Quarter Four/Week One March 27-31

Layered Curriculum: Their Eyes Were Watching God: Zora Neale Hurston 
 M. Aldrich
Florence High School
Florence, AZ

Objectives

 
 

Section I "C" Layer 70-79 points

* Required – Read chapter 1-5 in the novel 

__________Vocabulary – Define and be able to spell five of this weeks vocabulary words: (resignation, pugnacious, virginity, inaudible, languid, persistent, diffused, expound, judgment, caressed, sanctum, confirmation, lacerating, affirmation, overseer, consolation, consciousness, calyxes, desecrating, revelation, pollinated, dissolution, desisted, conjectures) (10 pts) 

__________ Summary - Complete a chapter summary sheet for chapters 1-5 (25 pts) 

__________Questions – Answer any of this weeks discussion questions. (5 pts ea.)

      * See rubric for acceptable response format

__________ Write – Write a letter to Janie offering her some advice on her current situation. (10 pts)

            * See rubric for acceptable response format 

__________ Illustrate – Draw or illustrate two or more of the following story elements: (10 pts)

      * See rubric for acceptable response format

 
 
 
 
 

Section II "B" Layer 10 points * See rubric for acceptable response format for any of the following 

__________ Recipe – Find a recipe for "mulatto rice". Make it for the class, provide the recipe, and tell us how it got its name. 

__________ Dictionary – Create a dictionary of at least 15 words or phrases of Black dialect from the novel and translate them into Standard English. 

__________ Symbolism – Complete the Symbolism handout. 

__________Literary Techniques – Complete the Literary Techniques handout  

__________ Letter – Write a letter to a friend about the novel. Make sure you use friendly letter formatting and tell them what novel you are reading, who the author is, who the characters are, what the plot is, whether you like or dislike the book so far, and what you think is going to happen next.  

Section III "A" Layer 11 points * See rubric for acceptable response format for any of the following 

__________ Drama - Recreate a scene from chapter 1-5. Provide stage directions and a script. Act the scene out in front of a small group or the entire class. 

__________ Write – Rewrite three paragraphs from chapters 1-5 changing the point-of-view. 

__________ Write – Rewrite three paragraphs from chapters 1-5 changing all the Black dialect into Standard English. 

__________ Story Telling – What sorts of stories do you think were told at the lamplighting barbeque? (pg 42) Remember – this is Florida in the 1930's. Learn one and retell it to the class or a small group. 

__________ Music – What sorts of songs do you think were sung at the barbeque? Learn one and sing it. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Discussion Questions 
 

1. Why is everyone so curious about Janie? How is the men's reaction to Janie's return different from the women's? Why do you suppose that is? 

2. What are your impressions of Janie? How does she take all the gossip? What does she mean when she says, "They don't know if life is a mess of corn-meal dumplings, and if life is a bed-quilt!"? 

3. What does Pheoby bring Janie – and why? What can you tell about the relationship between Janie and Pheoby? Why do you think Janie gives Pheoby permission to tell the others what she says to Pheoby? What does she mean by "Dat's just de same as me 'cause mah tongue is in mah friend's mouf" 

4. Why did Janie's grandmother raise her? Do you think Janie's grandmother was a good "parent"? Why or why not? 

5. Where does Janie do a lot of her daydreaming? Why do you think the author includes the pear tree? Why does it stir Janie so tremendously? Have you ever felt that way? 

6. Why do you think the author uses the word "lacerating" to describe Johnny Taylor's kiss? How does Janie's grandmother feel about what she sees? Why?  

7. Why doesn't Janie share her grandmother's enthusiasm for Logan Killicks? Choose the passage that you feel best conveys how Janie feels about him. Why does she marry him if she feels that way? What advice would you have given Janie about Logan Killicks? 

8. Shortly after she is married, Janie goes to her grandmother and tells her she doesn't love Killicks. How does nanny react? What do you think of the grandmother's response? What do you suppose Janie wanted to hear? Do you think there is ever a reason to stay in a loveless marriage? 

9. How do you interpret the last line of page 24? Why is Janie a woman now? Can you become an adult without losing some of your dreams?  

10. What does the narrator mean when he says that the townspeople regarded Jody in the same way you do when you see your sister turned into an alligator? (pg 45) Why did they introduce him as "our beloved Mayor" – but not really mean it? Do you think Jody realizes how people feel about him? Do you agree that "any man who walks in the way of power and property is bound to meet hate"? (pg 45) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Symbolism 

Explain in at least a paragraph each of the following sentences from, "Their Eyes Were Watching God." 

Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches. (pg. 8) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men. (pg. 1) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

There are years that ask questions and years that answer. Janie had no chance to know things, so she had to ask. Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? Did marriage compel love like the sun the day?(pg. 21) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The people all saw her come because it was sundown. The sun was gone, but he had left his footprints in the sky. (pg. 1) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Literary Techniques 

Find five literary devices used in chapters 1-5 and translate their meanings. Make sure you cite the page numbers and the original sentence. 

1. 
 

2. 
 

3. 
 

4. 
 

5. 
 

Translate the following figures of speech and identify their common literary term. 

1. So they chewed up the back parts of their minds and swallowed with relish. (pg. 2) 
 
 
 

2. Pheoby's hungry listening helped Janie to tell her story. So she went on thinking back to her young years and explaining them to her friend in soft, easy phrases while all around the house, the night time put on flesh and blackness. (pg. 10) 
 
 
 

3. The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through all her waking moments and caressed her in her sleep. It connected itself with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh. Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness. (pg. 10) 
 
 
 

4. 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?  
 
 
 

5. You know, honey, us colored folks is branches without roots and that makes things come round in queer ways. (pg. 16)