Their eyes were watching god takes place in the early 1900s, probably somewhere between 1915 and 1935. Photo of zora neale hurston by carl van vechten, library of congress when their eyes were watching god was published 75 years ago, it was far from successfulcritically or otherwise. The africanamerican female body as spectacle in hurstonazs. She graduated from morgan academy high school and later graduated from columbia university. Their eyes were watching god literary analysis essay. The popularity of hurstons novel is largely due to the groundbreaking efforts of writer alice walker in the early 1970s to resurrect hurston 1903. Zora neale hurston wrote their eyes were watching god during a very difficult time for african americans. Proclamation was initially purely political and was to weaken the souths power. The setting varies throughout the story as janie moves around during her quest, but the novel all takes place in the postcivil war south in the early 1900s. Written in 1937, their eyes were watching god is zora neale hurstons best known work.
This horrific history grounds all discussion of racism and emerges most strongly in the. Their eyes were watching god was zora neale hurstons 2 nd novel written in 1936 and published in 1937. In the late nineteenth century in the united states, thousands of blacks fled the south as racial segregation became more entrenched. Learn all about their eyes were watching god, ask questions, and get. The novel explores main character janie crawfords ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the. Their eyes were watching god takes place during the 1920s and 30s and is set in a series of allblack communities in rural florida. It was during those years that she wrote her autobiography dust tracks on a road, worked with the federal writers project in florida, received a guggenheim fellowship, and wrote four novels. Incorporated in 1887, the real community of eatonville was one of the first selfgoverning black communities in the united states, providing safety and opportunity for its black residents. The popularity of hurstons novel is largely due to the groundbreaking efforts of writer alice walker in the early 1970s to resurrect hurston 19031960 and her work from literary and critical oblivion. Janie is a romantic at heart, and her ideals often conflict with.
In the main, her novel is not addressed to the negro, but to a white audience whose. One of the most important works of twentiethcentury american literature, zora neale hurstons beloved 1937 classic, their eyes were watching god, is an enduring southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. 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. This novel is the story of janie crawfords search for love, told, as noted earlier, in the form of a frame. Setting of their eyes were watching god eatonville and jacksonville the everglades, 1920s eatonville the hurricane an allblack town just north of orlando when they first arrived, it was hardly a town joe noted the scant dozen of shamefaced houses scattered in the sand and. In 1937, the times of the great depression, the novel did not get recognition as it gets today. She graduated from morgan academy high school and later graduated from. In this society, the folks are black people and the people are the white people, and the blacks always listen to the whites, because they thought since whites were the superior race, they must be right about everything. Their eyes were watching god is a novel written by zora neale hurston. Zora neale hurston their eyes were watching god 1937 is now a standard text in american literature, african american literature, and womens studies courses from high school to graduate school. Ferguson, the landmark decision in 1896, said the racial segregation of public transportation was legal.
Zora neale hurston and their eyes were watching god grin. Her neighbors are curious to know where she has been and what has happened to her. There are several clues in the novel that point to the historical context of the time. 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. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by time. But since its reissue in 1978, zora neale hurstons masterwork. The africanamerican female body as spectacle in hurstonos their eyes were watching god loren lee advisor. In 1937, when their eyes were watching god was published, hurston was criticized for not taking a political stand about the african american experience in the united states, cultural mores or social prejudices. Importance of community in their eyes were watching god and sula community is an important concern in both black and womens literature. Their eyes were watching god full movie by internalizedconflict.
