Their Eyes Were Watching God assignment PDF

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Something so I can get this assignment done like this is taking mad long I just need the website so I can go on with my day...

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Name______________ Directions: Type in your answers as we go through the book. Their Eyes Were Watching God Reading Questions Chapter One 1. Describe the contrast made for the “porch sitters” as workers and as storytellers (1-2). THE PORCH SITTERS DON'T SPEAK AND ACT AS MULES AND BRUTES IN THE MORNING. AT NIGHT, THE PORCH SITTERS BECOME STORYTELLERS BECAUSE THEY GAIN THE POWER AND VOICE TO SPEAK. 2. How do the porch sitters respond to Janie’s return to town? ● Men: The men fantasize about Janie's physic and eyeball her/check her out. ● Women: The women make terrible comments about Janie because when she left the town she wore a satin dress, but came back in overalls. 1. What is Janie’s impression of the porch sitters? Janie's impression of the porch sitters is that they have nothing better to do than gossip about her life. Chapter Two 1. Janie has an identity problem until she is around six. Why? ● racial identity problem: she doesn't know she is black because she spends time with the white children so much, didn't know she was black until she saw a picture of her with the Washburn kids (who were white) ● personal identity problem: A girl name Mayrella used to hate her because she hung out with the white children and got better clothes than the rest of the kids. Mayrella riled all of the other children up to pick on Janie as well. ● social identity problem: 1. On page 12, the narration changes. Why might it be necessary for someone else to begin telling Janie’s story now? I believe it's talking about how it changes from Janie saying "I" to the third person. It might be necessary so that all the events are clear and unbiased from Janie's point of view - it is revealed later that she had mixed feelings about her grandmother, so it might be necessary to tell the story from another perspective in order to get rid of that bias and just see the events as they happened. 1. On pages 10-11, the narrator describes Janie’s awakening urges to experience life, love, etc… Where does she first notice this urge? She first notices this longing after sitting under a pear tree and looking at how it was pollinated and wishing to be so fulfilled - she saw this type of marriage and fulfillment in all creation except for her. She kissed Johnny Taylor. 1. What does Nanny do to short circuit Janie’s longing to experience life? She tells her that she wants Janie married right away and explains that she has planned an arranged marriage to Logan Killicks, a much older but wealthy and secure man. She says that she has womanhood in her. 1. What simile is used to describe the way Nanny treats Janie’s first kiss? (PAGE 12) *HINT: KINDA GROSS “NANNY’S WORDS MADE JANIES KISS ACROSS THE GATEPOST SEEM LIKE A MANURE PILE AFTER A RAIN”

1. What are Nanny’s plans for Janie? She wants Janie to marry a much older but wealthy man named Logan Killicks. 1. How does Janie feel about Nanny’s plans for her? She doesn't like them - she doesn't want to deal with the burdens of womanhood or wifery yet, and thinks he looks "like some ole

skullhead in de grave yard." Janie feels as if this will desecrate her pear tree longing. 1. What metaphor does Nanny use to describe the plight of black women? What does she mean? (PAGE 14) “NANNY SAYS THAT "DE N***** WOMAN IS DE MULE UH DE WORLD." THIS MEANS THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE DONE ALL THE WORK IN SOCIETY SO FAR - THE WHITE MEN UNLOAD IT ONTO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN, WHO THEN LEAVE IT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN.” 1. What was Nanny’s mulatto daughter’s name? How might the name relate to Janie’s experiences under the pear tree? Her name was Leafy - this is relevant to the pear tree in bloom in the spring, Janie want's to experience the fullness of the plant when it is being pollinated and the leaves shake. 1. What parallel experiences have implanted negative fears about men in Nanny’s head? Nanny herself was raped by her master and gave birth to a mulatto child, and then Nanny's daughter, Leafy, was raped by her white schoolteacher and gave birth to Janie. Chapter Three 1. What troubles Janie about her marriage to Logan Killicks? (PAGES 22-23) SHE HAS TRIED TO LOVE LOGAN, BUT SHE JUST DOESN’T. SHE DOESN’T LOVE HIM ALL, AND HE IS DESECRATING HER IMAGE OF THE PEAR TREE AND BELIEVED THAT LOVE WOULD COME WITH A MARRIAGE BECAUSE IT ALWAYS DOES, BUT FOUND THAT ISN’T ACTUALLY THE CASE.

