Defining Literary Style

• Style: how the author uses words to bring forth ideas and descriptions:– Word choice– Sentence structure– Figurative language– Question to ask: How does the author describe

events, objects, and ideas?

Defining Literary Style

• How does wording and phrasing help with interpretation of a scene and the emotions felt by the characters or evoked by the occurrence in the story?

• How does wording and phrasing tell us about setting?

Analyzing Literary Style

Jody must have noticed it too. Maybe, he had seen it long before Janie did, and had been fearing for her to see. Because he began to talk about her age all the time, as if he didn't want her to stay young while he grew old. It was always "You oughta throw somethin' over yo' shoulders befo' you go outside. You ain't no young pullet no mo'. You'se uh ole hen now." One day he called her off the croquet grounds. "Dat's somthin' for de young folks, Janie, you out dere jumpin' round and won't be able tuh git out de bed tuhmorrer." If he thought to deceive her, he was wrong. For the first time she could see a man's head naked of its skull. Saw the cunning thoughts race in and out through caves and promontories of his mind long before they darted out of the tunnel of his mouth. She saw he was hurting inside so she let it pass without talking. She just measured out a little time for him and set it aside to wait.

from Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God. (Urbana: U of Illinois P, 1978), p. 120.

Analyzing Literary Style

• Things to look for (Ch. 1 opening scene):– POV: 3rd person omniscient. Why is this appropriate?– Heavily descriptive writing– There is a lot going on in this passage, but very little

dialogue. How does the unsaid serve to push the story forth?

– Introduction of the protagonist- what do we know and learn about her?

– Short paragraphs- how does this affect the movement of the scene?

TEWWG Essential Questions

1. What is love? How does it shape and impact us?

2. How do societal expectations impact individuals?

3. What does it mean to live a fulfilled life?4. What does society expect of men and women

in relationships? How are these expectations realistic and unrealistic?

TEWWG Things to Consider/Anticipation Guide

Take a Position ...

• It is not possible for men and women to be just friends.

• Every person has one true love.

• A recent report finding 49% of all US adults are unmarried proves that the institution of marriage is just not viable in today's society.

• I would only ever marry for love.

• You can only truly trust yourself.

• It is not possible for couples from different cultural or economic backgrounds to remain happily married.

TEWWG Areas of Focus

The areas we will be focusing on for this novel are:

1. Literary style2. Theme3. Character development4. Voice5. Symbolism

TEWWG Important Quotation #1

“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men.Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember, and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly” (1).

TEWWG Important Quotation #1- Explanation

Why is this quote important?It establishes the idea of gender differences,

whether they be innate or imposed by societyIt speaks to how societal expectations may or

may not impact individualsThis is a novel about the differences between

men and women, and it helps to set the genders apart from the very outset of the story

TEWWG Literary Style, Chapter One

• Dialogue is written in vernacular (listen to audio portion of Chapter One )

• Janie starts the story from the end- she has returned from her journey

• Story is told rather than written• Narrator moves between 3rd person omniscient to 1st

person- why is this?• Establishes the novel as the story of a woman’s quest-

this is unusual in itself, because going on quests is usually seen as a male attribute.

TEWWG Character Development- Janie Crawford

Ch. 1:• Where has she been? What are her exact words

when asked about her whereabouts?• What social conventions has she violated? • Now that her quest is over, what does she wish to

do? Why is this important to her?• What do all of these things say about her character

at this point in the novel? What is interesting about how Hurston develops Janie’s character?

TEWWG Character Development- Janie Crawford

Ch. Two:• Why is it significant that Janie not see herself in terms of race at the beginning

part of the chapter? What does this say about her character and how she defines herself? What does this foreshadow?

