'm really not sure if other writers that we have read really portray this. If anybody can think of one let me know!
Janie sticks up for herself on page 78 and 79 of the novel, not only did she speak up for herself she spoke up to a man. I loved how she spoke up for her rights to look good and age well. This passage was just the start of her own sexual revolution. She put down "her man." He then moves out, Hurston is trying to portraty a sterotype between men and women. This is a different syle of writing in which we as a class have not read before.
I also like the passage right after Jody had passed. Page 87 describes it the best "She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight the length the glory was there." It is almost as if she is stripping the way of the past, and the feeling of being old that Jody had instilled in her. She knew that her marriage was over long a go but she still had to apear to be upset about Jody's passing.
That night she burnt her head rags. I imagined this as women buring their bras in the 1960's. She was standing up for her right to bare all for the wold to see she. She was no longer Jody's wife. She was her own person with her own style.
Hurston really is showing the race relations and the gender differenecs for the time period, I'm really not sure if other writers that we have read really portray this. If anybody can think of one let me know!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Hurston
I was relieved that we had a smaller text this week, not to mention that we were now off the subject of poetry. However, I quickly found out when I opened the book Their Eyes were Watching God that I was very wrong about being excited. The first page alone, made me confused on the setting. After I figured that out I was slapped in the face, with souther dialect.
Reading southern dialect is difficult. It takes more time reading, and comprehending then what poetry does. I often times hear myself reading outloud and trying to decode these sounds. Even though it is difficult to read, I feel though that this is beneficial to Hurston's writing. It gives the reader a feeling of being part of the setting.
One of the parts of the story the really stood out to me was on page 9. Janie did not recognize herself in the picture. She did not know herself to be black. This part of the book reminded me of Johnson's "Autobiography of an Ex Coloured Man," He did not realize that he was black either,however, he could pass as white, whereas Janie was very dark, and most likely could not pass. This is eveident in her nickname "Alaphabet" she acquired that name because everybody called her different nicknames, which made me think about her charcetr. She ment somthing to everybody, which raised the question of where did she really belong?
The charcter Nanny reminded me of the character Mother Mason in the Brownie Book. She constantly tries to tell Janie that love will eventualy come in her marriage. She seems like a charcter with lots of knowledge. " Ah was born back due in slavery so it wasn't fir ne to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be and to do." Is a line that that really reminds me of Mother Mason, she preached about slavery and how the young generation have so many opportunities. I think that Nanny can become a well developed charachter.
The scene on page 16 also reminds me of a poem by Langston Hughes,"From Mother to Son." An older generation is telling stories of the past while the younger person is being rocked.
All ready during this reading I can find many similarities between Hurston and other authors. I'm really enjoying the novel it already has some scandel in it, unlike Nella Laren's "Passing!"
Reading southern dialect is difficult. It takes more time reading, and comprehending then what poetry does. I often times hear myself reading outloud and trying to decode these sounds. Even though it is difficult to read, I feel though that this is beneficial to Hurston's writing. It gives the reader a feeling of being part of the setting.
One of the parts of the story the really stood out to me was on page 9. Janie did not recognize herself in the picture. She did not know herself to be black. This part of the book reminded me of Johnson's "Autobiography of an Ex Coloured Man," He did not realize that he was black either,however, he could pass as white, whereas Janie was very dark, and most likely could not pass. This is eveident in her nickname "Alaphabet" she acquired that name because everybody called her different nicknames, which made me think about her charcetr. She ment somthing to everybody, which raised the question of where did she really belong?
The charcter Nanny reminded me of the character Mother Mason in the Brownie Book. She constantly tries to tell Janie that love will eventualy come in her marriage. She seems like a charcter with lots of knowledge. " Ah was born back due in slavery so it wasn't fir ne to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be and to do." Is a line that that really reminds me of Mother Mason, she preached about slavery and how the young generation have so many opportunities. I think that Nanny can become a well developed charachter.
The scene on page 16 also reminds me of a poem by Langston Hughes,"From Mother to Son." An older generation is telling stories of the past while the younger person is being rocked.
All ready during this reading I can find many similarities between Hurston and other authors. I'm really enjoying the novel it already has some scandel in it, unlike Nella Laren's "Passing!"
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Hughes
Langston Hughes's poems were very refreshing to read after Cullen. His poems were more straight forward. It's ironic that they were written during the same time period.
I enjoyed Hughes poem "Negro." It reminded me of McKay's poem, and how he talked about Africa.
I enjoyed it because as you disect it the first line is talking about the past in a different part of the country, while the second like in about the present United States. One of the strongest lines in the poem is "I've been a Victim: The Belgians cut off my hands in the congo. They lynch me still in the Mississippi." I think this is a great portrayal of race relations in the present time. That they used to cut off his hands, but now they are just lynching them, and also is is depending on area's of the region. Belgium and the southern United States.