2. What is Nanny’s definition of the good life? (What does Nanny think is important in life – especially in regards to Logan Killicks?) Living in security and financial comfort, with a big house, a lot of land, and a lot of fancy things. She doesn't care if there is real love or not. 3. Chapter three ends with Janie’s first dream dying. What had that dream been? Her dream was probably a love-filled marriage that fulfilled her - when love didn't come with the marriage, that dream died. Chapter Four 1. Describe Joe Starks. Joe Starks is a stylishly dressed man that comes walking up one day - he seems to know everything, is a very self-confident invidual, and wants to buy in big to a town down south that is going to be made of only colored folks. 2. What metaphor does Joe use to describe his lifelong dream? What does he mean? (PAGE 27) JOE WANTED TO BE THE "BOSSMAN," AND THIS IS THE METAPHOR HE USES TO DESCRIBE HIS DREAM OF BEING MAYOR. 3. What is the significance of Joe and Janie’s meeting under the trees? It represents her rekindling of the dream of the pear tree - her realizing that maybe her dream of being fulfilled in marriage can be realized in this man.

4. What does Logan Killicks do to finally make Janie decide to leave? He accused her family of being low-lifes that shouldn't be trusted after demanding she come and help him on the farm. 5. What symbolic action does Janie do that indicates her readiness for change, as she leaves Logan? She flings her apron onto a low bush and leaves it there. 6. Janie leaves with what she calls a new dream. What is it? How is it different from her first dream? (PAGES 30-31) JANIE NOW REALIZES SHE CAN BE FULFILLED AND CONTENT INDEPENDENTLY OF A MAN AND IS HAPPIER WITH HERSELF.

Chapter Five 1. How does Joe Starks get his reputation started in West Maitland/Eatonville?He goes and buys 200 acres of land in one sitting with cash for the town. 2. What general lesson about speaking do Janie and Tony Taylor learn at the grand opening of Joe Stark’s store? (PAGES 39-41) (IN OTHER WORDS, WHO IS THE SPEAKER OF THE TOWN AND WHY?) THEY BOTH LEARN THAT MR. JOE STARKS IS THE SPEAKER OF THE TOWN BECAUSE HE IS A GOOD ORATOR BECAUSE HE BOUGHT THE LAND AND BUILT THE STORE

