Criticism for Zora

Zora Neale Hurston’s book “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, Zora portrays a colored women’s life to be nearly identical to a white women’s life. The main character Janie experiences problems that could happen to women of any color. Janie’s life is only significantly different from a white women’s life because of the situation that her grandmother and mother were in. Both of them were more or less raped and became pregnant. This changed Janie’s family situation and living arrangement, other than that, Janie leads a life that is standard for the average white women.

She exploits that phase of Negro life which is "quaint," the phase which evokes a piteous smile on the lips of the "superior" race.

                                                                                                                        -Richard Wright

            Wright is referring to the lack of racial hardships in the novel. Janie certainly encounters many social difficulties but the majority of them so far have taken place in an all black town, Eatonville. When Janie lived in West Florida with her grandmother, Janie says, “Us lived dere [in the Washburn’s backyard] havin’ fun till de chillun at school got to teasin’ me ‘bout livin’ in de white folks’ back-yard.”(9). After a bit about the teasing, racial discrimination is not brought up again. Racism was a huge factor during the Harlem Renaissance and it was not shown at all. The problems that Janie obviously would have faced were completely overlooked.

            But as always thus far with this talented writer, setting and surprising flashes of contemporary folk lore are the main point. Her gift for poetic phrase, for rare dialect, and folk humor keep her flashing on the surface of her community and her characters and from diving down deep either to the inner psychology of characterization or to sharp analysis of the social background…Having gotten rid of condescension, let us now get over oversimplication!

                                                                                                            --Alain Locke

            Although I agree that Hurston simplified racial problems, she emphasized the discrimination of women. Hurston’s beautiful writing that keep readers from “diving down deep” is a tool she uses to convey the feelings and treatment of women. Hurston’s words allowed the reader to have a physically painful heartbreak while reading. Emotion conveyed allowed the reader to know the emotional trauma that is caused from a dead marriage and an oppressive husband. Zora’s words do nothing other than enrich the story with emotion, not blur the social background.

Overall, the book was written beautifully for another time period. A time when blacks and whites have more common rights and social standings like today. Zora’s characters and problems are timeless but in order to fully embrace  this time period, racism is of the essence. I thoroughly enjoy the novel despite the anachronism.

Information: http://people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam358/wrightrev.html

Picture: http://www.google.com

Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston:

1. She was an anthropologist, writer, and folklorist.
2. She lived from 1891 to 1960 and was born in Notasulga, Alabama.

3. She was raised in Eatonville, Florida; the 'first incorporated all-black town.'

4. She collected folklores from Jamaica, Haiti, Bermuda, and Honduras.

5. Her most famous publication is Their  Eyes Were Watching God.

6. She died without much attention from her readers and public.

7. Many of her stories were put into a two-volume composition after her death.
8. She also wrote short stories, plays, journal articles, and an autobiography.

9. Some of her characters and literary works created controversy within the black community.

10. Hurston can be credited for influencing writers Ralph Ellison, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison.

Works Cited:

"Zora Neale Hurston." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

http://www.google.com/images

Harlem Renaissance

1. The Harlem Renaissance took place from 1920 to 1930 in New York.
2.  At the end of World War I there was a movement from the African American culture to have their arts taken seriously.

3. After the large movement of blacks to the North during the civil war, many of them had the opportunities for jobs and education.

4. This gave way to a time of inspiration and artistic expression.

5. This period was important because many black artists especially in literature were published.

6. There was a raising of racial pride among the people after the oppressive past of their culture.

7. The renaissance was characterized by the black movement - not much else.

8. The Great Depression marked the end of the heart of the renaissance because of lack of financial aid.

9. Some great artist of the times continued on with their work.

10. Most notably: Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, and Bessie Smith.

Langston Hughes

1. Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 and died May 22, 1967.

2. He was a poet, short-story writer, novelist, and dramatist.

3. He put rhythm from the Harlem Renaissance into some of his poetry.

4. He received a scholarship to a university in Pennsylvania after publishing his first volume of poetry.

5. His works continued past the end of the renaissance.

Duke Ellington

2. He was born April 29, 1899 and died May 24, 1974.

3. He was born in Washington, D.C.

4. He was a jazz composer, bandleader, and pianist.
5. He wrote a song with a vocal part, but no words.
6. He wrote over 2,000 pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDQpZT3GhDg
Above is a recording of his music.

