Eyes Journal 5

Reading: Chapters 6 and 7 

Journal:  5 Mules and Buzzards and Philosophy - oh, my!

Mules: Examine how and to what purpose Hurston uses the mule in this chapter.  How do the porch sitters describe the mule? Does the significance of the mule change after Joe frees it?  Can we connect the detailed depiction of the mule to Nanny's statement that "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world as fur as Ah can see"(14)?    

Buzzards:  How does the description of the buzzards and their actions connect with the rest of the chapter?  What is the effect of naming one of the buzzards?  What pattern and effect does Hurston create with their dialogue?

Philosophy:  Hurston often leaves the reader with little gems of wisdom.  Choose two or three questions which suggest how to live, offer advice or a statement about the world.  Analyze the quotations.  Discuss how each quotation fits applies to the speaker and how the quotation connects to the events in the chapter.

If you wish to get ahead, you can read chapters 8 and 9.