Her most productive years were the 1930s and early 1940s. As she notes in her autobiography, dust tracks on a road. After the civil war, former slaves formed a number of towns all over the south, in an effort to escape the segregation and discrimination they experienced among whites. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. When it came on the scene in 1937, their eyes were watching god didnt go over well with a few key bigwig writers of the dayspecifically, black male literary critics. Setting of their eyes were watching god by kyle winston on prezi. Most prominently, it is an example of a bildungsroman, or coming of age novel. Neale hurstons hometown and the setting of her most famous novel, their eyes were watching god. Originally published in 1937, their eyes were watching god is a love story. In what yeartime period is their eyes were watching set. Instead, she wrote a moving story of one womans search for love and identity. One of the things that makes it unique is that it is told in a frame. The literary lens of new historicism can be applied often while reading the novel their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston. Hurstons their eyes were watching god timeline timetoast.
Their eyes were watching god is primarily set in rural florida in the early 20th century, especially in eatonville. In eatonville, the jim crow laws, that segregated public schools, housing, restaurants, theaters. Zora neale hurston wrote their eyes were watching god during the great depression. The racist and patriarchal nature of american society, what morrison refers to as the master narrative of our culture, places blacks and women and especially black women in a position of powerlessness and vulnerability. In the first quote, hurston in many ways accuses blacks of looking to whites to learn what their futures hold. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of their eyes were watching god and what it means. The racist and patriarchal nature of american society, what morrison refers to as the master narrative of our culture, places blacks and women and especially black women in a position of powerlessness and. By exploring hurstons own life history and collection methods, listening. In celebration of the 129th birthday of author zora neale hurston. The setting of their eyes are watching god changes twice throughout the book. Their eyes were watching her a drama set in the 1920s, where freespirited janie crawfords search for happiness leads her through several different marriages, challenging the morals of her small town. Although it was often associated with the harlem renaissance and was criticized by many harlem renaissance writers, their eyes technically came after the movement which spanned from wwi through the 20s and ended in the 30s.
She is met by the judgmental gossiping of eatonvilles townspeople, whose conversations focus on the fact that janie had left. 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. Historical and literary context for zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god. The novel, their eyes were watching god, was written in 6 weeks during 1937 while its author, zora neale hurston, was residing in haiti. The novel begins when janie returns to eatonville, florida after having left for a significant amount of time. Less than two weeks later, richard wright later the author of native son and black boy notoriously condemned the novel for carrying no theme, no message, no thought. Halle berry plays the main character janie crawford.
Their eyes were watching god is a novel written by zora neale hurston in 1937. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Zora neale hurston uses her hometown of eatonville, florida as the setting of her novel, their eyes were watching god. Discussion of themes and motifs in zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god. Setting in the their eyes were watching god setting in. Their eyes were watching god zora neale hurston isbn. Their eyes were watching god study guide literature guide. If you have questions or need assistance setting up your account. A teachers guide to zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god 3 note to teachers the questions and activities in this teaching guide were written to support standardsbased instruction. Their eyes were watching god study guide litcharts. So when we looked at the picture and everybody got pointed out there wasnt nobody left except a real dark little girl with long hair standing by eleanor. Postcivil war segregation in america africanamerican oral tradition the emancipation proclamation declared freedom for all slaves residing in states who were in rebellion against the federal govt. Dustin sherry their eyes were watching god is a novel written by zora neale hurston. 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.
A major part of the plot in the story is the main character, janies, marriage and romance with a much younger man, tea cake. In the first few pages, janie returns to her hometown of eatonville, florida, after nearly two years absence. Editions of their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston. Zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god an analysis. Lesson plan formalistic approach on their eyes were. Setting formalistic approach on their eyes were watching god. She is most remembered for her novel their eyes were watching god, published in 1937. The events and places in the novel, such as eatonville and the hurricane, are based on historical fact. Their eyes were watching god is a 1937 novel by africanamerican writer zora neale hurston. It is considered a classic of the harlem renaissance of the 1920s, and it is likely hurstons best known work. Eatonville, florida, the town where zora neale hurston grew up and the setting for much of their eyes were watching god, was the first such town to be incorporated and to win the right of selfgovernance. Their eyes were watching god fits into several genres, or classifications of literature based on common elements. Setting in their eyes were watching god setting is an important element of literary works which many authors use solely for the purpose of drawing readers deeper into the story.