3. What honor is bestowed upon Joe because of his ability to speak and move the people? He is made the mayor of the town because 4. On page 40 we see Joe’s first effort to silence Janie, to keep her from her own “voicing.” Describe that incident. After Joe opens the store and he and Tony Taylor speak, Tony says they will hear a few words from Mrs. Mayor but Jody says she doesn't know anything about speech making - he didn't marry her for that, he married her so she would have a place in the home. 5. How does Janie react to Joe’s silencing her? She pretends that is doesn't bother her, but later asks Jody after the lantern lighting if that she hopes it will soon be over because all his talking and fixing things is creating distance between him and her. 6. What does Joe ask of Janie that is parallel to what Killicks asks? Jody asks Janie to in the store, like Killicks made her work in the field. 7. How does Janie feel about her second marriage? (PAGE 44) IT IS ONCE AGAIN A DREAM KILLED. SHE WAS MORE HOPEFUL THIS TIME, BUT IT ENDED IN UNHAPPINESS AGAIN 8. What is Joe Stark’s definition of the good life? How does his compare with Nanny’s? Joe's definition of a good life includes a lot of material possessions, just like Nanny's, but also with a lot of power and authority ("none had the termerity to challenge him. They bowed down to him rather..." Chapter Six 1. What significance does the store porch play in Janie’s life? (PAGES 50-51, 53) SHE LIKES THE STORE IN THE SENSE THAT SHE GETS TO LISTEN TO STORIES THAT PEOPLE TELL AND GOSSIP THAT PEOPLE SAY ON THE PORCH OF THE STORE , BUT, EVERY DAY HAD A STORE IN IT, AND SHE WAS ALWAYS BEING SCOLDED FOR DOING THINGS WRONG BY JODY, AND THAT MADE IT UNENJOYABLE TO HER. THE MULE WAS TALKED ABOUT PRIMARILY. SHE CAME TO HATE THE INSIDE OF THE STORE AND THE POST OFFICE, AND SHE HATED THE MISTAKES SHE'D MAKE (WRONG CHANGE, ETC.).IT KEPT HER SICK WITH A HEADACHE. SHE WAS NOT GOOD AT MATH. 2. What two demands does Joe make upon Janie that keeps her from being herself? Why does he make them? (PAGES 50-51). HE FORBID HER FROM INDULGING IN THE "MULE TALK" THAT SHE LOVED, AND HE ORDERED HER TO KEEP HER HAIR UP IN THE STORE. HE ORDERED HER TO KEEP HER HAIR UP BECAUSE HE WAS JEALOUS - HE DIDN'T LIKE IT WHEN OTHER MEN WALLOWED IN IT'S BEAUTY. HE KEEPS HER FROM THE MULE TALK BECAUSE HE THINKS SHE AND HE ARE ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE. HE CALLS THE OTHER FOLKS "PUNY HUMANS PLAYIN' ROUD DE TOES UH TIME." 3. Janie’s first oration comes as a shock to the town. How does Hambo describe her “voice?” He says that she was a born orator and that she put their thoughts into just the right words. 4. Find an example of hyperbole (see literary terms) on page 62. Explain its meaning. One

hyberbole is "Starks led off with a great eulogy on our departed citizen, our most distinguished citizen and the grief he left behind him" - this is Joe creating a hyberbole about the mule's importance as a joke. It means exactly as it says - it is a eulogy for a dead mule, but meant as a joke, and it brought the town together. "By this time, they are the center of the world." Is a hyberbole, but it just means that everyone on the porch is now paying attention to their conversation. 5. One page 67, the narrator says that Janie “learned to hush.” Why has she been forced to learn this lesson? She has learned to hush because it's no use fighting Joe - he just keeps fighting her until he feels her submission. Her fighting just made Joe fight more. 6. Jody kills another of Janie’s dreams with what aggressive/abusive act? What does she learn about her marriage? (page 69) He slapped her when dinner wasn't cooked well enough. She learns that she never saw him as her dreams, she had just grabbed him to 'drape her dreams over.' She had never felt fulfilled by him anyway. She found she had a lot fo thoughts and emotions she never told him. 7. What significant act does Janie commit that begins her finding a “voice?” She thrusts herself into a conversation with men and defends women. Afterward, Jody reprimands her, but she has found her voice. Chapter Seven 1. How has marriage and silence affected Janie?IT makes her quiet - she loses her fight, and joy from her soul. She was a "rut in the road" with life still left but kept underneath the surface. 2. Janie finally can take no more verbal abuse from Jody. What does she say to silence him? She tells him to "stop mixin' up my looks wid my doings" and tell him that he should show her how to cut it. 3. What is “playing the dozens?” Why does Sam Watson mention this game after Janie’s outburst?playin' the dozens" is maybe sometype of card game in which there is a lot of risk or conflict and that's why he mentions it? In the context of her outburst, Janie is risking using her voice and risking the consequences that come with that (from Joe). 4. What effect do Janie’s words have on Jody’s psyche? (PAGE 75-76) . JOE CONSIDERED HER WORDS A HUGE BETRAYAL - HE NOW THOUGHT THAT ALL THE MEN WOULD LOOK AT HIM WITH PITY AND SEE ALL HIS WEAKNESSES AND NOT LOOK UP TO HIM ANYMORE. Chapter Eight 1. How does Jody treat Janie when he gets sick?He completely ignores Janie - won't talk to her, refuses to let her come into his sick room, refuses her offers of meals and help too. 2. Jody is on his death bed when Janie finally tries to tell him something about himself and her. What does she say has been behind his lack of acceptance of her as a person? (PAGE 82)SHE SAYS THAT HER OWN MIND HAD TO BE SQUEEZED AND CROWDED OUT TO MAKE ROOM FOR HIS MIND IN HERS - HE TOOK HER OVER, AND HE WASN'T THE SAME JODY SHE RAN OFF WITH. HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO HER HIS ENTIRE LIFE, AND HE SMASHED DOWN AND GOT HIS WAY AL THE TIME DURING HIS LIFE. SHE SAID SHE NEVER CAME WITH HIM TO BOW DOWN TO HIM FOR 20 YEAR 3. At Jody’s death, what symbolic gesture does Janie make to assert her sense of self? She tore off her kerchief and let her hair fall down fully.

