Journal: Prepare the following passage for writing a commentary. Do not write the paper, but take notes as if you were going to write the paper. Please print out a copy of your blog and bring it to class on Monday. We will discuss the passage and discuss organization for the essay on Monday.
Commentary steps to follow:
- Read the passage through once with pencil in hand. As you read write questions in the margin about words or ideas that catch your attention.
- Before the second reading, clarify any unknown words and make certain you understand what is happening in the piece. Then identify the point of view, characters involved and the subject of the passage.
- On the second reading mark the passage. Look for patterns in the text: if an image, word(s) or idea repeat. What feeling does the passage evoke? What words help create the feeling will establish the mood and tone. If you don't know where to start, use your knowledge of Hurston's style to get you started.
- Read again to develop your analysis. How does Hurston use images or language? How do the images or language connect to other parts of the passage?
- Identify a purpose for the passage
Passage:
They put her to bed and sent for her married daughter from up around Ocala to come see about her. The daughter came as soon as she could and took Annie Tyler away to die in peace. She had waited all her life for something, and it had killed her when it found her.
The thing made itself into pictures and hung around Janie's bedside all night long. Anyhow, she wasn't going back to Eatonville to be laughed at and pitied. She had ten dollars in her pocket and twelve hundred in the bank. But oh God, don't let Tea Cake be off somewhere hurt and Ah not know nothing about it. And God, please suh, don't let him love nobody else but me. Maybe Ah'm is uf fool, Lawd, lad dey say, but Lawd, Ah been so lonesome, and Ah been waitin', Jesus. Ah done waited uh long time.
Janie dozed off to sleep but she woke up in time to see the sun sending up spies ahead of him to mark out the road through the dark. He peeped up over the door sill of the world and made a little foolishness with red. But pretty soon, he laid all that aside and went about his business dressed all in white. But it was always going to be dark to Janie if Tea Cake didn't soon come back. She got out of the bed but a chair couldn't hold her. she dwindled down on the floor her head in a rocking chair.
(Hurston, 119-120)
I'm not entirely sure where to post this...here you go. :)
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Hurston reveals Joe’s agenda to become a dominant figure with Janie as a source of self-glorification. In Joe’s attempt to swoon Janie, he coats his underlying agenda with flattery. “…you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo’self and eat p’taters” (29). By using passive verbs such as sit, fan, rock, and eat, Hurston’s syntax portrays Joe’s desire for Janie to be treated as a pampered child. Joe views Janie as an object meant for display. When Joe explains his future plans to Janie, we see his desire to become a “big ruler of things” (29). Hurston’s euphemism proves Joe’s longing to be in control and to hold authority.
~Stephanie, John, Sam, and Laura~
Group Commentary Paragraph
ReplyDeleteHurston characterizes Joe through the application of euphemisms, connotations, and allusions giving a falsified image of his true intentions to Janie. Hurston uses the euphemism, “big ruler of things” (29), to obscure Joe’s bona fide agenda. On the surface, he seems quite confident in his ability to become a significant influence on his endeavor to the recently formed town in Florida; later known as Eatonville. However, he acts nonchalant about the extent to which those “things” entail. She perceives this as Joe’s personal desire to become an authority in their new community; she does not assume that this ambition will be later affixed onto her role in their marriage as well. In actuality, his thirst for control will pertain to all aspects of his life, including those with Janie. He underplays this objective and Janie does not realize. Hurston additionally uses connotations to conceal Joe’s plan for his marriage to Janie, “Janie, if you think Ah aims to tole you off and make a dog outa you, youse wrong. Ah wants to make a wife outa you” (29). Joe uses the negative connotations that are associated with a dog such as work and obedience so Janie will abhor being compared to one or any animal for that matter. In reality, the customary life of a dog is spent loafing and eating with the only service of loyalty and companionship. This contrasts what Joe conveyed to Janie before. He alleged that she should be a porch sitting, “p’tater” eating, trophy wife; which similarly resembles the life of a dog. Joe decides that she will not be a dog, not a trophy wife. She will function as a wife, who has connotations of work and obedience, however Janie assumes the positive connotations of a wife such as love. Hurston characterizes Joe by making his nickname, Jody, an allusion. During World War II, a “Jody” was a man who would steal a soldier or inmate’s wife in their absence. Hurston creates this allusion to allow some insight to Joe’s genuine agenda to illustrate that he is in fact trying to seduce Janie away from her husband. Joe also confuses Janie by saying that he is a “man of principles” (29). A man of moral principals however would not aim to procure the love of a married woman, which would then contradict the allusion of his name. The way Joe talks to Janie is ambiguous and Janie is unable to understand the true underlying meanings of Joe’s dialogue.
-Megan Risinger, Emily Chinn, Blake Chamberlain,Lena Barna, Cathy Lara, Jaleesa Panning, Kyle Novy-Riley, & Liz Myers
Do we just type up what we wrote on the paper? Do we add on the stuff from class?
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