• Why is the pear tree the best symbol for Janie, especially in this chapter?• Are Nanny and the Washburn family indirectly responsible for Janie’s ability to

feel alive?• What are Janie’s viewpoints on sexuality (or lack thereof)?• How old is Janie at this point?• What do we find out about Janie’s background (what is the ethnicity of her

mother, and what happened to her mother? Where is Leafy?)• How does Nanny impose her beliefs on Janie, and • How do the incidents of Chapter Two shape Janie’s perception of life at this

point?

TEWWG Important Quotations, Chapter Two

• Look at the entire pear tree section (pgs. 10-12)

• “She saw the terrible agony and the lips tightened down to hold back the cry and desisted. Instead she brushed back the heavy hair from Janie’s face and stood there suffering and loving and weeping internally for both of them” (14).

TEWWG Characterization,Janie Crawford, Chapter 3

• At the beginning of the chapter, Janie is led to believe that marriage will automatically lead to love, or the intimacy that she craves- analysis of the 1st two paragraphs on pg. 21.

• “But nobody put anything on the seat of Logan’s wagon to make it ride glorious on the way to his house. It was a lonesome place like a stump in the middle of the woods where nobody had ever been. The house was absent of flavor, too. But anyhow Janie went on inside to wait for love to begin” (22-23).

• Analysis of last two paragraphs on pg. 25- what two things does Janie realize and how does this realization shape her actions to come?

• “Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (25)- what does Hurston mean by this?

• Q: Is what Janie wants idealistic or realistic? Why or why not?

TEWWG Characterization, Janie Crawford, Ch. 4

• Janie isn’t so fixated on love in this chapter; instead, she focuses on the necessity of change and possibility.

• P. 32- she leaves Logan- what does this say about Janie that we’ve already seen out of her? (2 things)

Important Quotation, Chapter 4

Discuss in terms of Janie’s characterization: “The morning road air was like a new dress. That made her feel the apron tied around her waist. She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet…From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled all over everything. A bee for her bloom. Her old thoughts were going to come in handy now, but new words would have to be made and said to fit them” (32).

TEWWG Characterization- Joe Starks, Ch. 4

• Direct characterization of Joe: pgs. 27-28• Indirect characterization of Joe:

– “He was a seal-brown color but he acted like Mr. Washburn or somebody like that to Janie” (28).

– “He didn’t look her way nor no other way except straight ahead” (28).– He has money saved up- what does this say about him?– He is headed to FL even though he has a good job in GA- what does this

say about him as well?– “He had always wanted to be a big voice, but de white folks had all de

say so where he come from and everywhere else, exceptin’ dis place dat colored folks was buildin’ theirselves. Dat was right too. De man dat built things oughta boss it. Let colored folks folks build things too if dey wants to crow over somethin’ “ (28).

TEWWG Character Development-Joe Starks, Chapter 5

• Things we know: He is frugal, ambitious, motivated, and self-serving. Also, he does not love Janie; rather, he sees her as someone who can help push his personal agenda forward.

• Passages that bring out Joe’s character further:– pg. 43– Pg. 46– Pgs. 47-50– “They bowed down to him rather, because he was all of these

things, and then he was all of these things because the town bowed down” (50).

Analysis of Style, Chapter 6

“Every morning the world flung itself over and exposed the town to the sun. So Janie had another day. And every day had a store in it, except Sundays. The store itself was a pleasant place if only she didn’t have to sell things. When the people sat around on the porch and passed around the pictures of their thoughts for the others to look at and see, it was nice. The fact that the thought pictures were always crayon enlargements of life made it even nicer to listen to” (51).

