<p>1</p><p>Their Eyes Were Watching God: Women’s History and Feminism</p><p>Tara Conover</p><p>Towson University 2</p><p>Introduction:</p><p>In 1937, when Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God was first published, it received a lot of negative criticism. Richard Wright, who was a famous African American writer during this period, criticized Hurston's novel most harshly. He stated that the novel </p><p>“carries no theme, no message, no thought” (Wright, 1937). Yet throughout the 1970's, Hurston's novel was in high demand, especially where there were high interests growing in African </p><p>American Literature. Hurston was an author before her time. This novel was a statement in feminism but was not appreciated until later when the movement was on the rise. The feminism is obvious in the novel and is presented through the main heroine, Janie. In Hurston's Their Eyes </p><p>Were Watching God, the heroine, Janie, represents aspects of feminism when she takes the initiative to liberate herself from each of her three dictatorial relationships. Through it all, Janie seeks,“ freedom to be herself--heroic, beautiful, full of feeling and needful of love, in the prime of life” (Walker, 1979). The story Their Eyes Were Watching God is a wonderful and appropriate text to use in the classroom. However, students may yearn for a more contemporary look at feminism. This chapter will outline other ways for educators to explore the feminist movement as it relates to Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. </p><p>Literary Approach:</p><p>This unit is organized so that a single student, a small group of students or a classroom of students may work on the activities as long as the students have access to the Internet. A few computers in the classroom, library, or computer lab need to be available. All students should do all the activities, although they do not have to be done sequentially. However, each activity broadens and deepens a student's understanding of the units’ objectives. Elements of language 3 arts including reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing will be incorporated in to unit. </p><p>Reader’s response logs will also be used to aid the teacher with ongoing informal assessment. </p><p>General Objectives:</p><p>The following objectives are derived from as the NCTE/ IRA standards for the English </p><p>Language Arts. The students will be able to:</p><p>1. Read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of </p><p> themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new </p><p> information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for </p><p> personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and </p><p> contemporary works.</p><p>2. Read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an </p><p> understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human </p><p> experience.</p><p>3. Apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate </p><p> texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and </p><p> writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification </p><p> strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, </p><p> sentence structure, context, graphics). </p><p>4. Apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and </p><p> punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and </p><p> discuss print and non-print texts. </p><p>5. Use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, 4</p><p> computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and </p><p> communicate knowledge.</p><p>6. Develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and </p><p> dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles. </p><p>What is Feminism?</p><p>Feminism is the ideology that supports uplifting the status and improving the rights of women and has been one of the most influential political ideas of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Since its beginning, feminism has been both hailed as a profound liberation of society but also responsible for the breakdown of the nuclear family and the degradation of society in general. There is no doubt, however, that the work of feminist activists and reformers has been responsible for enormous improvements in the position of women in the United States over the past 200 years. In addition, to take a glance at the power structure of most of the world's governments and businesses shows that male dominance is still very much a reality. In spite of this, feminism has changed the American social order, from the superficial, such as media portrayals of women, to the deepest underlying assumptions of science and religion.