I also like the poem "A Song to a Negro Wash-woman." I thought that this piece of writing can be related to a lot of our other readings. I think that you could relate this to Cullen's poems, or even Toomer's Cane. I think that Hughes uses a lot of describing nature words. He uses words like white and spring to sybolize purity. Also you could relate it to Jonson's article on Harlem. He spoke about how men and women who were just poor begger wash women were now being able to afford houses.
I liked the lines
"Yes, I know you wash-woman. I know how you send your children to school, high school, and even college.I know how you work and help your man when times are hard. I know how you build your house up from the wash tuband call it home. and how you raise your chuches from the white suds for the service of the Holy God.
I think this section proved inspiration for women. During the same time that the civil rights movement was popular so was the woman's rights movement. The line above shows Hughes support towards women. This was another popular cause that harlem renissance writers would also support.
I enjoy reading Hughes, however, sometimes he can be tricky to read because he is so straight forward.
I enjoyed Hughes poem "Negro." It reminded me of McKay's poem, and how he talked about Africa.
I enjoyed it because as you disect it the first line is talking about the past in a different part of the country, while the second like in about the present United States. One of the strongest lines in the poem is "I've been a Victim: The Belgians cut off my hands in the congo. They lynch me still in the Mississippi." I think this is a great portrayal of race relations in the present time. That they used to cut off his hands, but now they are just lynching them, and also is is depending on area's of the region. Belgium and the southern United States.
I also like the poem "A Song to a Negro Wash-woman." I thought that this piece of writing can be related to a lot of our other readings. I think that you could relate this to Cullen's poems, or even Toomer's Cane. I think that Hughes uses a lot of describing nature words. He uses words like white and spring to sybolize purity. Also you could relate it to Jonson's article on Harlem. He spoke about how men and women who were just poor begger wash women were now being able to afford houses.
I liked the lines
"Yes, I know you wash-woman. I know how you send your children to school, high school, and even college.I know how you work and help your man when times are hard. I know how you build your house up from the wash tuband call it home. and how you raise your chuches from the white suds for the service of the Holy God.
I think this section proved inspiration for women. During the same time that the civil rights movement was popular so was the woman's rights movement. The line above shows Hughes support towards women. This was another popular cause that harlem renissance writers would also support.
I enjoy reading Hughes, however, sometimes he can be tricky to read because he is so straight forward.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
On These I Stand
I am really enjoying reading the poems by Countee Cullen. I like how he uses more traditional writing. He uses rhyme schemes that most of the other poets did not use. This makes it easier for the audience to read. I find it very ironic that Cullen uses a lot of refrence to the bible and also confuses his audience on homosexual concepts.
I particullary liked two of the poems that were included in the reading. I liked "Tableau" and " A song of Sour Grapes."
"A Song of Sour Grapes" I liked because it is a little different than his other writings. It has a traditional flow, but the feeling is more of hatered. If you compare it to his "A Song of Praise" where you get a sort of happy in love feeling.
"Tableau" was another favorite. I liked it because you can sense some confusion in the poem. The lines "From lowered blinds the dark folk stare, and here the fair folk talk. Indiognant that these two should dare in unison to walk.
These lines were great. You do not know if the people are staring because of the color line of because they are two men walking arm in arm. This poem reminds me a lot of Nella Larsen's "Passing." It seems as though Cullen is trying to pass as a straight man, but yet his writing has some sort of homosexual theme.
Like Clare, he is trying to pass in both societies. Clare is portraying to her husband that she is white when in reality she is black. In a sense Clare is not being truly honest in society or truly honest in her marriage.
In this poem Cullen seems to be portraying the same thing. He is also lying in his marriage. It isn't that he is trying to pass as a white man, he is trying to pass for a straight man. This poem may have some subtle look into his life. Maybe he had a white male signifaigant other, and it came out in his poetry. Perhaps we will never know!
I particullary liked two of the poems that were included in the reading. I liked "Tableau" and " A song of Sour Grapes."
"A Song of Sour Grapes" I liked because it is a little different than his other writings. It has a traditional flow, but the feeling is more of hatered. If you compare it to his "A Song of Praise" where you get a sort of happy in love feeling.
"Tableau" was another favorite. I liked it because you can sense some confusion in the poem. The lines "From lowered blinds the dark folk stare, and here the fair folk talk. Indiognant that these two should dare in unison to walk.
These lines were great. You do not know if the people are staring because of the color line of because they are two men walking arm in arm. This poem reminds me a lot of Nella Larsen's "Passing." It seems as though Cullen is trying to pass as a straight man, but yet his writing has some sort of homosexual theme.
Like Clare, he is trying to pass in both societies. Clare is portraying to her husband that she is white when in reality she is black. In a sense Clare is not being truly honest in society or truly honest in her marriage.
In this poem Cullen seems to be portraying the same thing. He is also lying in his marriage. It isn't that he is trying to pass as a white man, he is trying to pass for a straight man. This poem may have some subtle look into his life. Maybe he had a white male signifaigant other, and it came out in his poetry. Perhaps we will never know!
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