Wrapping Up 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'

Now that we've finished reading the novel, it's time to reflect on the themes that appear in 'Their Eyes Were Watching God.'  Hurston explores the themes of race, gender, speech, and community in the three different areas of Janie's life.  You are being asked to pick one of the themes and explore how it is addressed throughout the novel.

Culminating Essay Information - description of the assignment and a sample outline to guide your writing

You will have limited time in class to work on the essay, so you will need to use that time wisely.  Printed copies of your essay are due by 2:45 PM on Friday, November 10. 

Reminder about upcoming due date

Most of you have already done this, but...

Please remember that you are required to complete AT LEAST one college or trade school application by October 31st.  I don't care if it's Harvard University or Macomb Community College, I don't care if you have no intention of going there at all, all you need to do is apply.

I will also give you credit if you show me proof that you are actively involved in the enlistment process for one of the military branches.

If you need help, or have extenuating circumstances, talk to me about it before the due date.

TEWWG Online Assignment on Chapter 18

You should now be reading Chapter 18 of "Their Eyes Were Watching God."  As you read this chapter, you will notice many examples of suspense and foreshadowing.  

Your assignment is:

1) Define Suspense and Foreshadowing.  You may use Google or an online dictionary to find these definitions.
(20 points - 10 points for each definition)

2) Provide two examples of each literary device from Chapter 18 of TEWWG, for a total of four examples.  All four must be in the form of a quotation and must include the page number on which they were found.  

(40 points - 5 points for each example AND for each page number)

This assignment is due no later than midnight on Friday, November 3, and must be submitted as either an email or a shared Google Doc.  The completed assignment is worth 60 points.

TEWWG Online Assignment on Chapters 7-9

Chapters 7, 8, and 9 of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" have some fantastic examples of figurative language in them.  Before you read these chapters, and then as you read, complete the assignment below.  Your answers can be sharing by email or by a shared Google Doc, but they are due by MIDNIGHT on Monday, October 30.

Before you read:
Look up definitions and examples of these types of figurative language.  Share your definitions and examples with me by email or Google Doc by the due date:

• Metaphor
• Simile
• Personification
• Allusion
• Irony
• Alliteration

As you read:

Find examples of four of the six types of figurative language listed above in Chapters 7, 8, and 9.  Share your findings with me as a quote and a page number, by email or Google Doc.  You can do examples of four types, or multiple examples of one (four metaphors, or two metaphors and two examples of personification, etc.).

For extra credit points, share examples of all six types.

You are welcome to share this as either two separate emails/Docs or as one email/Doc with both parts of the assignment.  Either way, the entire assignment is due by midnight on Monday, October 30.

Starting TEWWG - Background information and online assignment

This week, we are starting our first novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," by Zora Neale Hurston.  

A couple of reminders before we read:

1 - We will be doing a lot of the reading for this particular novel in class.  Yes, that means you should have very little outside reading to do, but that also means that you are responsible for catching up on missed reading assignments if you happen to miss class for any reason.  You will sign out a book to use, and I have provided a link to an ebook you can read if you forget your book at school.  The assignment calendar above will tell you what readings are due when.

2 - This book is written in a mix of dialect and formal English.  This can make reading a challenge.  To assist you on this, I have provided links to the audio book we will be using in class.  See the set of links on the right side of the page for the recording, as well as a link to the ebook version.

This book is an excellent example of a work by an African American writer, and is based in a real location and loosely based on actual events.  Before we read, you need to read these two short background essays and complete the assignment described below:

Reading: History of Eatonville, FL

Reading: Zora Neale Hurston biography

When you have finished the assigned reading, email me answers to these two questions:

1) Who were five of the twenty-nine men who signed the incorporation papers for Eatonville?  What is odd about the men who signed?

2) Who discovered Hurston's grave and published an essay about Hurston?  Where was that essay published, and in what year?

Each answer is worth 20 points.  Your emailed answers are due to me no later than midnight on October 13th.  Please send the email from your ccs-student email account.

HBCU College Fair Invitation - October 14, 2017