Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Their Eyes Were Watching God Film Review

About the 2005 film, Wright State University English Professor, Sharon Lynette Jones wrote, "While the film remained true to some aspects of the plot, major omissions involving characters and events cause the film to ignore much of the social and political commentary in the novel. As a result, while the film introduced Hurston's landmark novel to a wide audience for the first time, the film version does not come close to illustrating the complexity and innovation of Their Eyes Were Watching God."



Do you agree that the film version does not compare to the novel?

What key differences and omissions did you notice while watching the film version?

How did these differences change the original source material's political and social commentary, Hurston's message on gender, race, and class relationship to power and voice.

Write a detailed response in at least one full paragraph (minimum five sentences) as a comment below.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Is Their Eyes Were Watching God a feminist novel?



Consider the following:
Evidence that the book has a feminist message
  • Janie chooses the man that she wants
  • Janie is a female who gains power throughout the story
  • The men trying to control her meet bad ends
  • She makes her own decisions
and yet

Evidence that the book DOES NOT have a feminist message
  • Janie is the hero, but there are few other significant female characters. 
  • She is most influenced by the men in her life. 
  • She becomes more independent through the freedom granted to her from Joe Starks’ money. 
  • Tea Cake teaches her to play checkers, drive a car, and shoot a gun. 
In the end, what is the novel’s message? is it really a feminist text?

Choose either that the novel is or is not a feminist text and write one paragraph (5-7 sentences) defending your stance. How is your point right despite the evidence to the contrary?

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Class Debate Reflection


After defending your point and listening to classmates defend theirs, who won? Which point do you think is most convincing?

Was Janie too hard on Joe?

Did Joe get what he deserved?

Tell me what you believe and defend your stance with evidence from the text.

Responses should include no fewer than five sentences.