"Two things everybody's got tuh du fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (Hurston 192).
"I'd get lost without the weight of you two on my back" (Woodrell 193).
Essay Topic: Does Ree fulfill Janie's second suggestion of what people have to do for themselves?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Winter's Bone pg. 131-162
"'If she does wrong, you can put it on me'" (Hurston 137).
Teardrop takes responsibility for Ree because he feels bad for her, and he trusts her. Teardrop realizes that beating Ree was a way for the Miltons to seek revenge on her father, but he disagrees with their logic. Ree was only looking for answers, not trying to get anyone in trouble. However, the Miltons assume Ree is just like her father, so they beat her up because they do not trust her. Teardrop threatens them when he says, "If anybody lays even just one finger on that girl ever again, they better have shot me first" (138). Even though Teardrop had warned Ree not to go to Hawkfall asking about things they were not offering to talk about, he defends her. One could assume that he would be mad at her and say 'I told you so,' but he stands up for Ree instead. Teardrop shows strong family loyalty by coming to Ree's rescue without reprimanding her.
Teardrop takes responsibility for Ree because he feels bad for her, and he trusts her. Teardrop realizes that beating Ree was a way for the Miltons to seek revenge on her father, but he disagrees with their logic. Ree was only looking for answers, not trying to get anyone in trouble. However, the Miltons assume Ree is just like her father, so they beat her up because they do not trust her. Teardrop threatens them when he says, "If anybody lays even just one finger on that girl ever again, they better have shot me first" (138). Even though Teardrop had warned Ree not to go to Hawkfall asking about things they were not offering to talk about, he defends her. One could assume that he would be mad at her and say 'I told you so,' but he stands up for Ree instead. Teardrop shows strong family loyalty by coming to Ree's rescue without reprimanding her.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Winter's Bone pg. 109-130
"He flung his arm out, gesturing vaguely toward the land up the hill behind the house. 'I'd sell off that Bromont timber now while you can'" (Woodrell 112).
http://mountainhearth.blogspot.com/2010/12/over-river-and-through-woods.html
Upon Teardrop's arrival to tell Ree that her father had not shown for his court case, he insists for Ree to sell the timber behind Ree's house because she will need the money from it. It is known that "the true price of such a sale would be the ruination of home, and despite lean years of hardship no generation yet wanted to be the one who wrought that upon the family land" (104). Teardrop encourages Ree to sell the timber because he wants to see her be the disappointment to the family name. Rather than trying to save Ree from ruining the family name, Teardrop makes her feel like a failure. Teardrop gives Ree some money to help her out, but he is implying that her situation is too difficult to overcome. He does not want to see Ree succeed. Teardrop is weak willed and does not understand Ree's determination. Teardrop also has a sense of sincerity when he says this to Ree because he does not want whomever ends up living in Ree's house next to cut the timber. He does not want the timber to go to waste and let someone else make a profit off of it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Winter's Bone pg. 20-81
"Blood don't truly count for diddly to the big man?" (Woodrell 63).
Ancestry is a common theme in Winter's Bone. Ree wants to rely on her family when she is looking for her father because she believes they should support her due to their blood relation. When Thump Milton will not speak to Ree, she does not understand his logic. She was hoping that he would talk with her because they are relatives. Teardrop warned Ree not to go down to Hawkfall and ask people about things they did not offer to talk about (25). Ree did not listen, and Thump Milton turned her away. Blond takes a different approach than Teardrop. Blood says to Ree, "Jessup'n me maybe had our tussles, but he was my first cousin still. I'll see whatever I can do for you" (76). Blood has a higher regard for the blood relation between him and Jessup. He is willing to help Ree find her father because he sees the value in their family name.
Ancestry is a common theme in Winter's Bone. Ree wants to rely on her family when she is looking for her father because she believes they should support her due to their blood relation. When Thump Milton will not speak to Ree, she does not understand his logic. She was hoping that he would talk with her because they are relatives. Teardrop warned Ree not to go down to Hawkfall and ask people about things they did not offer to talk about (25). Ree did not listen, and Thump Milton turned her away. Blond takes a different approach than Teardrop. Blood says to Ree, "Jessup'n me maybe had our tussles, but he was my first cousin still. I'll see whatever I can do for you" (76). Blood has a higher regard for the blood relation between him and Jessup. He is willing to help Ree find her father because he sees the value in their family name.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Winter's Bone pg. 3-19
"She'd never get away from her family as planned, off to the U.S. Army, where you got to travel with a gun and they made everybody help keep things clean. She'd never have only her own concerns to tote" (Woodrell 15).