</p><p>When discussing the history of feminism, we must discuss the feminist movements. </p><p>These movements lead women to attain women’s rights. Feminist historians divide the history into three “waves“ (Humm, 1995). Each is described as dealing with different aspects of the same feminist issues. The first wave refers to the movement of the 19th through early 20th centuries, which dealt mostly with women’s suffrage. The second wave (1960s-1980s) dealt with the inequality of laws, as well as cultural inequalities and civil rights. The third wave (late 1980s- early 2000s), is seen as both a continuation and a response to the perceived failures of the second 5 wave (Krolokke, 2005). Some now believe as of 2010, we are in a fourth wave of feminism </p><p>(Paglia, 2008).</p><p>The Novels: A Brief Summary of Each</p><p>Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston</p><p>The story begins as the main character, Janie Crawford arrives home, in Eatonville, FL. after a long trip. She begins to tell the story of the last twenty years of her life to her best hometown friend, Pheoby. </p><p>Janie's relives her story that begins with her youth, as a girl in search of great things. </p><p>Raised by her grandmother, a black woman raped by a white man, Janie never really has the chance to go out in search of her dreams. Her grandmother was a slave and never had her own voice. She was always repressed by white people, and never could have the kind of nice things that she wanted. When Janie's mother is raped, she runs away and leaves Janie to be taken care of by her grandmother. Her grandmother only wants Janie to have the kinds of things she never had the chance to have. So, despite Janie's refusal, she arranges for Janie to marry a man named </p><p>Logan Kellicks a black older man and land owner. </p><p>This marriage does not fulfill Janie like she imagines a marriage should. Logan makes </p><p>Janie work hard and cares little about her opinions. Janie is in search of a husband and a love that make her feel wonderful all over, just like watching the bees sink into the pear tree blossom. </p><p>When Joe Starks, a well-dressed man with big dreams comes along, Janie thinks this might be her chance at love and a better life. She leaves Logan and runs off with Joe Starks. They get married and move to the town of Eatonville, where Joe becomes a big voice as the mayor. He becomes such a big voice that he is always silencing Janie. She never has a chance to speak her 6 mind, and her marriage to Joe is not what she had hoped for. After Joe dies, Tea Cake starts hanging around Janie. She falls in love with his carefree attitude and the way that he makes her feel like a pear tree in bloom. He allows her to speak and loves her for herself, and not the money she made while with Joe.</p><p>Tea Cake and Janie move to the Everglades to work on the muck where beans and sugar cane thrive. They live off the money they earn and are happy and in love. When a great hurricane comes, they are forced to flee for their lives. Tea Cake saves Janie's life from a rabid dog, but he gets bit in the process. Tea Cakes falls ill from the rabid dog, and, in his delirium, tries to kill </p><p>Janie. She shoots first and kills Tea Cake. She is broken-hearted that she shot and killed the one man she ever loved, but she is happy to have found and loved the love of a lifetime.</p><p>The novel ends as Janie finishes her story to Pheoby. As Janie goes upstairs to bed she feels Tea Cake is still with her and is satisfied.</p><p>Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch</p><p>Rose Nolan, her parents, her sisters Maureen and Bridget, and her little brother Joseph boarded a ship bound for New York City. They left their home and their life in Ireland hoping that America would give them new opportunities and a better life than the one they had at home. </p><p>During the turn of the century, thousands of immigrants entered America through the harbor in </p><p>New York. All the steerage passengers went through the immigration building on Ellis Island. </p><p>Afraid and bewildered, Rose's family was processed like so many others before and after. </p><p>Unfortunately it is discovered that little Joseph had trachoma, a disease of the eyes. Anyone who has such an illness is turned away at Ellis Island and must return to their country of origin.</p><p>Rose, Maureen, and their mother go and stay with Rose's uncle Patrick in New York City. 7</p><p>Though Patrick is glad to see them and to help them, his wife and her daughters are not. </p><p>Eventually a dreadful argument breaks out over a job that Rose has taken on, and Mrs. Nolan decides to return to Ireland. Her daughters however, decided to stay in America to try their luck for a better life. Rose, determined to get a job, soon enough has one at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. She comes to form close friendships with some of the other girls who work in the factory, and is just beginning to learn how to be a working girl when a disaster changes her whole world.