The best study guide to their eyes were watching god on the planet, from the creators of. A pbs great american read top 100 picka deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who dont know how to live properly. Their eyes were watching god, often acclaimed as hurstons. Hurston was born twenty years into the jim crow laws which oppressed black people the same way slavery had this time in the form of segregation based on skin color. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fairskinned, fiercely. Zadie smithone of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, their eyes were watching god brings to life a southern love. Their eyes were watching god meets the standard for range of reading and level of text complexity for grades 1112. Sassy janie starks looks unlike to get anywhere in pregreat war easton, florida, but lands the best colored catch, lively shopkeeper joe starks, who even. Zora neal hurston was an african american woman that was born january 7 th 1891.
One out of every four americans was unemployed, and jobs were hard to find. Their eyes were watching god focuses on the experiences of janie crawford, a beautiful and determined fairskinned black woman living in the american south. Historical background on their eyes were watching god prezi. Learn how to apply the formalisitic approach to the novel, their eyes were watching god understand the importance of each symbol on the novel and be able to support it using the text understand how the setting affects janies character. Important figures of the harlem renaissance, people like author richard wright, poet and novelist ralph ellison, and professor and critic alain locke didnt like the book. During this time there were several things occurring in the united states including the harlem renaissance and increasing protests for womens rights. Historical context by joshua gewecke zora neale hurston wrote their eyes were watching god during a very difficult time for african americans. Three years after hurstons birth, her family moved to eatonville, florida, one of the first allblack towns in the united states. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Their eyes were watching god is the classic story of janie crawfords search for true love. By 1914, approximately thirty such towns were in existence. Their eyes were watching god delves into many literary traditions, including harlem renaissance, american south, and american feminism.
Their eyes were watching god was published in new york on september 18, 1937. All told, this book relates to much of the mid 1900s and beyond and must be understood from that extended perspective. Their eyes were watching god is a novel by zora neale hurston that was first published in 1937. Pdf narrative structure and textual architecture in zora neale. Eatonville is of clear importance to hurston, as it becomes a predominant setting in their eyes were watching god, and is often cited by hurston as her birthplace. Their decision was already made a always hurston 158. Their eyes were watching god aired on television in 2005, produced by oprah winfreys harpo productions. A summary of chapters 910 in zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching god. Understanding zora neale hurstons their eyes were watching. An unnamed woman returns at sunset to a small town in the american south that was once a place she called home. Historical context the novel, their eyes were watching god, was written in 6 weeks during 1937 while its author, zora neale hurston, was residing in haiti. Eatonville was the first allblack town to be incorporated into the united statesa major historical and political breakthrough.
Their eyes were watching god historical context zora neale hurston this study guide consists of approximately 93 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of their eyes were watching god. The townspeople, the womans former neighbors, are sitting together on pheoby watson s porch. The ccc civilian conservation corps program created by congress helped create jobs. Within the novel there are two settings that strictly contrast with each other.
In eatonville she feels oppressed, whereas after moving to the muck, she feels free and natural. God supposedly would judge the things people, both living and dead, have done and whether or not they have followed the bible, and on this unavoidable day, punish them for their unholy actions. Their eyes were watching god is one of those books that you feel you ought to love because it occupies such an iconic position in 20th century literature. Historical background their eyes were watching god. Hurstons their eyes were watching god timeline created by cortniesb. Historical perspective of their eyes were watching god. It is a story about an african american woman, janie crawford, her lifelong search for love and selfassertion. This book was written in 1937 and the story takes place in the early 1900s. Therefore, everyone must learn the will of god and thus read the bible and understand it so that they can avoid condemnation and punishment when judged. With a foreword by edwidge danticat and an afterword by henry louis gates, jr. A comparison of community in hurstons their eyes were. Hurston was born in very small town, natsaluga, alabama.