Analysis of Ch. 6

Purposes of this chapter:1. Further exploration of the relationship between Joe and

Janie and Joe’s growing need for control, and2. Examination of the strong sense of community in

Eatonville– The ‘Matt Bonner and his mule’ teasing (51-58)– The discussion about nature v. nurture (63-67)

3. Pgs. 67-75- insight into the expectations society places on gender

– Discussion of the views on men and women during this time period

Joe and Janie’s Relationship- Ch. 6

Insight into Joe:1. He really does have the ability to exhibit

kindness towards his wife2. He is jealous of how other men look at her3. Exerting power and control over her is

important to him because of his value structure and his jealousy

4. What is the only way in which Joe knows how to display affection and emotion?

Joe and Janie’s Relationship- Ch. 6

Insight into Janie:1. She longs to be a part of the community in which she lives2. She abdicates to Joe because she doesn’t have any other

options- she can’t fight what ‘is’3. She really doesn’t understand Joe any more than he

understands her- she just knows her needs aren’t being met.

4. Janie barely speaks in this chapter- in fact, the longest speech she delivers in the entire chapter is at its end. Why do you think this is?

5. Page 72- further character development of Janie

Joe and Janie’s Relationship, Ch. 6

• “Time came when she fought back with her tongue as best she could, but it didn’t do her any good. It just made Joe do more. He wanted her submission and he’d keep on fighting until he felt he had it” (71).

• “The spirit of the marriage left the bedroom and took to living in the parlor. It was there to shake hands whenever company came to visit, but it never went back inside the bedroom again…The bed was no longer a daisy-field for her and Joe to play in” (71).

• “She wasn’t petal-open to him anymore” (71).• “He was longing for peace but on his own terms” (72).

Important Quotations, Ch. 6

“…it’s nature, cause nature makes caution. It’s de onliest thing God ever made. He made nature and nature made everything else” (65).

“Sometimes God gits familiar wid us womenfolks too and talks His inside business. He told me how surprised He was ‘bout y’all turning out so smart after Him makin’ yuh different; and how surprised y’all is goin’ tuh be if you ever find out you don’t know half as much ‘bout us as you think you do. It’s so easy to make yo’self out to God Almighty when you ain’ got nothin’ tuh strain against women and chickens” (75).

Final Character Development on Joe Starks (Ch. 8)

Focus on pgs. 86-87:1. What is love for Joe?2. Societal expectations- What drives Joe?

a. His own ambitionb. His definition of manhood: “[Janie] thought back and

forth about what had happened in the making of a voice out of a man” (87).

1. Influences:a. Racial influencesb. Personal definition of gender rolesc. Historical influences

Points to Discuss, Chapter 9

1. The façade Janie puts on (88). Why is it in her best interest to do this?2. Janie’s hair (89). What do her actions indicate?3. Janie’s thoughts on Nanny (89).4. Janie being seen as an object (90-91). How are the actions of the men

realistic and unrealistic? Why assumptions are they making when they go to ‘court’ Janie?

5. The store (91-92). Why does it still stress her out?

Important Quotations:-p. 90- compare with the quote on pg. 72.-p. 93- Janie’s continuing rediscovery of her voice, societal expectations, and the foreshadowing of the coming of Tea Cake.

Character Development- Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods

Characteristics seen in Chapter 10:• “Good evenin’, Mis’ Starks,” he said with a sly grin as if they had a

good joke together” (94).• “Dis is the last day for dat excuse. You got a board round heah?”

(95)• “Folks is playin’ it wid sense and folks is playin’ it without. But you

got good meat on yo’ head” (96).• His antics in the store (97-98).

Important Quotation:“Tea Cake wasn’t strange. Seemed as if she had known him all her life. Look how she had been able to talk with him right off!” (99).

Character Development- Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods

Characteristics seen in Chapter 11:• “Must be around twenty-five…” (100)• “Tea Cake…ain’t used to nothin’ (102).• “Things like dat got uh whol lot tuh do with

convenience, but it ain’t got nothin’ tuh do wid love” (105).

• “Moon’s too pretty fuh anybody to be sleepin’ it away…Less us go fishin’” (102).

Points to Discuss, Chapter 11

1. The breaking of societal conventions- pgs. 100, 103, 105.

2. Janie’s hair/getting something for nothing- pg. 1033. The re-emergence of the pear tree symbol4. Discussion of EQs:

a. What is love? How does it shape and impact us?b. What does it mean to live a fulfilled life?