</p><p>For many of us just hearing the name of the factory is enough. We know the story and it fills us with horror. The author of this book takes that story and makes it more than just a fact in a history book; she brings it to life putting faces and personalities where there were perhaps just statistics. We get to meet the girls who worked in the factory, girls who loved to dress very fashionably and wear fancy hats. We also get to meet those who tried to change the working conditions of the working class. We learn about the strikes that took place before that dreadful fire occurred. So many workers fought very hard to change things for the better for factory and sweat-shop workers. Unfortunately it took a tragedy to open the eyes of those who could make the changes happen. One hundred and forty-six people died in that fire but at least we can see that it was not in entirely in vain. The author's meticulous attention to detail and her wonderful descriptive writing takes us deep into the life of Rose, her family, and her friends. We experience the terror she feels when she rides on an elevator for the first time, and the sheer wonder that she feels as she watches her first "moving picture." We cannot help but rejoice when she succeeds in her work and more importantly when she emerges at the end of the book, a strong and determined young woman, eager to do her part to make change happen. An author's note at the back of the book provides a fascinating look at how the author gathered her material and what 8 she learned about her subject.</p><p>The book, while fiction, has been carefully researched by the author and tells the story of the immigrant workers in a way that is poignant and accessible to the reader.</p><p>The Kayla Chronicles by Sherri Winston</p><p>Kayla Dean wants to be a journalist. She considers herself a rampant and knowledgeable feminist who calls her dad the "Great Oppressor" for his less-than-modern ideas about a woman's place in the world and his feelings about his outspoken oldest daughter. Her youngest sister, </p><p>Amira, seems to be his favorite, and Kayla often sees herself as a fourth wheel in their little family. In fact, at a family event, photos are taken of the perfect sister, her mom and her dad together --- but no one notices that Kayla is not in the picture. </p><p>Kayla begins a campaign to find the rampant sexism in a school tradition. Having created a group called SPEAK (Sisters Providing Encouragement and Kindness), she watches as her investigative report into the local dance team's aversion to girls with small breasts becomes a big deal campaign. It challenges her feminist viewpoint, along with her friendships and other relationships as well. Once Kayla becomes a Lady Lion, she is transformed from bushy-haired fashion victim to glammed-up dance diva. Soon Kayla is forced to challenge her views, coming to terms with who she is and what girl power really means.</p><p>Kayla wants to be a strong female, quoting from many famous women of strength and character, Kayla is a teen you can really cheer for --- but she also has her girly-ness intact, particularly when it comes to cute shoes. Overall, the main idea of The Kayla Chronicles is that sometimes the things we most think we couldn't live with become the things that most change our very existence and challenge all of our previous thoughts about how the world works. 9</p><p>Kayla often calls upon the prodigious and meaningful memories of her grandmother, </p><p>JoJo, and her fierce intellect and brave bold heart. Since Kayla is African American, these memories take on an even more poignant bent as she deals with the unspoken taint of racism in the world around her. She manages to embrace all the sides of herself as a young woman and give others the same benefit of the doubt, all the while proving to herself and to her unbelieving father that the strength inside her suits her to a tee. </p><p>The Instructional Unit</p><p>Let Me Introduce you to Zora Neale Hurston</p><p>A. The video sponsored by The Big Read and The National Endowment for the Arts. It is an overview of Hurston’s life and an introduction to the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z81SViX2VIg. It also serves as an excellent springboard into her novel and discussion feminist issues. </p><p>Letter to Persuade: Considering a Feminist Perspective</p><p>(Adapted from S. Rubenstein, 2010)</p><p>A. Freewrite</p><p>1. Ask students to freewrite for 8–10 minutes on this question: “What specific </p><p> experiences have you had that caused you to think that you were treated in </p><p> particular way because of your gender?” Encourage them to write about more </p><p> than one experience if applicable. </p><p>2. Ask students to share their responses orally. Encourage them to explain why </p><p> they felt they were treated in a certain way and to describe the feelings they had in 10</p><p> the situation. Expect lively discussion! </p><p>3. Now pose this question: “Do you believe males and females are equal in </p><p>American society today?” </p><p>4. Ask students to freewrite again for 8–10 minutes, and encourage them to </p><p> include specific reasons for the views they express. Then allow students to </p><p> respond orally.</p><p>B. Movie</p><p>1. Watch excerpts from Their Eyes Were Watching God (2005). This </p><p> movie has a close resemblance to the movie and therefore would be a good alternative for the novel. These excerpts should be examples of Janie being belittled by her first two husbands, Logan Killicks and Joe Starks. The </p><p> teacher may decide to watch the movie in its entirety given it is permissible by the school system. </p><p>C. Article Reading </p><p>1. “Women‘s Rights Movements“ by Scholastic.com This article takes a </p><p> look at examples of different feminist movements and relates them to </p><p> feminist culture today. Students should create a timeline of major </p><p> movements that occurred beginning with the first feminist publication that appeared in 1792.</p><p>D. Identifying Feminist Issues. 11</p><p>1. Encourage students to identify the issues that the feminist movement addresses </p><p> and to examine their own opinions and ideas on these issues. </p><p>2. Ask students to brainstorm a list of the issues that are at the core of the </p><p> women’s movement. Record their responses on the board or chart paper. Such </p><p> issues might include equal opportunity in education and employment, the role of </p><p> the housewife and division of labor in the home, childcare, and a woman’s right to</p><p> control her body, and violence against women. </p><p>3. As a precursor to discussion, ask students to respond briefly in writing to each</p><p> of these questions. Offer the questions one by one, and give students a few </p><p> minutes to answer each in freewrite fashion. </p><p>Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?</p><p>How do you define the term feminist?</p><p>For each of the following topics, note whether or not it is important </p><p> to you and why. </p><p>Equal opportunity in education</p><p>Equal opportunity in employment</p><p>Equal pay</p><p>A woman’s right to control her body</p><p>Sexual freedom</p><p>Violence against women (rape, domestic abuse, etc.)</p><p>Maternity leave</p><p>Childcare</p><p>What problems do you imagine encountering in the future in 12</p><p> working out your role as a woman or as a man?</p><p>Has the feminist movement made life in the United States better? </p><p>Why or why not?</p><p>4. After they have responded to the questions, ask students to discuss their </p><p> answers with one another. </p><p>5. Remind students that they need to support their opinions with specific </p><p> examples and that they need to listen to and reflect on the comments of their </p><p> peers. </p><p>6. Observe the discussion, but if possible, do not participate—so that you can </p><p> avoid influencing students’ opinions.</p><p>7. At the conclusion of the discussion, hand out the assignment sheet, </p><p>Putting it in Perspective; A Letter to Myself. This will help the students </p><p> launch into the writing process for the letter. Students can use the </p><p>NCTE websites “Letter Generator.” This is an interactive writing tool </p><p> which allows the students to learn the parts of a business or friendly letter</p><p> and then compose and print letters for both styles of correspondence. </p><p> http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/letter_generator/</p><p>Comparing/Contrasting Feminist Issues within Three Novels</p><p>A. Reading Logs</p><p>1. Students will respond after each reading session to one of the following </p><p> questions. These questions are taken from the Harrisburg, PA Public 13</p><p>School System.</p><p>What were your feelings after reading the opening chapter(s) of </p><p> this book? After reading half the book? After finishing the book?</p><p>Did this book make you laugh? Cry? Cringe? Smile? Cheer? </p><p>Explain.</p><p>What are the best parts of this book? Why? What are the worst </p><p> parts of the book? Why?</p><p>Give your feelings about a character.</p><p>What parts of the book seem the most believable? Why? What </p><p> parts seem unbelievable? Why?