Their Eyes Were Watching God

"How It Feels To Be Colored Me"

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma01/grand-jean/hurston/chapters/how.html

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/folklore-zora-neale-hurstons-their-eyes-were-watching-god

Essay written around the same time as the novel:

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5129/

NYTIMES:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/19990522friday.html

Voodoo and Female Empowerment in the novel:
http://www.womenwriters.net/aug08/Voodoo%20Imagery.htm


http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=WBNuLxTzzwMC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=their+eyes+were+watching+god+&ots=KAzRr1Ma0_&sig=mxqil9lKNLCWkG8Ycj1Jvc6N2_k#v=onepage&q=their%20eyes%20were%20watching%20god&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RuGMORXyF4YC&oi=fnd&pg=PA155&dq=their+eyes+were+watching+god+critical+&ots=I9gN-e64o7&sig=fZIDfaYqwb2NZjUuQPtX5rGQAsk#v=onepage&q=their%20eyes%20were%20watching%20god%20critical&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=DjQMg8gTzygC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=their+eyes+were+watching+god+critical+&ots=iRe-22X1m-&sig=SNAVAwSdsHW_WfsojBWRQlGiupA#v=onepage&q=their%20eyes%20were%20watching%20god%20critical&f=false

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/464063?sid=21105518868921&uid=2&uid=3739256&uid=3739808&uid=4

https://books.google.com/books?id=WWDZBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT36&lpg=PT36&dq=Simmons,+Ryan.+%22The+Hierarchy+Itself:+Hurston%27s+Their+Eyes+Were+Watching+God+and+the+Sacrifice+of+Narrative+Authority%22.+African+American+Review+36.2+%28Summer+2002%29:+181-93.+Print&source=bl&ots=TDBQHQO9Cc&sig=hYD7BMCCCTuHvHxUDTm7JGrO6NU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tSUHVenhE4uyggS9s4CIBQ&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Simmons%2C%20Ryan.%20%22The%20Hierarchy%20Itself%3A%20Hurston's%20Their%20Eyes%20Were%20Watching%20God%20and%20the%20Sacrifice%20of%20Narrative%20Authority%22.%20African%20American%20Review%2036.2%20(Summer%202002)%3A%20181-93.%20Print&f=false

Podcast:
 https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/neas-the-big-read/id303133830?mt=2&i=52870823

Essay 2

ENG 215

 

ESSAY #2*** DUE Monday March 14***

 

2 PAGES, DOUBLE SPACED, SIZE 12 TIMES NEW ROMAN

 

YOU DO NOT NEED OUTSIDE SOURCES FOR THIS PAPER.

 

 

Pick ONE of the essay topics below for your paper.

1. The play is really a challenge to the American Dream because it is the tragedy of a man troubled by the society. Willy believes in the American myth that “Success is obtained by being well-liked”. His dream ends up in nightmare. In your essay explain how Willy misunderstood the American Dream
2. Illusion vs. reality is something that comes up in a lot of literature. We saw some in The Great Gatsby. In Death of A Salesman Willy has illusions about just about every aspect of his life. Pick one aspect of his life, whether it be from the past or the present, and explain how he uses illusions to distort his reality. Use examples from the texts along with outside sources to support your thesis.
3. The characters in this play each want something from life; what does each major character seem to want? How do their interests align or conflict? How does what each character wants differ from what each has or gets? Use examples from the texts along with outside sources to support your thesis.
4. Compare Willy and Gatsby. How are they alike? How are they different? What do they do differently and why do they both end up dead?
5. How does the play address consumerism? Think about the fridge, the car and the home itself. How does acquiring more “stuff” play into the role of happiness?
6. Explore the role of women in the play. Compare Linda and Willy’s mistress. Why does Willy cheat on his wife? What does this tell us about Linda?

