Reading Response

Essay #1 – Reading Response to Zora Neal Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching GodChoose one of the following prompts: #1: Much like her protagonist in Their Eyes… Zora Neal Hurston’s voice was not always heard by the men of her time. Contemporary author Richard Wright dismissed her novel for promoting the “quaint” life of blacks in the south of the time, rather than its harsher reality. How is Janie a role model for women of the time and how or when does she fit into the prescribed role or “place” for women in the time? How and when does she live up to Nanny’s belief that the black woman is the mule of the world and when does she defy it? Compare this to Hurston’s life and research critics’ comments on how Hurston herself defied expectations. #2: Interracial discrimination is becoming a more widely discussed topic today and is an issue clearly addressed by Hurston in Their Eyes… The stigma of not being “black” enough or the opposite that whiter is better within the black race, as in the case of Mrs. Turner’s character in the novel seems to add another layer to the systematic racism of America. Where do you see such criticism in the novel? How does it affect Janie and her relationships? Where is such criticism often found today? How can we prevent /curtail such discrimination? Where does it stem from? Include outside studies/current events and compare to characters in the novel.#3: Hurston’s protagonist, Janie seems to have a curious relationship with nature and God. Search for the passages that help shape Janie’s, and by proxy Hurston’s, religious ideology. What are they? Explain the title of the novel and how the Bible influences Hurston’s story. How are God and nature related in the novel? Why is it important to the story’s development? Include outside sources from critics to support your conclusions.#4: Choose a theme from the novel that has been discussed from class… sexism, racism, marriage, the folk tradition, or a question from your study guide to expand on and explore in a full-length essay.All essays must include two outside sources in addition to the novel itself. Essays will follow MLA guidelines and include a works cited page. Length: 3-4 pages double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman. Also on the reference/citation use 2 from the book and 2 from a website