</p><p>In what ways are you like any of the characters? Explain.</p><p>Do any of the characters remind you of friends, family members, or </p><p> classmates? Explain.</p><p>What was the author saying about life and living through this book? </p><p>Explain.</p><p>What do you feel is the most important word in the book? The </p><p> most important passage? The most important element (an event, a </p><p> feeling, a place, a decision) Why is it important?</p><p>What character would you like to be in this book? Why? What </p><p> personality traits of this character would you like to have? </p><p>Explain.</p><p>Do you like the ending of this book? Why or why not? Do you </p><p> think there is more to tell? What do you think might happen next? 14</p><p>Do you think the title fits the book? Why or why not?</p><p>What makes you wonder in this book? What confuses you in this </p><p> book? Why?</p><p>What came as a surprise in this book? Why?</p><p>Has this book helped you personally in any way? Explain.</p><p>How have you changed after reading this book? Explain.</p><p>How do you picture the author of this book? Why do you picture </p><p> him or her this way?</p><p>What questions would you like answered after reading this book?</p><p>If you could change an event in this book, what would it be and </p><p> why?</p><p>B. Compare and Contrast</p><p>1. Students will write a comparative analysis between two of the three </p><p> texts. Students can use the compare/contrast chart graphic organizer </p><p>(NCTE, 2004) to collect thoughts and ideas. </p><p>What are some common themes between the two?</p><p>Did you notice any strong female characters?</p><p>What feminist issues are present in the novel?</p><p> beginning with the first feminist publication that appeared in 1972.</p><p>2. Movie: Mona Lisa Smile (2003)</p><p>Academy Award-winner Julia Roberts stars in</p><p>“Mona Lisa Smile” a film about an art history professor with a lot 15 to teach about life and much to learn about romance. The movie takes</p><p> place at Wellesley College, a fancy finishing school training its </p><p> women to be good wives. Willis (J. Roberts) is a headstrong teacher who wants to change the way the world operates. She is unconventional, disagrees consistently with the faculty, and builds a strong base of admiration within the student body.</p><p>3. Students will be allowed time to create their own discussion questions </p><p> to compare the characters in Mona Lisa Smile with those of the previous </p><p> novels discussed. </p><p>4. Article reading: “Looking Back, Thinking Ahead: Third Wave Feminism </p><p> in the United States” by Stephanie Gilmore</p><p> Students will read an excerpt from this professional journal </p><p> article. The article is an overview of feminist movements in the </p><p> past and addresses some issues activists are working on in the present.</p><p>Poetry</p><p>A. Music lyrics can be poetry</p><p>1. Upon entering classroom students will listen to a variety of </p><p> singer/songwriters lyrics to songs with strong women, trying to live their </p><p> own lives their way. These songs will the focus and theme for the poetry lessons (A-Z lyrics, 2010).</p><p>Alicia Keys, Superwoman 16</p><p>Everywhere I'm turning Nothing seems complete I stand up and I'm searching For the better part of me I hang my head from sorrow state of humanity I wear it on my shoulders Gotta find the strength in me</p><p>Cause I am a Superwoman Yes I am Yes she is Even when I'm a mess I still put on a vest With an S on my chest Oh yes I'm a Superwoman</p><p>For all the mothers fighting For better days to come And all my women, all my women sitting here trying To come home before the sun And all my sisters Coming together Say yes I will Yes I can</p><p>Cause I am a Superwoman Yes I am Yes she is Even when I'm a mess I still put on a vest With an S on my chest Oh yes I'm a Superwoman</p><p>When I'm breaking down And I can't be found And I start to get weak Cause no one knows Me underneath these clothes But I can fly We can fly, Oh</p><p>Cause I am a Superwoman Yes I am 17</p><p>Yes she is Even when I'm a mess I still put on a vest With an S on my chest Oh yes I'm a Superwoman</p><p>Kelly Clarkson Breakaway</p><p>Grew up in a small town And when the rain would fall down I'd just stare out my window Dreaming of what could be And if I'd end up happy I would pray (I would pray)</p><p>Trying hard to reach out But when I tried to speak out Felt like no one could hear me Wanted to belong here But something felt so wrong here So I prayed I could break away</p><p>[Chorus:] I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky And I'll make a wish Take a chance Make a change And breakaway Out of the darkness and into the sun But I won't forget all