Monday, September 17, 2012
Journal: Evaluation of Commentary
The commentary of the passage starts right away and does not let me get a feel as to what the writer feels towards this neither did it let me get a better feel as to what he was going to be diving into. I am not saying that the writer did not do a good job, its just that the overall flow and introduction could have used a little bit more editing and more word choice. I did, although, find some grammatical errors that could have, as I said before, been fixed with some more peer editing. Overall, I think this could have been put a little more time into; but they thought it out a lot and I think almost all o their points did make sense, and they did well.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Journal: Chapter 8-12
In the second paragraph of Chapter 9 Zora Neale Hurston describes Janie getting ready for the funeral and for the mourning. Hurston also describes that Janie has given the people her face of mourning, "She sent her face to Joe's funeral, and herself went rollicking with the springtime across the world," (88). This conveys that Janie is not really mourning for the loss of Janie, but secretly unchained from Joe and can enjoy her special relationship with nature which was taken away from her husband. Hurston uses the simile, "It was like a wall of stone and steel," (88) to bring attention to the fact that her veil was like a wall and something to separate how she showed herself on the outside and how she really felt on the inside; which was a really big comparison one might even say Hurston used juxtapostion to compare these two completely different ideas to bring the reader the attention of how Jody was keeping her down and she needed to be free in order for her to be one with nature and with what she so desires. "Inside the expensive black folds were resurrection and life," (88) helps my point a great deal more by saying that Janie feels that she can live and breath again without the restraints of a man to keep her down.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Journal: Chapter 5-6
In the chapters 5 & 6 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, I felt that my perception of Jody keeps changing over time. In the beginning when Janie and Jody meet, Jody sweet talks to her saying she shouldn't be working behind a plow or doing any kind of hard work for that matter. For example, Jody says,"A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self and eat p'taters that other folks plant just special for you." (29). My thoughts on Jody here seem to be that he is a nice man meant on being polite to her. As I read through it seems that Hurston starts to describe him more like a white man, more than anything and makes it difficult to perceive that Jody is black. Hurston/Janie describes, "Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw. Kind of portly like rich white folks." (34). Hurston also says that Janie starts getting "proud of what she saw", meaning that Janie thought really good about herself that she had chosen a man that she can rely on and that it was of her own choosing. Jody is also very 'in control' about things, and needs to be in charge of every operation he does and he wants it done quick. Once Jody sees how the town is, he immediately demands to see the mayor, i which there is none, and then proceeds to ask questions and take over without anyone's real consent.
Janie and Jody's relationship starts out fine. But once Jody starts feeling more in charge and more demanding once his control over the town, thieir relationship starts tension. Jody starts telling Janie that she isn't a one for making speeches. "mah wife don't know nothin' bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat." (43). Janie feels a little offended that he would not let her make a speech, but dismisses the thought thinking that not like she would ever make one. Janie feels like she is being repressed by Jody not letting her wear her hair out by making her wear a bonnet and yet he makes her do these things for him in a demanding tone, "Janie, Ah reckon you better go fetch me dem old black gaiters. Dese tan shoes sets mah feet on fire." (57). Janie tries really hard not to retaliate too much because she wants the marriage to work out really well. "She got up without a word and went off for the shoes. A little war of defense for helpless things was going on inside her...she wanted to fight about it." (57). Her thoughts reflect that Janie does feel like things are changing a little bit and feels a bit different about their relationship. Janie also alludes to Abraham Lincoln which is also an example of juxtaposition, "Abraham Lincoln, he had de whole United States to rule so he freed de Negroes. You got uh town so you freed the mule." This stands out a lot because Jody is not at all like Lincoln, Jody is power-hungry and only did it to please Janie, while Lincoln did the deed because it was ethical and a good change.