Chapter Nine 1. The narrator uses the metaphor, “Janie starched and ironed her face and came set in the funeral behind her veil.” What about Janie’s behavior is being described? Her mourning is being described? Or maybe her resistance to mourning? It means that she appears to be mourning but really feels freed from an oppressor. • "starched" means stiff - wore that stiff mask of mourning to get through the funeral 2. What two small changes does Janie make after Jody’s death? (PAGE 85) SHE BURNS ALL OF HER HEAD RAGS AND IN THE EVENINGS SAT ON THE PORCH AND SENT HEZEKIAH TO WAIT ON LATE CUSTOMERS. 3. What resentment does Janie harbor for her grandmother? She says she hates her grandmother for crushing her dreams and forcing her into her own - "She hated the old woman who had twisted her so in the name of love." She considered it a mislove 4. What does she say Nanny took away from her? She says Nanny had taken the horizon from her - she had taken her dreams away. Chapter Ten 1. Upon their first meeting, what kinds of things do Janie and Vergible Woods (Tea Cake) do? 1. This chapter closes with an analogy; the moon “quenching the thirst of the day.” How does this reflect Janie’s situation? He buys a pack of cigarettes and she gives him matches. He teaches her to play checkers, and she has lots of fun, then they drink some coca cola. They talked and joked until people came back from the ball game and he talked with the rest of them on the porch until closing time. He helps her shut up the store, and then he walks her to her porch, then walks back to his own town. Chapter Eleven 1. How is Tea Cake’s treatment of Janie different than Logan’s and Jody’s? He treats her as her own woman - let's her learn things, lets her be her own person and respects her for it. Doesn't consider her place "the house," just loves her for who she is. He lets her be crazy and a have a little fun too - squeezes fresh lemonade, goes fishing in the middle of the night, 2. What speech characteristic does Tea Cake encourage in Janie? (PAGE 104) LAUGHTER? MAYBE SMILING? SAYING "YOU CRAZY THING"? HE JUST WANTS HER TO BE HERSELF, SPEAK HER MIND, BE INDEPENDENT. (HE ENCOURAGED HER TO PLAY CHECKERS, ETC. THINGS THAT JOE STIFLED) Chapter Twelve 1. What is the town’s reaction to Tea Cake and Janie’s relationship? The town reacts negatively. They start judging her harshly and wonder how she could do this with Joe just 9 months dead - they think he's a no-good boy off to trick her and think she should have someone stable like the undertaker at Sanford. 2. What is Tea Cake offering Janie in this relationship? (PAGE 105) HE'S OFFERING HER MARRIAGE AND A CHANCE TO GET OFF HER "HIGH SITTING CHAIR" THAT SHE HAS LANGUISHED IN - A CHANCE TO LIVE HER OWN LIFE, NOT HER GRANDMA'S LIFE, TO GET AROUND IN A WAY JODY NEVER LET HER. 3. What does Janie mean when she says Tea Cake “done taught me de maiden language all over?” She means that Tea Cake has reintroduced to her what marriage should be like even though she has had two bad marriages, she wasn't damaged to the point that she couldn't feel fulfillment with Tea Cake.