Ree wishes to leave her family in the future because she is tired of being a caretaker at age sixteen. It is burdensome for Ree to be a mother to her brothers, and be responsible for all the household chores. Her father neglects to supply any means to the family, and her mother's health inhibits her from assisting in any way. Ree has a lot to handle at a young age. She wishes to go into the Army because she will not have to pick up or clean up after anyone else. The Army suits Ree because she will be able to focus some of her attention on herself. The only thing Ree does to sooth her pent up frustrations is "inject herself with pleasant sounds" (10). Listening to the sounds of the ocean allows Ree to escape from her current situation. She is able to find a sense of peace while listening to calming sounds.
Ree wishes to leave her family in the future because she is tired of being a caretaker at age sixteen. It is burdensome for Ree to be a mother to her brothers, and be responsible for all the household chores. Her father neglects to supply any means to the family, and her mother's health inhibits her from assisting in any way. Ree has a lot to handle at a young age. She wishes to go into the Army because she will not have to pick up or clean up after anyone else. The Army suits Ree because she will be able to focus some of her attention on herself. The only thing Ree does to sooth her pent up frustrations is "inject herself with pleasant sounds" (10). Listening to the sounds of the ocean allows Ree to escape from her current situation. She is able to find a sense of peace while listening to calming sounds.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Their Eyes Were Watching God Final Project
Savor childhood/innocence
1. "She sits high, but she looks low. Dat's what Ah say 'bout dese ole women runnin' after young boys" (3).
2. "She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her" (11).
3. "Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah..." (24).
4. "You married? You ain't hardly old enough to be weaned. Ah betcha you still craves sugar-tits, doncher?" (28).
5. "A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely" (46).
6. "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" (72).
7. "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" (77).
8. "Years ago, she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass" (87).
9. "She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around" (90). She was just basking in freedom for the most part without the need for thought" (93).
10. "Then he looked back at her with an irresistible grin on his face. Janie burst out laughing in spite of herself" (97).
11. "It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it" (102).
12. "Somebody done tole 'em what to set down for. Nobody ain't told poor me, so sittin' still worries me. Ah wants tuh utilize mahself all over" (112). Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah mean tuh live mine" (114).
13. "He drifted off into sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place" (128).
14. "Only here, she could listen and laugh and even talk some herself if she wanted to" (134).
15. "Janie learned what it felt like to be jealous" (136).
16. "Janie's coffee-and-cream complexion and her luxurious hair made Mrs. Turner forgive her for wearing overalls like the other women who worked in the fields" (140).
17. "Still and all, jealousies arose now and then on both sides" (147).
18. "It is so easy to be hopeful in the day time when you can see the things you wish on. But it was night, it stayed night" (158).
19. "You only sound ole when you tell folks when you wuz born, but wid de eye you'se young enough tuh suit most any man" (180). "God made it so you spent yo' ole age first wid somebody else, and saved up yo' young girl days to spend wid me" (180-181).
20. "Two things everybody's got tuh du fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (192).
1. "She sits high, but she looks low. Dat's what Ah say 'bout dese ole women runnin' after young boys" (3).
2. "She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her" (11).
3. "Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah..." (24).
4. "You married? You ain't hardly old enough to be weaned. Ah betcha you still craves sugar-tits, doncher?" (28).
5. "A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely" (46).
6. "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" (72).
7. "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" (77).
8. "Years ago, she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass" (87).
9. "She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around" (90). She was just basking in freedom for the most part without the need for thought" (93).
10. "Then he looked back at her with an irresistible grin on his face. Janie burst out laughing in spite of herself" (97).
11. "It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it" (102).
12. "Somebody done tole 'em what to set down for. Nobody ain't told poor me, so sittin' still worries me. Ah wants tuh utilize mahself all over" (112). Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah mean tuh live mine" (114).
13. "He drifted off into sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place" (128).
14. "Only here, she could listen and laugh and even talk some herself if she wanted to" (134).
15. "Janie learned what it felt like to be jealous" (136).
16. "Janie's coffee-and-cream complexion and her luxurious hair made Mrs. Turner forgive her for wearing overalls like the other women who worked in the fields" (140).