Bessie Smith

1. She was a singer called "Empress of the Blues".
2. One of the early blues singers financially helped her begin her career.
3. She earned $2,000 a week and was extremely successful.
4. She died when 'video killed the radio star', and early music videos gained popularity.
5. She suffered alcoholism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MzU8xM99Uo

Works Cited:

"Bessie Smith." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Hasse, John Edward. "Duke Ellington." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

"Langston Hughes." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Wintz, Cary DeCordova. "Harlem Renaissance." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. 

Creative Project!

My Interpretive Dancing!

Characterization Chart

By the end of Into the Wild. I thought that Chris was unjustified in his trip to Alaska that ultimately ended his life. Chris had reason to mad at his parents but he kept that anger inside and didn't communicate and let his parents know why he was mad. By doing this,Chris seemed like he almost wanted to stay mad at his parents. He wanted to show them that what they did was wrong in a drastic way.

I don't think Chris was at all crazy. He just had a rather big ego. He though that he could survive and take care of himself. He wasn't trying to end his life by going into Alaska unprepared, he was trying to get his parent's attention and respect. He was defying them and all of humanity for their social injustice.

Page	Chapter	Quote/Characterization	Conclusion
4	1	"Five feet seven or eight with a wiry build, he[Chris] claimed to be twenty-four years old."
5	1	"He was congenial and seemed well educated."
6	1	"I won't run into anything I can't deal with on my own."-Alex	He is a proud person because he won't let anyone help him.
16	3	There was something about the youngster's eyes. Dark and emotive...and conveyed a vulnerability that made Westerberg want to take the kid under his wing."
18	3	Alex always finished jobs.	He was a hard and dedicated worker.
21	3	He wouldn't accept gifts.	He felt that everything should be earned.
30	4	Ernie didn't pay Alex for working so he left.	He is not naïve.
31	4	"He made a point of staying in touch."	He was dedicated.
35	4	Alex was thrown off course when he was trying to get to the ocean many times. One time he was in a really bad swamp and continued through it to get where he wanted to be.	He is really persistent.
42	5	"Didn't like to be around too many people, though. Temperamental."
44	5	"He needed his solitude at times, but he wasn't a hermit. He did a lot of socializing.
45	5	"He had an amazing voice."
51	6	Alex would lecture Franz about the shortcomings of his life.	He is bold because he didn't care if what he was doing was socially acceptable, he wanted what he felt was the best to be carried out.
52	6	Alex would rant and yell and scream about things that made him angry.	He had a passion for justice.
54	6	Chris called Franz when he needed a ride.	He is not afraid to ask for something. (Though I feel he could have gotten a ride, so this only applies when he knows he could have gotten what he wanted without anyone's help.)
55	6	Chris would not let Franz adopt him and kept him at arm's length away.	Chris didn't want to have anything expected from him and wanted to have nothing keeping him attached to one place.
62	7	"'He definitely wasn't what you'd call mechanically minded.' Nor was McCandless endowed with a surfeit of common sense."
64	7	Both father and son were stubborn and high strung.
65	7	"You could tell he didn't take relationships lightly."	He looked for a deeper meaning in the way people interacted with one another.
67	7	"Unlike most of us, he was the sort of person who lived out his beliefs."	Alex didn't want to be a hypocrite.  He thought that beliefs had no purpose without works to back them.
91	9	"After all the lone trail is the best"-Everett Ruess	Jon Krakauer believed that Chris felt the same way. Chris liked to be alone most of all.
91	9	"I have always been unsatisfied with life as most people live it." - Everett Ruess	Chris., like Everett, didn't like the way of society and wanted to be fulfilled.
101	10	Chris lied on his forms for a job for Westerberg saying his address was "Non e of your damn business."	Chris has a sense of human but is angered by prying people.
102	10	"Chris almost always had short hair and was clean shaven."
111	11	"He resisted instruction of any kind."	He was strong willed, rebellious, and stubborn.
113	11	He would spend his Friday nights with those living on the streets.	He didn't care about social barriers and considered all people equal.
118	12	Before Chris disappeared, he was drunk and told his father how much he appreciated him.	Chris has respect that he doesn't voice because of his pride.
118	12	"Chris was good at almost everything he tried which made him supremely overconfident."
119	12	"If you attempted to talk him out of something, he wouldn't argue. He'd just nod politely and then do exactly what he wanted."	Chris thinks that he can handle himself and knows what is best for him. He's kind of arrogant.
128	13	"Chris didn't think twice about risking his own life, but he never would have put Buckley in any kind of danger."	Chris has respect for life. He can push his own personal limits but he won't make someone endanger his life for his sake.
129	13	"Like Chris, Carine is energetic and self-assured, a high achiever, quick to state an  opinion."
159	16	"He wanted to prove to himself that he could make it on his own, without anybody else's help."	Alex feels like he has to prove his independence from his family, his father.
166	16	Alex wasn't sure if he wanted to kill animals and was leaning on no.	Alex cares about creatures of the earth and did not consider himself superior to them.
167	16	Alex read something by Thoreau and decided that eating animals was a bad thing.	He is easily persuaded by those that he admires.
170	16	Alex decides not to try to cross the river when he knows it may kill him.	He is able to put his life value in front of pride.
174	17	"He was looking for more adventure and freedom than today's society gives people."
174	17	Chris got rid of his map of Alaska.	He was reckless and didn't think things through.
189	18	"HAPPINESS ONLY WHEN SHARED."	Chris learned to treasure others and the human need for interaction.
199	18	Chris was smiling in his last picture before he died.	Even when he was suffering, he was happy and proud of himself for how far he'd gotten. He followed his dream and didn't look back with regrets.

