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Exploring Zora Neale Hurston's Masterpiece

Feb 24, 2025

Lecture Notes: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

Introduction

  • Zora Neale Hurston claimed to have been born in Eatonville, Florida, in 1901 but was actually born in Notasulga, Alabama, on January 7, 1891.
  • Known for her works as a novelist, anthropologist, essayist, lecturer, and theatrical producer.
  • Notable works include "Their Eyes Were Watching God," "Jonah's Gourd Vine," "Mules and Men," and "Moses, Man of the Mountain."
  • Her work went out of print for nearly 30 years after initial publication.
  • Revival of interest in Hurston's works in the 1970s, led by Alice Walker and others.

Key Themes and Discussions:

Questions for Discussion

  1. Nature of God: Explore what kind of God the characters are watching, and their questioning of God.
  2. Concept of Horizon: Analyze how Janie and her relationships expand her horizons.
  3. Journey and Cultural Immersion: Janie's journey reflects immersion in black culture and traditions.
  4. Voice and Autonomy: Examine how Janie acquires her voice and shapes her life.
  5. Language Differences: Contrast between the language of men and women in the novel.
  6. Gender Roles: Janie's conformity and divergence from men's assumptions about women.
  7. Vernacular and Traditions: Importance of dialect in understanding characters and their lives.

Acknowledgments

  • Thanks to those who worked to reintroduce Hurston's work, including Alice Walker.

Forewords

Edwidge Danticat

  • Highlights the novel's exploration of self-discovery and love.
  • Janie Crawford's journey of remembrance and defiance.

Mary Helen Washington

  • Discusses the novel's initial rejection by critics and later revival.
  • Emphasizes the novel's affirmation of black cultural traditions and female heroism.

Book Overview

  • Plot Summary: Janie's journey from West Florida to Eatonville to the Everglades.
  • Character Development: Janie's relationships with Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake.
  • Themes: Love, independence, gender roles, and the search for identity.

Critical Analysis

  • Impact of Publication: Initially criticized for not conforming to protest tradition.
  • Literary Significance: Rediscovered by black women writers finding a maternal literary ancestry.
  • Cultural Context: Hurston's work viewed as a celebration of black life and culture.

Conclusion

  • Hurston's legacy as a pioneering African American woman writer.
  • "Their Eyes Were Watching God" as a central work in American literature, exploring themes of love, independence, and cultural identity.