17. "Still and all, jealousies arose now and then on both sides" (147).
18. "It is so easy to be hopeful in the day time when you can see the things you wish on. But it was night, it stayed night" (158).
19. "You only sound ole when you tell folks when you wuz born, but wid de eye you'se young enough tuh suit most any man" (180). "God made it so you spent yo' ole age first wid somebody else, and saved up yo' young girl days to spend wid me" (180-181).
20. "Two things everybody's got tuh du fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (192).
Their Eyes Were Watching God Chaps. 19&20
"It's bad bein' strange niggers wid white folks. Everybody is aginst yuh" (Hurston 172).
The theme of race has been prevalent throughout the novel, but the theme of racism is really called into attention at the end of the novel. Tea Cake and the other men are required to separate the whites from the blacks while burying the dead because the whites will be buried in a coffin. This represents the thoughts of white supremacy by saying that the blacks were not valued enough to be buried in a coffin. Tea Cake and Janie discuss the stereotype that blacks fall under. Janie says, "De ones de white man know is nice colored folks. De ones he don't know is bad niggers" (172). White men assume that black men are bad if they are unknown by the white men. Tea Cake believes that white men think the black men "[they] don't know oughta be tried and sentenced tuh six months behind de United States privy house at hard smellin' (172). In Tea Cake's opinion, white men assume the worst about black men that they do not know.
The theme of race has been prevalent throughout the novel, but the theme of racism is really called into attention at the end of the novel. Tea Cake and the other men are required to separate the whites from the blacks while burying the dead because the whites will be buried in a coffin. This represents the thoughts of white supremacy by saying that the blacks were not valued enough to be buried in a coffin. Tea Cake and Janie discuss the stereotype that blacks fall under. Janie says, "De ones de white man know is nice colored folks. De ones he don't know is bad niggers" (172). White men assume that black men are bad if they are unknown by the white men. Tea Cake believes that white men think the black men "[they] don't know oughta be tried and sentenced tuh six months behind de United States privy house at hard smellin' (172). In Tea Cake's opinion, white men assume the worst about black men that they do not know.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Their Eyes Were Watching God Chaps. 17&18
"Ah didn't whup Janie 'cause she done nothin'. Ah beat her tuh show dem Turners who is boss" (Hurston 148).
Janie's light complexion makes it easy to see the discoloration from bruises on her skin, so everyone notices when Tea Cake beats her. Tea Cake is bitter that Mrs. Turner tries to use her brother to lure Janie away from Tea Cake. Tea Cake beats Janie so Mrs. Turner can see that her efforts are hurting Janie. There are "no brutal beating at all. He just [slaps] her around a bit" in order to show Mrs. Turner that he has control of Janie (147). Tea Cake uses his authority to prove that he will administrate Janie's actions because he does not want to lose her. He does not brutally beat her because he does not want to overstep into territory that will make her leave him.
Janie's light complexion makes it easy to see the discoloration from bruises on her skin, so everyone notices when Tea Cake beats her. Tea Cake is bitter that Mrs. Turner tries to use her brother to lure Janie away from Tea Cake. Tea Cake beats Janie so Mrs. Turner can see that her efforts are hurting Janie. There are "no brutal beating at all. He just [slaps] her around a bit" in order to show Mrs. Turner that he has control of Janie (147). Tea Cake uses his authority to prove that he will administrate Janie's actions because he does not want to lose her. He does not brutally beat her because he does not want to overstep into territory that will make her leave him.
Their Eyes Were Watching God Chaps. 14, 15&16
"Ah can't stand black niggers. Ah don't blame de white folks from hatin' 'em 'cause Ah can't stand 'em mahself" (Hurtson 141).
Mrs. Turner dislikes her own race, and sympathizes with white supremacists because she does not like the commonness of black people. She sees herself as more civilized than the people she is surrounded by. Mrs. Turner likes "Janie's coffee-and-cream complexion and her luxurious hair made Mrs. Turner forgive her for wearing overalls like the other women who worked in the fields" (140). Mrs. Turner was able to overlook Janie's work in the field because she had the features of a white woman. Janie's physical appearance attracts Mrs. Turner's attention because she is unlike the rest of the black women that they are surrounded by. Janie's appearance causes Mrs. Turner to believe that Janie is too superior to be married to Tea Cake.