A Place that Would Change My Life

A journey to Ohio to visit my cousins would forever change my life. At my Great Grandmother's funeral in West Virgina I met 2 of my relatives that live in Ohio that I've never met before. It was a father and his father. The father had 6 children that had been delivered at home. To see how they live would be an experience, but also to see family that I've never met before would be great. The 2 of my relatives that I met were extremely friendly and acted like family even though we had never met before. To go to a place that I don't know and with people that I don't know would change me. To know that there are people that are connected to me and will accept me with open arms would be awesome. Also I don't know much about the area there so seeing a different lifestyle with such a large family would be cool.

Quotes! Quotes! Quotes!

In my humble opinion, I find nothing better than a wonderful quote. At the beginning of every chapter in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Many of the quotes are very beautiful or hit on a concept. Please savor the quotes that follow!

I have not tired of the wilderness; rather I enjoy its beauty and the vagrant life I lead, more keenly all the time. I prefer the obscure and difficult trail, leading into the unknown, to any paved highways, and the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bred by cities.

 This is from the last letter that was received from Everett Ruess. It was addressed to his brother, Waldo, November 11, 1934.

Page 87

This practically screams Chris McCandless. Chris loved nature; infact, Chris was dead set on going to Alaska, one of brutalist environments within the United States. Chris did enjoy cities to some degree. He shows this when he lived in Bullhead City and worked in a resteraunt in L.A,. He doesn't mind some civilization, but he truely admires nature. He doesn't get tired of the wilderness throughout his journey. His dream was to explore nature until the point of death.

Another great quote is by Boris Pasternak, who wrote Doctor Zhivago. Page 103

There was no one around, neither family nor people whose judgement you respected. At such time you felt the need of committing yourself to something absolute-life or truth or beauty-of being ruled by it in place of the man-made rules that had been discarded. 

In this quote, the author is saying that when there is nothing that a person can control or respect, they create something worth respecting. In Chris's case, he didn't have quality time with his parents because they were so concerned with financial success. He also had no respect for his father because he had cheated on his second wife with his first wife and tore both families apart. After Chris realized this, he tried to look for something to hold on to and that was nature, pure and beautiful; justice, something to fix all of the problems of the people in the world. Chris relied on helping everyone around him and immersing himself in the beauty of nature.

Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, an obsequious attendance, but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The hospitality was as cold as the ices.

Henry David Thoreau

Walden, or Life in the Woods

Page 117

The above quote is a further expansion on the one that precedes it. Chris's family had tons of wealth and he had many brothers and sisters. Yet, he did not find peace in the money and any siblings, spare his sister, Carine. Chris was offered a new car and money to go to school from his parents. Despite these offers, Chris didn't feel like his parents cared about what he really wanted to do in life or about what they had done to their family. He found conditional love.

My favorite quote is from The Holy Bible :1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

This is my favorite quote because it the rubric: the ultimate high bar set in order to reach a perfect relationship. I don't think that Chris would understand this quote. I believe that Chris was very close to many people and loved them, but I don't think he could hold his relationships to these standards. In the novel, Krakauer says that Chris runs from relationships before they go to deep. He has a nomadic heart that never settles and this quote is describing more of a heart that will hold onto those that the persons encountered, Sure, Chris enjoyed the people he met, but not to the point that he would forgive their every wrong. He showed this was true by the realationship he had with his father.