Janie and Jody's relationship starts out fine. But once Jody starts feeling more in charge and more demanding once his control over the town, thieir relationship starts tension. Jody starts telling Janie that she isn't a one for making speeches. "mah wife don't know nothin' bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat." (43). Janie feels a little offended that he would not let her make a speech, but dismisses the thought thinking that not like she would ever make one. Janie feels like she is being repressed by Jody not letting her wear her hair out by making her wear a bonnet and yet he makes her do these things for him in a demanding tone, "Janie, Ah reckon you better go fetch me dem old black gaiters. Dese tan shoes sets mah feet on fire." (57). Janie tries really hard not to retaliate too much because she wants the marriage to work out really well. "She got up without a word and went off for the shoes. A little war of defense for helpless things was going on inside her...she wanted to fight about it." (57). Her thoughts reflect that Janie does feel like things are changing a little bit and feels a bit different about their relationship. Janie also alludes to Abraham Lincoln which is also an example of juxtaposition, "Abraham Lincoln, he had de whole United States to rule so he freed de Negroes. You got uh town so you freed the mule." This stands out a lot because Jody is not at all like Lincoln, Jody is power-hungry and only did it to please Janie, while Lincoln did the deed because it was ethical and a good change.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Literary Term Definitions
Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or sound of adjacent or closely connected words.
Ex. Carrie's cat clawed her couch, creating chaos.
Allusion- an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.
Ex. In the poem "Yet Do I Marvel" by Countee Cullen makes an allusion of the punished King Sisyphus.
Ambiguity- a doubtfulness or uncertainty about the intention or meaning of something, may be something that has more than one interpretation.
Ex. I saw her "duck."
Antagonist- a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or to something; an adversary.
Ex. The antagonist of Super-Man would be Lex Luthor.
Apostrophe- a digression in the form of an address to someone or something not present or dead as if they were alive.
Ex. "Oh Death where is thy sting!"
Protagonist- the leading character, or hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.
Ex. Super-Man in the movie.
Assonance- rhyme in which the same vowel sounds are used with different consonants in the stressed syllables of the rhyming words.
Ex. That solitude that which suits abstruser musings.
Chronology- the sequential order in which past events occur.
Ex. The way that events happen in order in the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God."
Conflict- is the struggle between the opposing forces on which the action in a work of literature depends.
Ex. From the movie Rocky, he has internal conflict.
Connotation-an idea or feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
Ex. Snake - evil and dangerous.
Anthropomorphism- the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.
Ex. Mickey Mouse
Denotation- the literal or primary meaning of a word in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
Ex. The word Home, where a person lives at any given time.
Dialect- a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.
Ex. Janie's dialect from Their eyes were watching God, "ah wanted to see mah chillun."
Diction- the choice and use of words and phrases in each speech or writing.
Ex. "Diction is done with the tip of the tongue and teeth!"
Epiphany- a term in literary criticism for a sudden realization.
Ex. "He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." 1984
Euphemism- the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt.
Ex. "There embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory." (105) 1984
Foil- is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character.
Ex. Horatio is Hamlet's foil.
Hyperbole- is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech.
Ex. "I had a ton of homework last night."
Imagery- when an author of some sort is being visually descriptive or figurative language.
Ex. "I could smell the flowers as they embraced me with their colorful passion, and their pedals were gleaming in the sun and a rainbow had sprung up out of the overwhelming brightness."
Irony- the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, usually for humorous or sympathetic effect.
Ex. He was running across the street in a hurry for his life-or-death shot that could save his life, when an ambulance rushes by and kills him on impact.
Juxtaposition- means put two things next to each other to make them stand out.
Ex. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, the juxtaposition between the dialect of the characters and the eloquent narration.
Metaphor- a figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Ex. A deep dark crowd of evergreens standing arms linked for miles in a silent choir.
Mood- the atmosphere that provides the literary work with the intention of evoking a certain emotion or feeling from the audience.
Ex. Night by Elie Weisel, the mood could make you feel dark and sad.
Motif- a reoccuring image or phrase in literary work.
Ex. Trees are a motif in Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Motivation- the reason a character does something or behaves in a certain way.
Ex. The reason why Janie was still with Jody was because she thought she always needed a man to be happy.
Oxymoron- a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.
Ex. "Icy Hot"
Paradox- a statement that contradicts itself but in reality it can be true.
Ex. Ignorance is strength
Parallel Structure- is a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses.
Ex. We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.
Personification- the attribution to a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions.
Ex. The sea inhaled and exhaled deeply.
Point of View- the narrators position in relation to the story being told.
Ex. "I saw his face, and it looked bad." first person
Onomatopoeia- the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.
