Journal #10

Theme:
Never change oneself by conforming to the expectations of others; in the process one might lose who they are and what they believe in to escape their judgment. (THIS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS! Its not where I want it yet)
1. "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store." (55) Janie's hair becomes a symbol for who she is and Joe is trying to change her.

 2. "What she doin coming back here in dem overalls? Can't she find no dress to put on? [...] What dat ole forty year ole 'omen doin' wid her hair swingin' down her back lak some young gal?" (2)

3. "Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah..." (24) Nanny is trying to force Janie to marry against her will.

4. "The years took the fight out of Janie's face. For a while she thought is was gone from her soul. No matter what Jody did, she said nothing. She had learned how to talk some and leave some. Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels." (76)

5. "Before she slept that night she burnt up every space on of her head rags and went about the house next morning with her hair in one thick braid swinging well below her waist." (89)

Journal #8

1. My first stylistic attribute is the usage of dialect on page 114. Janie is talking to Pheoby about how Tea Cake isn't a regular man and wont take advantage of her. At the bottom she says "Oh, Ah know you don't talk. We ain't shame faced. We jus' ain't ready tuh make no big kerflommuck as yet." In this passage I really had to stop and think about what they were trying to say. If I was going to say this I might say. Yeah don't feel bad about it, but we just don't want to make a big deal about it yet. This has already been stated but I feel as if dialect plays a huge role in the novel. I am just not really starting to see how much of a difference dialect can make. It completely changes the view of the book. Some could say they just be uneducated or maybe its just where they are from. The talk of the people in the novel could be considered a caricature and seem like they are just dumb people when really its all they've ever know. And it also makes they story more challenging to read, but more interesting when you get the hang out it.

2. Hurston also continues her motif of hair but in the most powerful way. All along Janie's hair has been an object of desire for men. Some men want it and others (Logan and Joe) have it but don't want it anymore. Janie's has never let anyone besides her husbands touch her hair.
"Tea Cake, where you git uh comb from tuh be combin' mah hair wid?"
"Ah brought it wid me. Come prepared tuh lay mah hands on it tuhnight." [...]
"Ah been wishin' so bad tuh git mah hands in yo' hair."
Again Hurston portrays Janie's hair as her women hood. Her hair is who she is. And I think this could symbolize that Tea Cake wants to be with Janie for who she is. This can also be concluded because she is a lot older than he is.

3. Hurston personifies Doubt almost the same way as she did with Death. She talks about how Doubt is all the fears that circumstance could provide and the heart feel, attacked her on every side. Hurston explains Doubt because Janie is afraid that Tea Cake is not really in love with her. She has Doubt because of the age difference. I think Hurston personifies it in this way to make it seem like something you can grasp. She uses the language to make it clear that this is really something that Janie is struggling with and can't get away from.

Journal #7

So Bonnie began to ponder Hope. Hope, the beautiful sun rise who breaks out even in the darkest dawn. The majestic one who lived right under the heavens. What difference does Hope make, who does she help? She sits high on a throne in the heavens. Sits smiling and pondering all day, with her thoughts clear, waiting for her to be called upon. Shes been sitting there ever since time began. She was going to find a white gleaming feather from her in the house soon. She was excited and full of joy. Happy Nick! He doesn't get to experience this alone. She sent a friend to Nick's house for a visit, but Nick said No. Most others wuz jealous of all his had but these be the worst of all. He would be all right just as soon as the lovely dove found him. He was so full of hope. That is what they all thought. But Nick told them something else. And if not, she was going to know the next day, for many people began to come and see him the big cabin house. People who would have not spoken to him otherwise. Just stood by the logs and waited. Doubt, the beam of darkness that broke through unannounced.

To mimick Hurstons style, I used personification, varied my verbs, descriptive language and the same sentence structure. I thought that this was hard at first but got easier once you started getting into it.

