Post #8- Their Eyes Were Watching God

Part 3: What is the title of your pastiche and why do you think that is the strongest possible title?

1.) I think that Zora Neale Hurston settles on the title because it clearly shows that there will be a strong allusion to God which will make the theme be emphasized even more. It gives the role as God as a higher power and "they" as the weaker power being aware of His control. I think that "they" are constantly watching God to make sure "their" power is checked in the right place. Also since there is a lot of power struggles, "they" meaning the town or the community is always in look of a higher power which would be God.

2.) Another title could have been Ships at a Distance. This would have altered one's reading because it would put the emphasis on the motif of dreams and eventually the first page of the book would have been an extended metaphor. This title would have been tied in as well the the symbol of water.

3.) The title of my pastiche is Clay and the Artist. I think that this is a strong possible title because in my story, Alex the main character is being molded like clay into what her mother wants her to be. So the artist in the title would represent the molder which in this case is the mother Sarah.

Post #7

" Ah told you in de very first beginning dat Ah aimed tuh be uh big voice... You oughts be glad, 'cause dat makes uh big woman outa you." pg.46
Jody seems to want his happiness from his power to transition to Janie. But Janie isn't happy, instead she is always seeking something else but never finds it. Also, Jody's focus is to be someone with a voice and power, but he never mentions that he wants to make her happy or be a good husband, which should make Janie doubt him but it doesn't. Also, this shows how Janie is molded into something that she is different from, but doesn't doubt this because she isn't shown to form an opinion.
"Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah..."
I think this is a good example of how Janie wants something else but since she isn't taught to form herself and have any freedom therefore she doesn't go after it. In my opinion, the tree represent Janie because a tree is naturally grown but other things can affect it's growth like water, fertilizer, and weather. I feel like the things that can affect it's growth represent all of the characters that are forming Janie into what she is. She feels comfort being near the tree because she wants to have freedom to be herself but isn't able to.
" Then she went inside there to see what it was. It was her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams."
Janie had an epiphany and realized that Jody didn't hold her dreams and her thoughts, and now she thought of Jody as an image that has been run down by other thoughts of him. But she doesn't learn her lesson and it is just  becomes a realization that isn't put to action. She still tries to find love in being objectified by other men and still is oppressed.

Journal #6- Revision

From the feedback I received in class, I revised the the aspects of my pastiche that they thought needed work. Some of these aspects were: the characterization of the main character and more dialogue. I added a part where the main character is talking to herself, actually to the window, but it shows what she is thinking which then makes the theme clearer. I also didn't know where to add more dialogue, but I think that if the main character talks to herself that could account for that. I also feel like that I am lacking a literary element, but over emphasizing the symbol I chose for my pastiche. 

Journal # 5- Their Eyes Were Watching God

And Esperanza began to dream of Hope. Hope, that voluptuous being with the huge warm heart who stored it away in the Sky. The allusive one who lived peacefully hidden underneath the terrible complication of humanity. When will someone come looking for Hope, and what can be more secret? She patiently sleeps there underneath all the madness. Sleeps lightly and motionless all day underneath all the trouble waiting to be woken up. She was looking for Her heart in places that it may not have existed. She was worried and tired too. Oh miserable Michael! He shouldn't have to suffer in misery forever. She sent Alex to inspire an epiphany, but Michael said No. Everyone had the trouble of finding where She was, and if it was known it was kept secret underneath all of the trouble. Michael would be all right just as soon he would realize the secret to his madness lies in the most beautiful part of humanity. He wasn't going to find joy at all. That was his problem. But Alex thought of something different, so she knew. And then if nothing happened, the next day she realized, for people started to tell each other secrets and look for something that had been there the whole time. People who would have never looked at the sky were now trying to reach it. They stood there, stared, and Hoped at something that was a secret. Fear, that malicious cover of the overground, had been there the whole time.

1.) An important part of Hurston's style in this passage is the way she plays with the capitalization. I used capitalization to differentiate the pronouns, to make sense of which "she" I was talking about.
2.) The tone also changes in the second part of the pastiche which I saw was what Hurston did.