***YOU CAN INCLUDE EXAMPLES FROM THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS IN ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS***

 

 

Quote dialogue between two or more characters by also using block format and putting the characters' names in all capital letters. Don't forget a lead-in and a citation that includes all speeches being quoted. Willy's delusions consistently show how much Happy and Bernard idolized Biff, especially when they argue over who will carry his football gear:

BERNARD. Biff, I'm carrying your helmet, ain't I?
HAPPY.  No, I'm carrying the helmet.
BERNARD. Oh, Biff, you promised me.
HAPPY. I'm carrying the helmet. (Miller 12)

Remember again that you are always explaining quotes in your own words. Quoting one character’s dialogue is explained in the below paragraph.

Questions on Death of a Salesman From Class

Act 2

1)      In the scene where Willy is asking Howard for a job in NYC Willy is attempting to remind Howard of what he has done for him and his family in the past. Howard says, “Business is business,” and later Charley says, “When are you gonna realize that stuff doesn’t matter anymore?” What doesn’t Willy get here?

2)      How would you describe Willy’s treatment of Linda? Find an example in the text that displays how you feel he treats her.

3)      As we stated in class last time, Willy has a way of looking at things from the past and altering them to fit his current needs. How does he do this when speaking to Bernard about Biff’s issues with math in high school?

4)      With which character in the play do you feel the most sympathy and why?

1)      How do The Great Gatsby and Death of A Salesman address the American dream”?

 

Requiem

2)      In the Requiem section of the play, we find out that no one shows up to Willy’s funeral. What do the other characters make of this? What do you make of this?

 

3)      Biff says: “Charley, there’s more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made “ (Miller 110). What do you think he meant by this?

 

4)      How do Biff, Happy and Linda end up feeling about Willy by the end of the play?

More On Death of a Salesman

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p_LLoI1OnEEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA25&dq=American+Dream+and+death+of+a+salesman+&ots=l7T4kQv0cC&sig=I1IizlWueKD6cUUAPV5mrA5leYU#v=onepage&q=American%20Dream%20and%20death%20of%20a%20salesman&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sjc5TdesY1YC&oi=fnd&pg=PA156&dq=American+Dream+and+death+of+a+salesman+&ots=Z8S4hr8ffR&sig=gYFkkeygFYvmiYq52cwkTBRqBLQ#v=onepage&q=American%20Dream%20and%20death%20of%20a%20salesman&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=JL1Z38jBGVAC&pg=PA55&dq=American+Dream+and+death+of+a+salesman&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDgQ6AEwA2oVChMIxYatt5SDxwIVBck-Ch2JlwO0#v=onepage&q=American%20Dream%20and%20death%20of%20a%20salesman&f=false

https://www.nytimes.com/books/00/11/12/specials/miller-salesman49.html

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/1949/jul/30/theatre.artsfeatures

http://www.economist.com/node/21550237

http://utmost.org/the-teaching-of-disillusionment/

Death of a Salesman

This link provides a number of links from the NY Times on the play:
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/teaching-death-of-a-salesman-with-the-new-york-times/

Death of a Salesman (1949) Death of a Salesman relates the story of Willy Loman, a down-on-his-luck traveling salesman. In order to cope with his failures in life, he retreats to the past in his mind and seems to be losing touch with reality. He tries to relive the good times, but keeps coming up against things that went wrong. His family try to help him by lying about their prospects, but when Loman loses his job, after a lifetime with the same company, he becomes desperate. His depression is exacerbated by the guilt he feels from a past infidelity which has estranged him from his older son, Biff. Rather than accept that his life has been a failure, and that Biff is not interested in big business, Loman decides to commit suicide in hopes that the insurance money will help Biff become successful. The play ends with his family and only friend, Charley, grieving by his graveside. 

Here is a really long look at Death of  A Salesman:

http://www.ibiblio.org/miller/DeathofaSalesmanMAThesis2004.pdf

Symbolism in Death of  A Salesman:

http://www.ibiblio.org/miller/gardens.html

Notes From Feb 1

 

eng215spring2016.blogspot.com

1)  What do you make of the quote: "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had"(1)? Explain how it is important in the first few chapters.

