Page2-Essay2

Excerpt from Essay 2 We are able to see this hatred for oneself in __Their Eyes Were Watching God__. Mrs. Turner was an African American woman, yet she hated the Negroes and seemingly wanted to be white. For example she was light colored, a pointed nose and thin lips. She was rather proud of her odd features, because to her they made her better than Negroes (Hurston, 140). For this reason she befriends Janie, because of her appearance to Mrs. Turner, Janie was above her in all manners. Janie had long hair which to Mrs. Turner was beautiful and worth being her friend for. Sadly Mrs. Turner’s hate for Negroes is deep within her when she says, “Ah don’t blame de white folks from hatin’ ‘em ‘cause Ah can’t stand ‘em mahself ” (Hurston, 141). She hated those who were most like her, because of the continued hatred she had seen from the beginning. Mrs. Turner is a perfect example how there are people who appear to hate themselves because of color, which is part of her identity. - Adriana Gomez

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Later on in high school she would prepare and present a speech for graduation. Nervous of her stuttering, she memorizes her speech and delivers it, all the while, concentrating by digging her nails into her palms to keep control, and not stammer, in which she succeeds. She graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in political science in 1955. Postgraduate work and studies in poetry and creative writing followed. This earlier forming shaped her young life, and her tomboy ways prepared her for her fearless and fierce community work she continues today.

Finally her voice rises up in the form of jazzy poetry, performing in Harlem bars and San Francisco and Oakland city squares to get the word out. Thus, the “Broadside Quartet,” which included young radical wordsmiths/artists of the time: Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, Etheridge Knight, and all introduced and promoted by Dudley Randall. In her “Poem at Thirty,” she recites:

“it is midnight no magical bewitching hour for me i know only that i am here waiting remembering that once as a child i walked in my sleep…” -SE

Frederick Douglass is an inspiration to many individuals throughout the world. Douglass embarked on an incredible journey where he learned how to read and write in ways that are unimaginable. Who would have thought that a slave would learn how to write by copying letters on a piece of timber? While running errands, Frederick managed to grab his hands on a book and ask the small children how to read. With all the knowledge he gained, the sudden realization that slavery was a business caused Douglass the need to spread the word about the inhumane acts of slavery. Upon his escape, Douglass managed to share his experiences at an anti-slavery convention. Educating yourself is common even in today’s time period. Malcolm X learned how to read and write in prison by picking up a dictionary and writing every single word on a tablet. The writings on the tablet improved his penmanship, while reading the words improved his comprehension. The power of self-education causes leaders like Frederick Douglass to be a hero and demonstrates that in times of turmoil, the likelihood to succeed is extremely possible. -Jorge Gomez

I see Malcolm as a militant figure due to his desire to do the right thing for the people being taken advantage of. -Anthony Martinez

In Zora Neale Hurston’s book, “The Eyes Are Watching God”, the common themes of Self-Discovery and Love really had a major influence on Janie and her life. The Major themes are also so intricately intertwined and literally bring this whole story together. Self-Discovery is just as important as finding love and companionship. At the same time, it’s also very healthy to dream seek after what is desired in life.

Steven Pope

Ellie and Jeremiah witnessed the relationship of their parents deteriorated in front of their eyes. Ellie's parents were just holding onto each other because at their age, they would not be able to find love from someone else because they were already broken. Jeremiah's father had just found a new love and left his wife behind to pick up the shattered pieces. This only proved to them that maybe love wasn't just kept within the same race, it could be anywhere with anyone of any color. Some believe that interracial dating is taboo because it causes the two bloods to combine resulting is a dirty mixed race. I just do not understand how mixing of blood has to do with anything. We all bleed the same. The real problem is holding onto these barbaric ideals of relationships and class status. There needs to be an end to the vicious cycle of instilling hatred into the minds and passing this hate down to future generations. -Lolita Bounyavong

In 1957, ‘Little Rock Nine’ voiced by their actions that integrating an all-white school meant equality for all mankind. Even though the governor of Little Rock, Arkansas, Orval Faubus, refused the idea of integrating Central High, nine colored students broke the barrier and paved the way for every student today, to attend and enroll in any school regardless of race. Many hardships came with this brave act, but this just goes to show that no one is too young to accomplish a difference. A difference that changed history forever, Melba and her eight other colored friends stood as one for the equality of their people and demonstrated the true essence of having endurance and strength. <span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Kimeka Simmons

