Their+Eyes+Were+Watching+God+Book+Group

Their Eyes Were Watching God Book Group

Day 1-Nicole S.

[|Warm Up Activity]

1. How does Janie’s upbringing and the fact that she believed she was white until pointed out otherwise (page 9) represent Langston’s argument in the “Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”? 2. Does Janie struggle to find true love because she was only raised by her grandmother? Is she longing for the feeling of togetherness and love that a mother and father only seem to be able to exhibit? Already through page 39, she has been married twice? 3. Does the fact that Janie’s idea of love was shaped by her definition of “marriage” on page 11? She believed that love would come if marriage happened. How is this wrong, and why do you think she was raised to believe this? 4. Why was Nanny so angered by Janie’s kiss with Johnny Taylor? Why did Nanny seem to put down her own race by calling him a trashy n*? 5. Do you think that Janie made a smart decision by marrying Logan Killicks and then Jody?

Literary Theory Lens: Biographer

[|Gale Article] [|Additional Article]

Day 2-Laura O

Opening Statement



We'll walk in de light, de beautiful light Come where the dew drops of mercy shine bright Shine all around us by day and by night Jesus, the light of the world.

1. Do you think men joking on the front porch is comedic relief towards their lives? What are some quotes to support this? 2. What is the symbolism behind the mule? Is Janie represented by the mule? What happens when the mule dies? Does anyone else's soul die when the mule dies? 3. Why is the lantern so important in the black community? 4. If Jody loves Janie so much and want to give her the best, why does he belittle her at every chance he gets? 5. Why does nature play such a big role in the black community? 6. Janie became fed up with Jody and lashed out against him, saying many things that were not supposed to be said by a woman. is Janie ahead of her time? Who else does she relate to?

Day 3 - Stella

INTRO:

How is the game of checkers representative of Janie’s life? Zora’s life? Because it seems like a game kids would play now, how might it represent modernism? Is playing games as adults a way of freeing one’s self from daily pressures? Is this a sign of the Harlem Renaissance?

On page 112, there’s a quote that states: “going straight by walking crooked”. How does this represent Janie? Hurston? Modernism? The Harlem Renaissance?



1. How does society influence the fact that Janie thinks Jody’s sickness is her fault? As four walls were closing in on her on page 84, does insanity become a possibility in her life, as in //The Yellow Wallpaper?// Do you think Hurston ever felt this way due to pressures of society?

2. Why does Janie compare death to a square-toed man? What else might she compare death to?

3. If Janie hadn’t mentioned death, do you think Jody would have been more open to listening to her? Why was death such a fear in those times? Is it as big of a fear today?

4. What exactly was Janie’s veil hiding, especially because it was described as “stone and steel”? Was she truly unhappy? What other emotions/thoughts was she covering? Why?

5. Why does Janie believe that all people once shined? Why might she see angels as bad people if they’re God’s people? Might this influence her absence at church?

6. How have Janie’s past relationship s with people (her two husbands and her Nanny) affected her thoughts on life? How will this affect her future? Does she allow people to over-use her?

7. Do you believe there’s a difference between grief and mourning? Why might Janie think so? If Janie were ever in a freedom march during the Civil Rights Movement, would she be in the front, back, or not at all? Why?

8. Because her first husband was forced and her second husband was of her doing (approaching him), how is Tea Cake different? Why might this attract Janie? Might she just be lonely? Do you think there’s any sign of her being tired of freedom? Why?

9. Tea Cake seems a little immature. Why might Janie be attracted to this? Do you think by going through all these men, Janie is experiencing the process of finding herself? How does she represent the Harlem Renaissance and Modernism?

10. When Tea Cake comes along, does Janie finally begin discovering a childhood she was never able to have? How is it different being with a black boy than white children for Janie?

11. Besides Janie, is there anyone else who well represents the Harlem Renaissance? Why are people more concerned with being well-off than happy? Might it deal with the recent slavery of their elders?

12. On page 114, Janie states, “Ah done lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh live mine”. Was she really living her grandmother’s way? Or was it society’s way? Or both? How so? Why is it now that she feels that she can be free? How does her freedom represent the Harlem Renaissance?

13. Has love killed Janie now that she’s found it? How so? Give examples.

Day 5- Sarah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvU16e9f3ok

This introduction is actually the whole story summed up in 3 minutes. It is a symbolic video of her life and how it changed her

1. At the end of the book, what do you think that Janie putting her feet into the bucket of water symbolize? Especially since it was evil to her now dead husband? Is there a relation?

2. Over the course of the book, Janie’s appearance changes overtime with her clothing? What does her not wearing a dress and veil at the funeral mean? Do the overalls mean freedom for her since she now did find true love?

3. The last line is “She called in her soul to come and see.” What do you think she wants them to see? Is it good memories? Bad?

4. Why do you think Tea Cake is called Tea Cake since now you have seen every side of him?

5. Do you think the cover and colors of the cover of the book is a good resemblance of what the story is truly about? Should there be a better cover to better describe?

6. She randomly starts to talk about God again, even though near the middle she says that she doesn’t want anything to do with Him because of her childhood. Do you think that since she found “true love” she believes in God again? Or is it just a plea for change?



This is a cleaning of ones feet. Is this what Janie is doing by putting her feet in the bucket of water at the end?