Ex. Cuckoo, sizzle, bark!
Satire- holding up human vices and gollies to ridicule and scorn.
Ex. Political comic strips in the newspaper.
Plot- the events that make up a story, particularly as they relate to one another in pattern, sequence, through cause and effect, how the reader views the story , or simply by coincidence.
Ex. Their Eyes Were Watching God; Janie gets married, runs away, finds another man, man dies, marries younger man, has to kill younger man, goes back to town to tell story.
Simile- is a figure of speech that directly compares two things, usually by employing the words "like" or "as".
Ex. Curely was flopping like a fish on a line.
Structure- framework of a work of literature.
Ex. Their Eyes Were Watching God, the story starts on a porch and ends on a porch.
Symbol- a thing that stands for something else, something material representing something abstract.
Ex. The American flag is a symbol for freedom and for our country.
Syntax- the arrangement of words or phrases to create well formed sentences in a language.
Ex. Eyeing the puddle, she jumped in her red galoshes into the massive puddle in front of her; She walked through a puddle in her red shoes.
Theme- is a central topic, subject, or concept the author is trying to point out not to be confused with any message, moral or commentary it might send.
Ex. The theme of Romeo and Juliet is that fate is inevitable.
Tone- is a literary technique that is part of composition which conveys the authors attitude on a certain subject and is directed toward the audience/readers.
Ex. The tone in the poem White Man by Langston Hughes, is portrayed as angry and sarcastic
Universality- the quality of being universal, being everywhere.
Ex. When a person lives a life of goodness he or she is rewarded for those things with good events.
Ex. Carrie's cat clawed her couch, creating chaos.
Allusion- an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.
Ex. In the poem "Yet Do I Marvel" by Countee Cullen makes an allusion of the punished King Sisyphus.
Ambiguity- a doubtfulness or uncertainty about the intention or meaning of something, may be something that has more than one interpretation.
Ex. I saw her "duck."
Antagonist- a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or to something; an adversary.
Ex. The antagonist of Super-Man would be Lex Luthor.
Apostrophe- a digression in the form of an address to someone or something not present or dead as if they were alive.
Ex. "Oh Death where is thy sting!"
Protagonist- the leading character, or hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.
Ex. Super-Man in the movie.
Assonance- rhyme in which the same vowel sounds are used with different consonants in the stressed syllables of the rhyming words.
Ex. That solitude that which suits abstruser musings.
Chronology- the sequential order in which past events occur.
Ex. The way that events happen in order in the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God."
Conflict- is the struggle between the opposing forces on which the action in a work of literature depends.
Ex. From the movie Rocky, he has internal conflict.
Connotation-an idea or feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
Ex. Snake - evil and dangerous.
Anthropomorphism- the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.
Ex. Mickey Mouse
Denotation- the literal or primary meaning of a word in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
Ex. The word Home, where a person lives at any given time.
Dialect- a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.
Ex. Janie's dialect from Their eyes were watching God, "ah wanted to see mah chillun."
Diction- the choice and use of words and phrases in each speech or writing.
Ex. "Diction is done with the tip of the tongue and teeth!"
Epiphany- a term in literary criticism for a sudden realization.
Ex. "He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." 1984
Euphemism- the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt.
Ex. "There embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory." (105) 1984
Foil- is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character.
Ex. Horatio is Hamlet's foil.
Hyperbole- is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech.
Ex. "I had a ton of homework last night."
Imagery- when an author of some sort is being visually descriptive or figurative language.
Ex. "I could smell the flowers as they embraced me with their colorful passion, and their pedals were gleaming in the sun and a rainbow had sprung up out of the overwhelming brightness."
Irony- the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, usually for humorous or sympathetic effect.
Ex. He was running across the street in a hurry for his life-or-death shot that could save his life, when an ambulance rushes by and kills him on impact.
Juxtaposition- means put two things next to each other to make them stand out.
Ex. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, the juxtaposition between the dialect of the characters and the eloquent narration.
Metaphor- a figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Ex. A deep dark crowd of evergreens standing arms linked for miles in a silent choir.
Mood- the atmosphere that provides the literary work with the intention of evoking a certain emotion or feeling from the audience.