2)  What do you think the blue eyes on the billboard (23-4) may mean?

As well as the green light on the end of the dock (22)?

3) “Anything can happen now that we’ve slid over this bridge,” I thought; “Anything at all....”

Even Gatsby could happen, without any particular wonder (69). What does your group make of this passage? Think in reference to Gatsby, what America was becoming and read the last two sentences above that passage and what it says about race.

4) Look at the conversation between Nick and Jordan on page 59 in chapter three. Take a deeper look into that conversation; on the surface they are discussing her driving skills but there is more to it. What you’re your group think and why?

 

 

 

 

-American dream

       How is Gatsby representative of this idea?

Many Americans have a tendency to believe that if they have enough money, they can manipulate time, staying perpetually young, and buy their happiness through materialistic spending.

-The corrupting influence of wealth up against the purity of a dream. What can go wrong?

-What would you say Charlie and Gatsby have in common?

“I tried to die but lived an enchanted life” (66)

-Nick rides with Gatsby over the Queensboro Bridge and learns about his life…at least what Gatsby wants him to believe.

“Anything can happen now that we've slid over this bridge,' I thought; 'anything at all..'

Even Gatsby could happen, without any particular won­der”(69).

-The endless possibilities of the new America. The idea that a person could come from Gatsby’s poor background and make it as far as he had. In many ways, New York City represented that ideal…whether it is true or not…

Gatsby is pulled over by the police and simply shows him a card with his name on it…he is free to go.

Nick has lunch with Gatsby in a speakeasy and sees the type of people he hangs around with.

 

“There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired” (81)

       -What does this mean?

Who are:

       --the pursued (in the novel and in the world)

       --the pursuing (in the novel and in the world)      

       --the busy (in the novel and in the world)

       --the tired (in the novel and in the world)     

Gatsby offers Nick a job but he says no. Once again, Nick is the only character doing honest work.

Daisy and Gatsby meet (Nick sets it up) and Nick tells Gatsby he is acting like a child (89).

“The quality of his present happiness” (97)

       -Always a fleeting feeling, fantasies never living up to the reality.

There is more speculation about Gatsby—More rumors (98).

James Gatzà Jay Gatsby…he meets Dan Cody when he was younger and Cody becomes his idol. He travels the world with him and does not drink because that is what killed him.

“Believed nothing and everything about him” (102).

       -What does this mean?

Nick begins to understand that West Egg is a world of its own—has its own standards (109).

Tom wants to find out where Gatsby gets his money (110).

“You can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can” (111)

       -Gatsby says this to Nick and begins to sound crazy.

More on The Great Gatsby

This link discusses some random facts about the novel and the writer:

http://gothamist.com/2013/05/07/gatsby_facts.php

The Wire breaks down The Great Gatsby (There is some strong language here):

http://www.openculture.com/2012/08/ithe_wirei_breaks_down_ithe_great_gatsbyi_f_scott_fitzgeralds_classic_criticism_of_america_nsfw.html

Footage of Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda:

http://www.openculture.com/2012/11/rare_footage_of_scott_and_zelda_fitzgerald_from_the_1920s.html

http://query.nytimes.com/search/sitesearch/?action=click&contentCollection&region=TopBar&WT.nav=searchWidget&module=SearchSubmit&pgtype=Homepage#/THE GREAT GATSBY

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=the%20great%20gatsby

Race and The Great Gatsby:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/06/rise-of-the-colored-empires/276844/

https://www.uscupstate.edu/uploadedFiles/Academics/Undergraduate_Research/Reseach_Journal/006_ARTICLE5_2009.pdf

http://flavorwire.com/391193/the-complicated-and-troubling-role-of-race-and-class-in-baz-luhrmanns-Gatsby

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/why-i-believe-that-jay-gatsby-was-black/153166.article