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BookshelfMonstrosity: Kincaid and Hurston have each set their moving, character-driven novels in atmospheric, sunny settings -- the Caribbean, and Florida respectively. Both novels explore haunting truths about identity, society, friendship and love as an African-American female protagonist gains new self-awareness and respect for her experiences.… (más)
"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board...for some they sail forever on the horizon..." Janie is a young African-American woman with dreams of romance. She experiences a longing "for the world to be made." (p. 11) These dreams are circumvented by her grandmother who marries her off to Logan Killicks, a well-off older man so that Janie can have a more secure life. Janie tries to love him, but finally realizes that "marriage does not make love. Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman." (p. 25) She eventually runs off twice to find a better, more adventurous life. The first one, Joe Starks, intends to become a rich and important person. Although his plans prove successful, the life Janie lives becomes suffocating. It is only when she meets Tea Cake, who has nothing but love to offer, does she learn to live fully and adventurously. "She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net....so much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see." The book gives a first hand account of the African American experience of the early 20th century- the racism and classism(based on not only money but racial features-i.e. Mrs. Turner who "built an altar to Cuaucasian characteristics for all" p. 145) experienced, the search for a voice and a place to make a free and independent life, as well as the misogyny evident in the lives of women. (For instance, in a fit of jealousy, Tea Cake whips Janie and then is proud that due to her light skin, every bruise is visible.) This brilliant novel cocludes that the gossip that surrounds her come from people that have never truly experienced life or love. "Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got to find out about livin fu theyselves." (p. 192) How true! There is a reason this book is one of the list of "The Greatest Books". ( )
This was my first pick to get me out of a slump. It started off slow and the language took a bit to get used to but once it got going it did not stop and kept you right there with Janie. Phenomenal read, very glad to have had this be my first book of the year ( )
I read this after seeing the first episode of Great American Read, and I am glad I did. Hurston wrote a masterpiece that grabbed me from the very beginning with language, characters and story. I can see myself going back to this book and devouring scenes over and over through the years. I suggest listening to the audiobook read by Ruby Dee. This helped me get the vernacular in my mind while reading. The slow drawl of Ms. Dee is perfect for the novel. ( )
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
To Henry Allen Moe
Primeras palabras
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.
When I first read Their Eyes Were Watching God, in the early 1970's, I devoured it as one devours the most satisfying romantic fiction - the kind that stems from reality and that can, in the broadest sense, become real for oneself. (Introduction)
I first encountered Zora Neale Hurston in an Afro-American literature course I took in graduate school. (Afterword)
Citas
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
This singing she heard that had nothing to do with her ears. 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...
She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her.
Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore.
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.
She saw a dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!
There is a basin in the mind where words float around on thought and thought on sound and sight. Then there is a depth of thought untouched by words, and deeper still a gulf of formless feelings untouched by thought.
Janie is a young African-American woman with dreams of romance. She experiences a longing "for the world to be made." (p. 11) These dreams are circumvented by her grandmother who marries her off to Logan Killicks, a well-off older man so that Janie can have a more secure life. Janie tries to love him, but finally realizes that "marriage does not make love. Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman." (p. 25)
She eventually runs off twice to find a better, more adventurous life. The first one, Joe Starks, intends to become a rich and important person. Although his plans prove successful, the life Janie lives becomes suffocating. It is only when she meets Tea Cake, who has nothing but love to offer, does she learn to live fully and adventurously. "She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net....so much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see."
The book gives a first hand account of the African American experience of the early 20th century- the racism and classism(based on not only money but racial features-i.e. Mrs. Turner who "built an altar to Cuaucasian characteristics for all" p. 145) experienced, the search for a voice and a place to make a free and independent life, as well as the misogyny evident in the lives of women. (For instance, in a fit of jealousy, Tea Cake whips Janie and then is proud that due to her light skin, every bruise is visible.)
This brilliant novel cocludes that the gossip that surrounds her come from people that have never truly experienced life or love. "Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got to find out about livin fu theyselves." (p. 192)
How true! There is a reason this book is one of the list of "The Greatest Books". ( )