Ex. Night by Elie Weisel, the mood could make you feel dark and sad.
Motif- a reoccuring image or phrase in literary work.
Ex. Trees are a motif in Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Motivation- the reason a character does something or behaves in a certain way.
Ex. The reason why Janie was still with Jody was because she thought she always needed a man to be happy.
Oxymoron- a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.
Ex. "Icy Hot"
Paradox- a statement that contradicts itself but in reality it can be true.
Ex. Ignorance is strength
Parallel Structure- is a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses.
Ex. We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.
Personification- the attribution to a personal nature or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions.
Ex. The sea inhaled and exhaled deeply.
Point of View- the narrators position in relation to the story being told.
Ex. "I saw his face, and it looked bad." first person
Onomatopoeia- the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.
Ex. Cuckoo, sizzle, bark!
Satire- holding up human vices and gollies to ridicule and scorn.
Ex. Political comic strips in the newspaper.
Plot- the events that make up a story, particularly as they relate to one another in pattern, sequence, through cause and effect, how the reader views the story , or simply by coincidence.
Ex. Their Eyes Were Watching God; Janie gets married, runs away, finds another man, man dies, marries younger man, has to kill younger man, goes back to town to tell story.
Simile- is a figure of speech that directly compares two things, usually by employing the words "like" or "as".
Ex. Curely was flopping like a fish on a line.
Structure- framework of a work of literature.
Ex. Their Eyes Were Watching God, the story starts on a porch and ends on a porch.
Symbol- a thing that stands for something else, something material representing something abstract.
Ex. The American flag is a symbol for freedom and for our country.
Syntax- the arrangement of words or phrases to create well formed sentences in a language.
Ex. Eyeing the puddle, she jumped in her red galoshes into the massive puddle in front of her; She walked through a puddle in her red shoes.
Theme- is a central topic, subject, or concept the author is trying to point out not to be confused with any message, moral or commentary it might send.
Ex. The theme of Romeo and Juliet is that fate is inevitable.
Tone- is a literary technique that is part of composition which conveys the authors attitude on a certain subject and is directed toward the audience/readers.
Ex. The tone in the poem White Man by Langston Hughes, is portrayed as angry and sarcastic
Universality- the quality of being universal, being everywhere.
Ex. When a person lives a life of goodness he or she is rewarded for those things with good events.
Journal: Chapter 1-2
Chapter 1-2 Journal
When I was reading the first two chapters of Their Eyes Were Watching God I came upon the idiom "An envious heart makes a treacherous ear." (5) In my opinion meaning that someone that is jealous or envious of something just might make that person make up stories that they hear and twist and change them to what they want to have happened. This applies to Janie's situation because when she came back from the Everglades (or muck) and she happens to pass some of the women who knew her back when she was living in Eatonville. They start talking about her and making up rumors that when she ran off with the young Tea Cake he left her for a younger lady and took all her money, and why she came back wearing overhauls. Hurston makes the decision of using the idiom because that is not what happened at all to Janie, she lived working hard because of her own decision and married Tea Cake who treated her well at most times. Janie really doesn't pay much attention to the ladies on the porch talking about her and making their own assumptions. "And Ah reckon they got me up in they mouth now." (5) But then dismisses it by saying that they are not really aware of what is really going on. "If God don't think no mo' 'bout 'em then Ah, do they's a lost ball in de high grass." (5) Hurston wants the reader to know that don't let others peoples words get caught up in your head because they are the ones who are really lost and not aware of the real situation and are just as wrong as anybody.
"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze...then Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid." (11) There is a lot of beautiful imagery in this whole paragraph and alliteration in the last three words, limp and languid. Hurston is expressing Janie's womanhood here in these couple paragraphs. She also repeats "bees" in the paragraphs. She repeats the word" bees" is beacause bees and flowers are used in explaining sexual themes and that time when a woman goes through the change.
"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze...then Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid." (11) There is a lot of beautiful imagery in this whole paragraph and alliteration in the last three words, limp and languid. Hurston is expressing Janie's womanhood here in these couple paragraphs. She also repeats "bees" in the paragraphs. She repeats the word" bees" is beacause bees and flowers are used in explaining sexual themes and that time when a woman goes through the change.
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