the ones that I love I'll take a risk Take a chance Make a change And breakaway</p><p>Wanna feel the warm breeze Sleep under a palm tree Feel the rush of the ocean Get onboard a fast train Travel on a jet plane, far away (I will) And breakaway</p><p>[Chorus] 18</p><p>Buildings with a hundred floors Swinging around revolving doors Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but Gotta keep moving on, moving on Fly away, breakaway</p><p>I'll spread my wings And I'll learn how to fly Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye I gotta take a risk Take a chance Make a change And breakaway Out of the darkness and into the sun But I won't forget the place I come from I gotta take a risk Take a chance Make a change And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway </p><p>2. Students can use this opportunity to freewrite about their own experiences </p><p> about freewill and strength. This writing will allow for brainstorming for their </p><p> own poetry.</p><p>3. Website “Favorite Poem Project”</p><p>A. Students will view the website from The Favorite Poem Project. </p><p> http://www.favoritepoem.org/</p><p>B. The web cast is compilation of ordinary Americans reciting their </p><p> favorite inspiring poems from various authors.</p><p>4. Listening to audio recordings of Zora Neale Hurston</p><p>A. These links will take you to the Library of Congress’s website, 19</p><p> where you can listen to Hurston sing, speak and explain the origin </p><p> of 20 songs. Listen to “Po’ Gal” first. It is about a woman’s troubles in beginning part of the 20th century.</p><p> http://www.mrclements.com/?p=131</p><p>5. Students are given opportunity to freewrite their own poems and given </p><p> time to share in class.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, serves as a springboard to a variety of novels, journal articles, movies, songs all conveying the message of being true to ones self and the idea of feminism. This idea did not begin with Ms. Zora Neale Hurston, but the brave women that preceded her. This chapter allows students to learn about Mrs. Hurston and Alice Walker, feminism, and the major movement throughout women’s history. In the words of Janie, "two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh themselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ fuh theyselves." (Hurston, 1937). 20</p><p>References</p><p>A-Z Lyrics Universe. (2010). Alicia Keys, Superwoman. Retrieved from http://search.azlyrics.com/search.php?q=superwoman A-Z Lrics Universe. (2010). Kelly Clarkson, Breakaway. Retrieved from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kellyclarkson/breakaway.html Auch, M. (2002). Ashes of roses. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Alachua County Library, Initials. (2008, September 22). Zora Neale Hurston's “Their eyes were watching god.” Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z81SViX2VIg Clements, . (2009, March 29). Their Eyes were watching god. Retrieved from http://www.mrclements.com/?p=131 Hurston, Z. (1937). Their eyes were watching god. New York: JB Lippencott, Inc. Gilmore, S. (2001). Looking back, thinking ahead: third wave feminism in the united states. Journal of Women's History, 12(4), 215-221 Harrisonburg City Public Schools. (2007). Reader response questions. Retrieved from www. staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/.../Reading%20Response%20Questions.doc Humm, M. (1995). The Dictionary of Feminist Theory. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Press. Krolokke, C. , Scott, A. (2005). From Suffragettes to Girls in Gender Communication Theories and Analyses: From Silence to Performance. Sage. NCTE, Read write, think. (2003). Letter generator. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/letter Paglia, C. (n.d.). Fourth wave feminism?. Retrieved from http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/09/10/fouth-wave-feminism/ Rubenstein, S. (n.d.). From Friedan forward-considering a feminist perspective. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson- plans/from-friedan- forward-considering-955.html?tab=1#tabs Scholastic. (2010). Women's rights movements. Grolier online. Retrieved (2010, May 1) from http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=5196 Walker, A. (1979). I love myself when I am laughing. Old Westbury: The Feminist Press. Walker, K. (2007, February 8). Feminism present in their eyes were watching god. Retrieved fromhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/137437/feminism_present_in_zora_neale_hurston s.html?cat=9 Winston, S. (2007). The Kayla chronicles. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Wright, R. (1937, October 5). Between the Laughter and tears. The New Masses, 22-13. 21</p>