Chapter Thirteen 1. What was the narrator’s reason for telling Annie Tyler’s story? To show the parallel between their story and Janie's own predicament - to put the seed of doubt in the reader's mind about Tea Cake, and wonder if Janie will be let down again. 2. What has happened to Janie’s $200 dollars which she was keeping secret from Tea Cake? She finds it gone one morning when Tea cake woke up early, and Tea Cake doesn't come back until very late. 3. What happens when Tea Cake tries to get the money back? As he is gambling to get it back, he is winning and has $200, but wants to be fair and give the other men a chance to get it back, so he continues to play and wins even more. He is about to leave, but one of the other men is resentful and Double -Ugly cuts him twice with a knife. 4. How does Tea Cake prove his sincerity to Janie? (PAGE 122) HE SAYS HE IS GOING TO TAKE HER DOWN TO THE MUCK, PROMISES TO TAKE HER ON ALL HIS OUTINGS FROM THEN ON NO MATTER HOW COMMON, AND WINS HER MONEY BACK FOR HER WITH GAMBLING - HE GIVES HER HER MONEY BACK AND PUTS THE REST IN THE BANK AND SAYS IF HE DOESN'T GET ANYTHING THEN SHE DOESN'T GET ANYTHING. Chapter Fourteen 1. What is the first thing Tea Cake teaches Janie once they get to “de muck?”He teaches her how to shoot a gun and she becomes a better shot than Tea Cake. Him teaching her to shoot becomes the most interesting thing in the muck. 2. Tea Cake asks the same of Janie as had Killicks and Starks (PAGES 126-127). Yet Janie’s reaction is totally different. What is asked? Why is the response different?Both Jody and Killicks asked her to work because she wasn't doing enough, and wasn't grateful enough for what they were doing for her - she should do her part. But Tea Cake asked her because he was lonesome for her - he wanted her to work so he could be around her more often, and since this reason reveals that she is valued as an individual and the person that she is instead of just a mule to be worked, the response is completely different and she is excited to work. 3. The new experiences have given Janie a new voice. Find the sentence on page 128 that describes her change. The men held big arguments here like they used to do on the store porch. Only here, she could listen and laugh and even talk some herself if she wanted to. She got so she could tell big stories herself from listening to the rest." Chapter Fifteen 1. What happens to change Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship?A chunky girl names Nunkie begins to flirt and play with Tea Cake, and though Tea Cake doesn't initiate it, he never stops it either, and even other people start to notice. Then one day both of them go too far and Nunkie runs off with her work tickets and she finds them wrestling in the bush. She jumps on them and accuses Tea Cake of being unfaithful. They fight throughout the house until he finally convinces her without words of his faithfulness and he confesses that Nunkie is nothing compared to her. 2. How does Janie react to this change? How is this different from her response in previous marriages?• Janie actually becomes jealous, which is different for her because she has never had a relationship to be jealous of before - she has only had loveless marriages, in

which she doesn't love the man. But this time she does actually love the man, and so is jealous when someone else infringes upon their relationship. Chapter Sixteen 1. Describe Mrs. Turner. How is she different from Janie?Mrs. Turner is slightly darker than Janie, but hates black people and thinks they are inferior to whites, even though she is African American herself. She owns a restaurant in the muck and is incredibly haughty - she says that Janie is much too good for a dark person like Tea Cake. The color and features of the "common black folk" both her. She even says "Who wants to be mixed up wid uh rusty black man, and uh black woman oin' down de street in all dem loud colors, and whoopin' and hollerin' and laughin' over nothin'?" Whereas Janie loves the talk of the common folk and loves to be a part of them. ● Which of Janie’s husbands would she have suited?Her haughty attitude would have suited Jody very well. They would have gotten along marvelously, both of the feeling that they were above the common black folk of the town. 1. How does Mrs. Turner feel about Tea Cake? She doesn't like Tea Cake because he is too dark, and says Janie is too good for him. Chapter Seventeen 1. Like Jody, Tea Cake slaps Janie. How different is her reaction?This time, instead of being defiant, she just cries because she loves Tea Cake and hates that he slapped her. In her previous relationships, she didn't love the man, so her feelings weren't hurt ...