Journal #6

So Janie began to think of Death. Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West. The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it, and without a roof. What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him? He stands in his high house that overlooks the world. Stands watchful and motionless all dal with his sword drawn back, waiting for the messenger to bid him come. Been standing there before there was a where or a when or a then. She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now. She was sad and afraid too. Poor Jody! He ought not to have to wrassle in there by himself. She sent Sam in to suggest a visit, but Jody said No. There medical docters wuz all right with the Godly sick, but they didn't know a think about a case like his. He'd be all right just as soon as the two-headed mad found what had been buried against him. He wasn't going to die at all. That was what he thought. But Sam told her different, so she knew. And then if he hadn't, the next morning she was bound to know, for people began to gather in the big yard under the palm and china-berry trees. People who would not have dared to foot the place before crept in and did not come to the house. Just squatted under the trees and waited. Rumor, that wingless bird, had shadowed over the town.

Hurston personifies death in many ways. She has this way of making death more appealing to the human senses. Making death into a person makes it a lot more intense of a passage. It makes they passage darker and almost morbid. Hurston also compares Death to a bird. I think she does this because some superstitions compare death and birds, especially crows.

A motif Hurson used is that death can be power. In the passage above it says what need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him. This shows that death is all powerful. Death is almost seen as a super power that no one can run from or hide from. It is also saying that Death can't be harmed and doesn't have to hide from anything. Death is strong and nothing is able to push it around. Also I think the passage is saying that Death is inevitable.

Journal #5

Thesis:

Zora Neale Hurston shows the denouement at the start of the novel which creates an emotional connection to Janie; thus illuminating the size of the future conflict with her and the town's judgment from the beginning.

Journal #4

There are many patterns extending through the book. But I will only talk about three right now. During the rereading of the book, I've been paying close attention to the many motifs throughout.

The first pattern is Hurstons repetition of the word and the concept of Janie's hair. In the beginning, Hurstson uses Janie's hair to show her youth. Because her hair is down her back, she is seen as young and wild almost to the towns people. Throughout the book the image of Janie's hair changes. Now, her hair is being seen as an object of desire for men and it makes Jody jealous. I think that Janie's hair illuminates her sexuality and her women hood. I also think that as the book continues, that the image of her hair will continue to change.

The second pattern is the use of the word eyes. Hurston is constantly talking about peoples eyes. I think that maybe it is used to show that it is the most important sense we have and everything we think and do comes from our eyes. This also plays into judgement. The townspeople see Janie at the beginning and judge her. Judgment only comes from what people see.

The third pattern is the repetition of the word tree. Hurston uses the image of trees in many different ways. At first she uses trees to show the change in Janie and how she is growing and blossoming. Another image we see is that trees are something that Janie strives to be. She sees the tree fully mature and she wants to be like that. She says that she wants to be a pear tree. The last image is that the tree is used as a safe place. People can sit under the tree and feel safe. Maybe the tree also represents home.

Journal #3

Part 1: Louis Armstrong
Louis was born on August 4, 1901 in a poor part of New Orleans. He became a popular musician in the early 1920s when he left New Orleans for Chicago and played with Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. In 1929, Armstrong went to New York where he performed at Connie's Inn in Harlem. Armstrong created his first hit record in 1929. Jazz was becoming really popular and Armstrong was the leader of it. He was known for his "scat" singing and what he could do with the horn. His music had a strong impact on swing and big band music.

Part 2: Dialect
My dialect comes from a small colony on the northern most tip of Canada. The people of this colony are called NorthernColonyCanadians (NCCs). Their dialect is hard to pronounce and understand. These are the following rules so you will better understand their dialect:

Grammar:
1. NCCs always talk in the third person.
2. NCCs add an SA on the end of every word to show emotion.
3. NCCs are always asking questions, therefore every statement ends with a question mark.

Pronunciation:
1. A's become U's
2. ing's become ed's
3. l's become r's

Words:
1. Flerp means they are very happy.
2. Zionk means they are nervous.
3. Srammed means eating food really fast.

