Their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1937)

Reading for next week: final two pages of the reader (short story) Like so many American authors she died in extreme poverty. When she published one of her very last stories (8 years before her death) she was working as a maid. She peaked during the 1930s, it went downhill after that. She was soon forgotten, even during her lifetime. She was rediscovered by Alice Walker, who also discovered that Zora was buried in an unmarked grave, because she didnt have enough money for a proper burial. Studied anthropology, after her studies she started collecting folklore stories. Did this under a grant of the university, after the grant ran out she was sponsored by Mrs Mason, a white woman who supported the arts. She also wanted a say in the content of what Zora wrote. This put her in an awkward position, because Mrs Mason was not only a sponsor but also her censor. She became a very prolific writer, her best sold book was Mules and Men, the only other book that drew some attention was her biography, Dust Tracks on a Road. In 1948, the year her last novel was published, she was accused of molesting a 10 year old boy. Though she had no problem proving to the court she hadnt done it, because she wasnt even in the country. She did have to stand on trial, and it shook her up badly. She died in complete poverty in a welfare home of heart disease.

The Harlem Renaissance Period of reconstruction: the rights of the black people were partly rescinded. The Jim Crow Laws: racial segregation from 1876-1965 separate but equal this was just an illusion The system continued until the 1960, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. After she was arrested, the whole black community came into uproar. This was led by Martin Luther King. The South, went down economically, because now the laborers had to be paid. The North, was industrialized. The great migration: people from the south started to move up the east coast towards New York City, others moved to the west direction California. In New York City, they mostly lived in Harlem. This was because some years ago a black movement had purchased entire blocks. This led to black intellectuals moving to Harlem the Harlem Renaissance. From around 1920, public lynching of black people took place all over the US. the new negro emerged, who stood up to the white suppression. (see the poems of Langston Hughes and Claude McKay)

 They called themselves the Niggerati. They wanted to shock both the white people as the black middle class. Hurston as one of the few woman associated with the group called herself the Queen of the Niggerati. The Harlem Renaissance was also known as the Jazz Age: 1920s-1930s The very first story Hurston published Spunk, was published in The New Negro, she later distanced herself from the publication because she felt it was too close to propaganda. Together with Alain Locke she started a new magazine Fire!!. It only had one issue, because of financial problems and lack of interest by the public. The ideal of the New Negro was in contrast with Hurstons view who didnt think the AfricanAmerican race needed uplifting. She liked the culture and society the way it was. This didnt make her very popular with the black intellectual male leaders (eg) W.E.B. DuBois and Marcus Garvey They felt like she betrayed them, by accepting the view of the black people by the white. This was actually the opposite of what she meant, namely to validate the black society. She also didnt want to write propaganda

Their eyes were watching god The setting of the story is mostly based on the research she had collected by looking for folklore. Poor circumstances, migrant camps for laborers. The village of Belle Glade, Florida was hit by a hurricane in 1928, it came over a lake and flooded all the villages. The story is probably inspired by the tragic mulatto, but with a twist, because the mulatto survives the tragedy. It can be argued that it is a complete opposite of a mulatto story, because she is a radiant woman. This also opens the discussion in the sense that it can be argued that it is a feminist novel. The new negro movement didnt really have a lot of options for women. Quote p18 come to yo Grandma, Honey. Lawd, Lawd, Lawd. o Feminist complaint o Ambiguity in the novel: no black and white images, rather gray Quote p1: opening paragraph o The watcher: a man watching his dreams pass by OR god watching men o Men: mankind or a man, o Now women: can be interpreted in two ways: criticism on women who are silly OR women who do whatever is necessary to achieve her dreams Quote p20 (see slide) o Link to autobiographical element: her mother always told her to jump at the sun, you may not reach it, but at least youll get off the ground. The dream is represented by the pear tree (p13-14) o She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom = alliteration

Carnal craving, sexual craving she longs for a sexual, sensual union with a man who will treat her as an equal. Right after this dream her grandmother is convinced that it is time for her to marry Logan Killicks. She isnt very enthusiastic, because he is desecrating the pear tree (in other words: there is no sexual attraction what so ever). Her grandmother is set on Logan, because he has 60 acres, which for a former slave woman is more than she can ever hope for of ever owning. He decides that she should work the land with him and the mule. At this time, she decides it is time for them to part ways, and she leaves him (her husband) Right after the separation she meets Joe Starks, whom she marries. For her he represents upward social mobility. She isnt entirely sure, convinced of him: he did not represent sunup and pollen and blooming trees, but he spoke for far horizon. But he does buy her expensive clothes. He becomes this big shot mayor, with a get it done attitude But pretty soon cracks start to appear in the faade, because of his never satisfied social ambition o He wants to expand the village; he later sells the land for a great personal profit to newcomers. o There is a woman who comes into his story, who asks him for a bit of meat, he makes her beg for it, and after she leaves he charges it to her husbands account anyway. o Whatever he does, he has a personal agenda for it. o P69: Matt Bonners mule o It can be argued that he chooses Janie, and marries her because of his social ambition. He wants to show his social status, by showing off his pale wife. o P57: spittoon he loves obedience out of everybody under the sound of his voice o He dominates her: He denies her a voice Makes her cover her hair in public he tries to quench her sexuality He hits her this effectively ends the sexual relationship the spirit of the marriage left the bedroom she wasnt petal open anymore with him o P95: (second paragraph) She finds her voice again, in a sexual nature: she mocks him when his pants were down. impotence or size, doesnt matter, she robbed him of his manly pride Tea cake enters her life: his name means Vergible Woods He treats her as an equal

Plays checkers with her, something Joe said she was too stupid for it He oozes sex appeal o P139 Dis aint no business proposition, and no race after property and titles. Dis is uh love game She isnt sure it is different from her other marriages: o He wants her to work on the land with him o P? He hits her: no brutal beating at all. He just slapped her around a bit, to show her whos boss. Race: p12 her grandmother was raped by her white master her mother was raped in the woods by her teacher (black or white is not specified) Janie could be 75% white p173-174: similar racism within the black community. Black people who have embraced white customs look down on darker black people, and idians. Some casualties could have been prevented if there wasnt as much racism. The Indians leave the area, because they can tell by the signs nature gives them, that a storm is coming. The black people, like Tea Cake, dont heed the warnings and stay. Indians dont know much uh nothing, tuh tell de truth. Else deys own dis country still. (p191) The storm is interpreted as natures intervention to create a clean slate. It is described as a slave revolt (p198) Janie is constantly being judged. She has to account for her killing Tea Cake. As a white looking woman, she is judged by an all-white male jury. P227-231: race issues keep popping up Does Janie find her voice in the novel? She doesnt even defend herself during the trial o Some people consider this a conscious decision, she refuses to defend herself just because a bunch of white men want her to. The story isnt told in her own voice, it is told in the third person narrative o This could be why (everybody judges) she refuses to tell us the story herself, she only wants to tell it to Phoebe.