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Education has the power to encourage change and writing has the power to create change in the way people view society live in society. Without the influences of education and writing in the black community today, men like Alex Haley would not have enough skill to write a documentary on amazing figures like Malcolm X, thus creating an imbalance in the structural teachings in schools across America. It is because of the influences of Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. DuBois, Barrack Obama was able to attend Harvard University and become the first black President of the United States. Both men paved the way for a mass number of black writers, political figures, and civil rights activists in the future. The way Douglass and DuBois used education and one’s intellect to their advantage was tremendous and helped promote the change that has continued today.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Posted by: Derek Webber

When Janie got married a second time to Joe Starks is when she really lost her identity. The first indication of this is when Starks is elected mayor of Eatonville and the crowd wanted Janie to make a speech but Starks intervened. “Mah wife don’t know nothin’ bout no speech-makin’...She’s uh woman and her place is in de home” (43). Even though this bothered Janie she did not say anything to Starks. “Janie made her face laugh after a short pause, but it wasn’t too easy...It must have been the way Joe spoke without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom off of things” (43) This is when Janie starts giving up her voice and putting aside her feelings in her marriage. The more powerful and prestigious Starks gets from being the mayor, the more controlling he is over Janie and Janie gives up that control just as easy as he takes it. He forced her to work in the store even though she doesn’t like working there, “Such a waste of life and time” (54). After she started working in the store, Starks tightened his leash around her even more. He forced her to tie her hair up when she was at the store, “this business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store” (55). Even though Janie hated the head-rags she never said anything. He wouldn’t let her sit and socialize with everyone outside the store, “Janie loved the conversation…but Joe had forbidden her to indulge” (53). He also started talking to her very disrespectfully, especially when she made a mistake around the store. “When Ah see one thing Ah understands ten. You see ten things and don’t understand one” (71). Janie doesn’t stand up for herself in none of these instances causing Starks to gain more power over Janie while Janie is losing more and more of her identity.

-Jayla Tunstall

<span style="color: #ea2e71; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">In todays society skin tone is not as much as a problem, but it still exist within the black community. In the modern black community, it seems as if the lighter you are the better you are. According to writer Jazzy F from urbandaily.com, Bill Duke, D. Channsin Berry, and Urban Winter; three writers who produced a documentary called “Black is Beautiful: Dark Girls, A Documentary On Color Bias In & Out Of The African American Culture,” talked about the issues with skin tones within the black community. During the documentary a lot of dark skinned women expressed the battles they go through in regards to their dark complexions. One woman explained how she asked her mother to put bleach in her bath water to lighten her and help her become more beautiful and accepted. Even in “Their Eyes Were Watching God” a novel written by Zora Neal Hurston, had racism within the black community, which was expressed in her book by a character named Mrs. Turner who made remarks to another character named Janie. Mrs. Turner talked negatively about dark skinned black people, and although Mrs. Turner was a dark skinned woman herself, she despised the dark skin-tone. She wanted the African American race to be lightened up, and wanted Janie to stop dating darker toned men for lighter toned ones (Hurston, 136-146). Identity crisis within the black community has decreased but it is still there, one can only hope that people will start accepting each other for who they are, and that society will stop inflicting lighter toned being more acceptable than those who are dark. If change does not happen identity crisis will continue to be there, and people will continue to fight wars within their own bodies.

<span style="color: #ea2e71; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">-Jacqueline Johnson

-Ana Ibanez
<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">"Some whites viewed him as a violent, anti-white militant but I disagree. If anyone went through the same pain and torment as Malcolm did as a child, you’d have a severely different opinion of issues and social problems opposed to someone who has had a positive experience." -Andrew Smith

Not only has she been sexually exploited she then is sold off and married as if she has no deciding factor in her own life. This yet again shows that she is being taught as a woman to just follow what the male figure in your life believes. “She’s ugly. But she ain’t no stranger to hard work. And she clean…you can do everything just like you want to her. (Walker) After hearing such things about yourself from someone who supposedly loves you have a great affect upon you. “A negative belief system about themselves is the vast majority as of why women are unsettled in their own bodies.”(Khaleghi) -Dorothy Kolen

Jesse Jackson said it best, “To me, we must learn to spell the word RESPECT. We must respect the rights and properties of our fellowman. And then learn to play the game of life, as well as the game of athletics, according to the rules of society. If you can take that and put it into practice in the community in which you live, then, to me you have won the greatest championship. All we have to do it try. -Dwayne Wilson