1. Choosing to make decisions for one’s self2. Life and connection3. Love v. possession

Character Development:Janie Starks, Chapter 12

• Janie’s conversation with Phoeby: pgs. 112-115• Janie’s commentary on Nanny- pg. 114• “But he done showed me where it’s de thought

dat makes de difference in ages. If people thinks de same they can make it all right. Do in the beginnin’ new thoughts had tuh be thought and new words said. After Ah got used tuh dat, we gits ‘long jus’ fine” (115)- how is this quote an allusion to the pear tree?

Analysis of Style, Chapter 13

“Janie dozed off to sleep but she woke up in time to see the sun sending up spies ahead of him to mark out the road through the dark. He peeped up over the door sill of the world and made a little foolishness with red. But pretty soon, he laid al that aside and went about his business dressed in white. But it was always going to be dark to Janie if Tea Cake didn’t soon come back. She got out of the bed but a chair couldn’t hold her. She dwindled down on the floor with her head in a rocking chair” (120).

Janie v. Annie Tyler, Chapter 13

Janie Woods Annie Tyler

Important Quotation, Chapter 14

Think about the following quote in terms of the 3rd EQ:“Sometimes Janie would think of the old days in the big white house and the store and laugh to herself. What if Eatonville could see her now in her blue denim overalls and heavy shoes? The crowd of people around her and a dice game on her floor! She was sorry for her friends back there and scornful of the others…here she could listen and laugh and even talk some if she wanted to. She got so she could tell big stories herself from listening to the rest….no matter how rough it was, people seldom got mad, because everything was done for a laugh” (134).

Important Quotation, Ch. 18

“The wind came back with triple fury, and put out the light for the last time. They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God” (160).• What does this quote say about the central conflict

of the novel: humankind v. the forces of nature and the supernatural?

Janie Character Development, Chs. 17 and 18

• Ch. 17- the incident where TC hits Janie.– She chooses to allow him to treat her this way.

Why? What can we say about her character at this point?

• Ch. 18- Janie and TC solidify their relationship– Dialogue on pgs. 159-160.– Dialogue on pg. 167

Janie Character Development, Chs. 19 and 20

Ch. 19:• Pg. 189: “You know dem white mens wuzn’t gointuh do nothin’ tuh

no woman dat look lak her.”• “She was too busy feeling grief to look like grief.”Ch. 20• pg. 191: Tea Cake’s seeds- she plans to plant them for

“remembrance.” What do the seeds also symbolize? What is the connection to the pear tree?

• Janie reveals her definition of love to Phoeby• Pg. 192: Janie’s commentary on life• Pgs. 192-193: the final paragraph. Would Janie have found a way

to grow and live even if she had never met Tea Cake?

Themes in TEWWG

1. The use (or lack) of language2. Finding fulfillment through power and

conquest3. Love and relationships v. independence

TEWWG: Creating a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement must:1. Take a stand.2. Justify discussion.3. Express one main idea.4. Be specific.

TEWWG: Creating a Strong Thesis Statement

Sample Thesis: One should write more formally for school than for a friend.

Revised Thesis: Because schooling is intended to prepare students for life in the workforce, it is therefore appropriate for one to write formally in an educational setting and reserve informal writing for social situations.

TEWWG- Passage for Analysis

Janie stood where he left her for unmeasured time and thought. She stood there until something fell off the shelf inside her. 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. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over. In a way she turned her back upon the image where it lay and looked further. She had no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man, neither any glistening young fruit where the petals used to be. She found that she had a host of thoughts she had never expressed to him, and numerous emotions she had never let Jody know about. Things packed up and put away in parts of her heart where he could never find them. She was saving up feelings for some man she had never seen. She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them.

She bathed and put on a fresh dress and head kerchief and went on to the store before Jody had time to send for her. That was a bow to the outside of things.