Journal #4 - Their Eyes Were Watching God

Passage:
"Dis' sittin' in de rulin' chair is been hard on Jody," she muttered out loud. She was full of pity for the first time in years. Jody had been hard on her and others, but life and mishandled him too. Poor Joe! Maybe is she had known some other way to try, she might have made his face different. But what that other way could be, she had no idea. She thought back and forth about what had happened in the making of a voice out of a man. Then thought about herself. Years ago, she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass. It had been a long time since she had remembered. Perhaps she'd better look. She went over to the dresser and looked hard at her skin and features. The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there. She took careful stock of herself, then combed her hair and tied it back up again. Then she starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see, and opened up the window and cried, "Come heah people! Jody is dead. Mah husband is gone from me."(pg.87)
syntax, word choice, tone, and sound devices.
Analysis:
      The syntax isn't manipulated in this passage a lot but creates a nice flow in the passage instead. The sentences are usually lengthy and reflect her thinking by changing the length of the sentence to show the pace at which she is thinking.
       Clear examples in which she chooses certain words to convey a meaning is used to show that Janie let Jody's power take over her. For example in the first sentence, "Dis' sittin' in de rulin' chair is been hard on Jody", which means that the power he had acquired was not good for him. She uses the word "rulin" to show that he made use of his power and took advantage of it like a king. Hurston also uses "handsome woman" to show how Janie became a beautiful woman to a handsome woman because of Jody's power that she was influenced by. She no longer became the same person and a male dominance that took over her. Hurston uses the word "tore" to indicate that Janie was angrily ripping the old her and making herself the beautiful woman that she was.
       The tone in this passage comes to me as joyful but at the same time sad that Jody died which is a big contrast. Janie feels relieved that she found the person that she lost when she became a "handsome woman", she finally realizes that she was not herself anymore. On the other hand there is this dark tone behind it because Jody died.
       Janie after she looks in the mirror and lets her hair down she "cries" that Jody has died. Which shows that by her crying she is sad.

Journal #3- Their Eyes Were Watching God

1.) " Daisy is walking a drum tune. You can almost hear it by looking at the way she walks. She is black and she knows that white clothes look good on her, so she wears them for dress up. She's got those big black eyes with plenty shiny white in them that makes them like brand new money and she knows what God gave women eyelashes for, too. Her hair is not what you might call straight. It's negro hair, but it's got a kind of white flavor." Characterization
2.) "Humph! Is dat all? Ah'd buy her uh steamship and then Ah'd hire some mens tuh run it fur her." Hyperbole
3.) " She was a wind on the ocean." Metaphor
4.) " So when the bread didn't rise, and the fish wasn't quite done at the bone, and the rise was scorched, he slapped Janie until she had a ringing sound in her ears and told her about her brain before he stalked on back to the store." Parallel Structure
5.) " Starks made as if to throw the meat back in the box and close it. Mrs. Tony swooped like lightning and seized it, and started towards the door." Diction

Analysis
1.) The symbol of hair is seen again in this quote. It seems to me that hair symbolizes beauty and it also differs from person to person. When Janie's hair is being described it is different than how hair is being described for Daisy. Also from this quote, the author describes Daisy as a woman that knows she is beautiful and takes advantage of it to deceive people into getting what she wants.

2.) The men are trying to compete for Daisy's love, but Daisy doesn't seem convinced. They all want to offer her material things and they think that with these material things Daisy will fall gently into their arms. Therefore, they exaggerate to prove that with their gifts she will fall in love with him. Also they seem to take her love for granted and are only interested in her because of how beautiful she is. These men also objectify her beauty by saying that they will buy steamships and men to run it for her. Also, Janie shows that there needs to be something else either than material and beauty to make a marriage work.

Journal #2- Their Eyes Were Watching God

I will be mimicking page 12 for the structure and the arrangement of  the narrative voice and quotations. The dialect that I am going to mainly use is the New Jersey accent, her name is Joy Zee, and the second character is going to have an average American accent, while being the lady at the register.

      Joisey Dialect Rules:

1. Instead of using an l and then a consonant it is replaced with a "w". For example "talk" is "tawk".
2. When you have a vowel and then an "r", replace it with "oi", For example: "Jersey" is "Joisey".
3. Double "t"s are replaced with a "d". For example: "city" is "cidy".
4. The "t" isn't emphasized and just roll out of your mouth.
5. The "a"s are emphasized for a long time. For example: "carry" is "caaary".
6. The "cc"s are usually used as "x"s. For example: "accent" is "axent".
7. The "r" are not said and just roll of your tongue. For example: "Water" is "Wadda".

Joy Zee's Woist Nightmeah ( Joy Zee's Worst Nightmare)

Joy neatly parked her car outside her favorite beauty salon, but noticed something different. The salon was now under new management. She casually walked in, experiencing the new salon like a child in a candy store.