Part 3:
An NCC lady by the name of Nan is a huge Louis Armstrong fan. They two of them decide to go to a cozy resturant to get to know each other better.
"Herrosa, Nansa issa mesa?" Nan said with a smile on her face.
"Well hello Nan, I'm Louis Armstrong and I've heard that you are a huge fan," Louis said.
"Yessa, Nansa issa excitedsa to meetsa yousa?" Nan sqweaked out. "Nansa rovesa yoursa musicsa? Flerp?"
"Well what are you favorite things to do?" asked Louis.
"Nansa rovesa tosa pruysa withsa mysa friendssa undsa mysa dogsa?" Nan said nervously. "Zionk?"
"Thats very interesting," Louis said. He was confused as to why he was stuck on this date with this awkward person. She was drooling and hissing and he wasn't sure if she was actually human. He felt like she wanted to eat him.
"Yessa, Nansa issa usa verysa interestedsa personsa? Flerp?" Nan smiled. Nan was so excited. She had a HUGE crush on Louis and always had. She loved everything about him. "Nansa rovesa yoursa musicsa usa lotsa? Muksa Nansa usa songsa?" Nan said  hopefully.
"Yeah, I can maybe write you a song. What do you want it to be about?" Louis asked.
"Nansa wuntsa thesa songsa tosa besa uboutsa Nansa and yousa falledsa in rovesa?" Nan said.
"You're really creepy," Louis said. "And I can't even understant you!"
"Nansa wuntssa tosa sturts hungedsa withsa hersa everydaysa?" Nan hissed.
"Uhm no thanks Nan, thats weird," Louis said preparing to run away. He got up from the table and started to run away.
"NOSA WUITSA? Nansa rovesa yousa?" Nan cried. And with that Louis was gone about out  of Nan's life forever.

Journal #2

When she reaches the narrow hallway she was reminded that her grandmother was home with a sick headache. She was lying across the bed asleep so Janie tipped on out the front door. Oh to be a pear tree - any tree in bloom! With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world! She was sixteen. She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her. Where were the singing bees for her? Nothing on the place nor in her grandma's house answered her. She searched as much of the world as she could from the top of the front steps and then went down to the front gate and leaned over to gaze up and down the road. Looking, waiting, breathing short with impatience. Waiting for the world to be made.

For starters, this paragraph is filled with motifs. The first most significant one is the tree. Janie in this paragraph wants to be a pear tree or any tree in bloom. I think Zora Neale Hurston uses the word blooming to show growing. At this point Janie is young and she is not fully developed yet. I think that she wants to grow up faster and become a adult. Hurston also uses trees to describe Janie as a teenager. She says she had glossy leaves which could represent her limbs or maybe just her body in general. When I read the next line (and busrting buds), I first thought of the buds being her breasts. But then when I read it a second I thought that maybe bursting buds could symbolize her teenage ideas and beliefs about herself and the world. Another motif is singing bees. I think it both places this is used it means the good things of the world. Janie askes where the singing bees were for her. This could mean that she hasn't found any positive things in this world yet and she is wondering where they are and what they are for her.

Another word that is repeated in this passage is waiting. It makes me wonder if the waiting has to do with Janie waiting to be grown up and an adult. Or if it has to do with Janie waiting to see the good in the world. Hurston also personifies the house and makes the house be the only one that can answer Janies questions. It says that she searched the world and I think that Hurston said that because it shows that in Janies 16 years on life that she has not seen much good in the world and she has been searching for it long and hard.

Journal #1

If I were you tell my life story to someone I would probably tell it to someone that mattered a lot to me like a close friend or relative. But at this point in my life, I think I should be listening to other peoples life stories instead of telling my own. I believe that I don't have enough life experience to really make for an interesting story. I work at Davidson's Casual Dining (a little hole in the wall diner) and most of the regulars are elderly people. I love sitting down on my break and talking to Fred and Vince about their lives in the war. The stories they tell are meaningful and interesting. I love hearing about their struggles and what they did to turn them into triumphs. So I would want to wait to tell my life story until I have more struggles and triumphs.

I'm not really sure where I would start telling my story. But I think it makes the most sense to start from the beginning and work toward the present. I would start at my most vivid memory which was my first day of kindergarten. I was so nervous in my little jean skirt and bright red top. I was so scared that I wasn't going to make any friends and no one would talk to me. The reason this day made such an impact in my life was because it was the first day I learned the power of prayer. I told my mom my concerns and she sat me down and had me tell my worries to God. But the next day at school I met a friend and we have been best friends ever since and still are. That's where I would start my story.