Mrs. Turner dislikes her own race, and sympathizes with white supremacists because she does not like the commonness of black people. She sees herself as more civilized than the people she is surrounded by. Mrs. Turner likes "Janie's coffee-and-cream complexion and her luxurious hair made Mrs. Turner forgive her for wearing overalls like the other women who worked in the fields" (140). Mrs. Turner was able to overlook Janie's work in the field because she had the features of a white woman. Janie's physical appearance attracts Mrs. Turner's attention because she is unlike the rest of the black women that they are surrounded by. Janie's appearance causes Mrs. Turner to believe that Janie is too superior to be married to Tea Cake.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Their Eyes Were Watching God Chaps. 11, 12&13
"Things lak dat got uh whole lot tuh do wid convenience, but it ain't got nothin' tuh do wid love" (Hurtston 105).
Tea Cake and Janie's relationship is uncommon due to their age difference, but Tea Cake believes they can overcome that difference through love. As long as love exists between them, their ages do not matter. Janie is convinced of this idea when she says, "But he done showed me where it's de thought dat makes de difference in ages" (115). If she continues to fret about their age difference, she will never be fully engaged in their relationship. If her thoughts are similar to Tea Cake's, they can interact without thinking about the difference in their ages.
Tea Cake and Janie's relationship is uncommon due to their age difference, but Tea Cake believes they can overcome that difference through love. As long as love exists between them, their ages do not matter. Janie is convinced of this idea when she says, "But he done showed me where it's de thought dat makes de difference in ages" (115). If she continues to fret about their age difference, she will never be fully engaged in their relationship. If her thoughts are similar to Tea Cake's, they can interact without thinking about the difference in their ages.
Their Eyes Were Watching God Chaps. 8, 9&10
"She was just basking in freedom for the most part without the need for thought" (Hurston 93).
The death of Joe gave Janie a new found freedom. Janie was no longer under the pressure to act a certain way due to someone else's wishes. Janie was able to make her own decisions and not be criticized for a minor mistake in the store. She took the kerchief off of her head, and let her hair down because no one was there to tell her not to. She was living in ease because she did not have to comply with the demands or instructions of anyone else. Janie was quick to move on from the death of Joe because she had lost interest in their relationship before he died. She enjoyed her life as a widow because she did not spend much time dwelling on the loss of Joe. She embraced her new freedom with a sense of carelessness in order to thoroughly appreciate her independence.
The death of Joe gave Janie a new found freedom. Janie was no longer under the pressure to act a certain way due to someone else's wishes. Janie was able to make her own decisions and not be criticized for a minor mistake in the store. She took the kerchief off of her head, and let her hair down because no one was there to tell her not to. She was living in ease because she did not have to comply with the demands or instructions of anyone else. Janie was quick to move on from the death of Joe because she had lost interest in their relationship before he died. She enjoyed her life as a widow because she did not spend much time dwelling on the loss of Joe. She embraced her new freedom with a sense of carelessness in order to thoroughly appreciate her independence.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Their Eyes Were Watching God Chaps. 6&7
"She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them" (Hurston 72).
Janie has become restless and unhappy in her second marriage. She recognizes a lack of depth in her relationship with Joe because she accepts his verbal abuse and rarely defends herself. Joe is very aggressive towards Janie, and this is evident because "he wanted her submission and he'd keep on fighting until he felt he had it" (71). Joe always wanted to have the upper-hand with Janie. If she tries to argue with him, he tears down everything she says. She takes it upon herself to overlook Joe's rude comments and constant corrections of her work because she no longer has the desire to fight with him. Arguing with Joe would not help Janie gain a more superior position in Joe's eyes. Janie is left feeling very unappreciated and conflicted with her internal and external emotions.
Janie has become restless and unhappy in her second marriage. She recognizes a lack of depth in her relationship with Joe because she accepts his verbal abuse and rarely defends herself. Joe is very aggressive towards Janie, and this is evident because "he wanted her submission and he'd keep on fighting until he felt he had it" (71). Joe always wanted to have the upper-hand with Janie. If she tries to argue with him, he tears down everything she says. She takes it upon herself to overlook Joe's rude comments and constant corrections of her work because she no longer has the desire to fight with him. Arguing with Joe would not help Janie gain a more superior position in Joe's eyes. Janie is left feeling very unappreciated and conflicted with her internal and external emotions.
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