Joy: "Hey, iis anyone heah? I have an appointmend at Siix! My naim is Joy, last naim Zee. I'm a fwequent customah, I'm sho my naim's in de boooik."
Lady at register: "Yes, hello" she said with a big fake smile on her face." I see your name right here, Joy Zee" while pointing to the appointment book, still holding the fake smile on her face. " Feel free to look at any hair styles we have here".
Joy: " Deats fiiine" she slowly turned away to take a seat until her name was called. She quietly but anxiously flipped through hairstyle magazines until she found one that she was interested in. "OOOOOOOOOO" she awed, then stood up to tell the lady at the register to see if she could possibly have it done. " Hey, Ah wuz just wondehing if this heahstile, maibe could possibleh be done?" Joy stood there emotionally, waiting for the answer to be "yes".
Lady at the register: The lady still with the fake smile she had been holding, looked at her and sympathetically said to her " I'm so sorry Joy, but since we have been under new management, well, nothing is the same anymore. We do not offer these kind of hairstyles. We are professionals. Not girls that throw make-up on their faces and play dress-up. Sorry". Mocking Joy's choice of fashion, she cynically inspected her outfit.
Joy: Furious, raging she made a big show for the rest around her. " AHHH, yew think yew are some...some...GIIIRL.... Yew do NOT kno meh like deat" Quickly and ferociously she turns around and asks the customer near her " Sweety, hold mah extenshions, I'm not goin' to leave no place until this little snot has what sheh desoivs". With her scrunched up face she mummbles to herself and nods along with it.
Lady at the register: Confused and scared she walks backwards and bumps into the desk, leaving her trapped and having no choice but to settle this. " OK I think we are getting a little out of hand. I am sure we can settle this. Umm, how about I tawk, sorry talk, with my manager and ask her what we can do. How does that sound?"
Joy: Joy stopped taking the extentions out of her hair and looked at her once more. " Yew know? I am jus' going to leeeve and get my heah done somewheah else!" she glances once more at her hand to see the how her hand is full of extentions. Joy headed towards the door, while without caution tries to gather her stuff. " I am nevah evah com-"
The salon never heard of Joy after this incident. Joy fortunately found her salon heaven in Newark.
THE END.

Journal #1- Their Eyes Were Watching God

1.) I perceive Janie as a young beautiful woman that seeks something that even she is confused on. I feel that in this first chapter alone it is clear that Janie does not have a lot of power where she lives, and struggles to find her place in her community and her only help it seems is Phoeby. It is obvious that she is disliked among her community " Seeing the woman as she was made them remember the envy they had stored up from other times. So they chewed up the back parts of their minds and swallowed with relish."(pg.2) In this quote the people that remember her only remember her for the bad things that she has done and are quickly to judge her. Janie easily grabs the attention of men through her body " The men noticed her firm buttocks like she had grape fruits in her hip pockets; the great rope of black hair swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume; then her pugnacious breasts trying to bore holes in her shirt." (pg.2) I think this could be why Janie is disliked among her community, because of the fact that she has something that other women want and therefore are quickly judge many bad things about her.

2.) It is clear that the narrator has a feminine view on things which is carried on throughout the rest of the book. She uses a lot of metaphors that convey a really strong message to the audience. She writes in third person omniscient to provide a truth about certain things " Phoeby eager to feel and do through Janie, but hating to show her zest for fear it might be thought mere curiosity." (pg.7). In addition the narrator when talking conveys many facts that she thinks are true and you are able to see the author's voice come through.

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Post #4 - Sample Questions

1. " Then we lost him again. He set off cross country once more, and so it when on. I could feel the blood pounding in my temples" (The Stranger, pg.17)
Camus creates a dull tone through his use of  _____.

2.  " It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features"(1984, pg.1)

3.) O'Brien in 1984 is the ________.

4.) Lindo's red candle in the Joy Luck Club is a _______.

5.) " "Now you're a pal, Meursault" and said it again that it struck me. He repeated his remark and I said, "Yes". I didn't mind being his pal, and he seemed set on it." (The Stranger, pg.33)


Word Bank:
Symbol
Imagery
Syntax
Motivation
Antagonist

Post #3- Dialect

Dialect- a way of speaking characteristic of a particular region or a particular group of people. It is used to differentiate one person from another. It includes the sounds, grammar, and diction specifically used by the group being portrayed by the author in the novel . For example, characteristics of how a higher class would speak would be different from people in a lower class. Writers would do this to compare both classes and/or ethnicity, therefore showing the contrast in their behaviors, decisions etc. Dialect is an important element in a novel because it can be used as a tool to distinguish between characters and their dialect allows their personality to come through. In addition, dialect can tell you many things about the setting of the novel. Such the ethnicity of the characters, the time period, and what type of person the author is trying to portray. An example of the importance of dialect in the summer reading is in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston uses language that was commonly used during her time among African-Americans. This type of dialect allows us to distinguish and imagine what type of characters are talking. For example, she replaces "you" with "yuh" and "that" with "dat". This change in dialect, allows us the readers to see who is talking and what social class they come from by the way they are talking. This picture I found may help you out:

Post #2 - Symbol

A symbol is is the use of a widely recognized object to represent an idea. It is something that represents more than itself. A symbol is usually carried out the novel and has a deeper meaning than the actual object itself. There can be multiply symbols for one idea. For example in The Piano Lesson an important symbol is the piano which symbolizes more than just a piano but something deeper than that. The U.S flag is an important symbol in our country which symbolizes nationalism, patriotism.