English Final

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Follows Janie Crawford's journey toward independence, identity, and true love.

Janie Crawford

Protagonist who searches for love, voice, and independence.

Nanny

Janie's grandmother who believes security is more important than love.

Logan Killicks

Janie's first husband who is hardworking but unromantic.

Joe (Jody) Starks

Janie's second husband who is ambitious and controlling, silencing Janie.

Tea Cake Woods

Janie's third husband who treats her as an equal and represents true companionship.

Pheoby Watson

Janie's best friend and the frame narrator audience.

Pear Tree

Symbol of Janie's dream of perfect love and fulfillment.

Horizon

Symbol of dreams, possibilities, and self-discovery.

Hair

Symbol of Janie's independence and power.

Hurricane

Symbol of nature's power over humans, showing that humans cannot control everything.

Muck

Symbol of freedom and authentic living.

Opening Lines

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board."

Meaning of Opening Lines

Dreams often seem easier to others than to ourselves, introducing the theme of pursuing dreams.

Janie's Horizon

"She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net."

Meaning of Janie's Horizon

Janie has finally achieved self-understanding.

Search for Identity

Janie must discover who she is apart from others.

Voice and Self-Expression

Janie learns to speak for herself.

Love vs Security

Nanny values security while Janie values love and fulfillment.

Gender Roles

Hurston critiques expectations placed on women.

Nature

Nature serves as both beauty and destructive force.

Major Settings

Nanny's Farm, Eatonville, Florida, The Everglades.

Eatonville, Florida

One of the first all-Black incorporated towns where Jody becomes mayor.

The Everglades

Represents Janie and Tea Cake's happiest years, freedom, and equality.

Essay Rubric

Criteria for evaluating essays including clarity, organization, and reflection.

Final Assignment

Gatsby Mini-LARP focusing on building voice and unique perspective.

Literary Analysis

Rooting analysis in the text while incorporating expert opinions.

Narration in Their Eyes Were Watching God

Frequently shifts into Janie's thoughts.

Narration Style

Uses Southern Black dialect.

Narration Framing

Framed by Janie telling her story to Pheoby.

Narrator's Bias

Narrator generally sympathetic toward Janie.

Perspective in Their Eyes Were Watching God

Readers see events mostly through Janie's perspective.

General Plot of The Great Gatsby

Narrated by Nick Carraway.

Nick's Move

Nick moves to West Egg and meets his wealthy neighbor Jay Gatsby.

Gatsby's Obsession

Gatsby is obsessed with rekindling his romance with Daisy Buchanan.

Gatsby's Parties

Gatsby throws extravagant parties hoping Daisy will attend.

Gatsby and Daisy's Reunion

Gatsby and Daisy reunite.

Conflict in The Great Gatsby

Their affair causes conflict with Daisy's husband Tom Buchanan.

Daisy's Accident

Daisy accidentally kills Myrtle Wilson.

Gatsby's Sacrifice

Gatsby takes the blame.

Tragic End

Myrtle's husband George kills Gatsby and then himself.

Nick's Disillusionment

Nick becomes disgusted with the wealthy elite.

West Egg

New money; Gatsby and Nick live here.

East Egg

Old money; Tom and Daisy live here.

Valley of Ashes

Industrial wasteland; symbolizes moral decay.

New York City

Place of secrecy and corruption.

Nick Carraway

Narrator; Gatsby's friend and Daisy's cousin.

Jay Gatsby

Self-made millionaire; obsessed with Daisy.

Daisy Buchanan

Gatsby's lost love; married to Tom.

Tom Buchanan

Daisy's husband; wealthy, racist, arrogant, and unfaithful.

Jordan Baker

Professional golfer; Nick's romantic interest.

Myrtle Wilson

Tom's mistress.

George Wilson

Myrtle's husband.

Meyer Wolfsheim

Gatsby's business associate; connected to organized crime.

Green Light

Gatsby's hopes and dreams; represents the American Dream.

Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg

Symbol of judgment or a godlike observer.

Valley of Ashes Symbolism

Moral and social decay.

Gatsby's Parties Symbolism

Emptiness beneath wealth and glamour.

Gatsby's Mansion

Gatsby's attempt to impress Daisy.

Important Quotation - Ending

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

Meaning of Ending Quotation

People struggle to move forward while remaining attached to the past.

Gatsby's Belief Quotation

"Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"

Meaning of Gatsby's Belief

Gatsby's tragic flaw; he believes he can recreate history.

American Dream Theme

Dream becomes corrupted by wealth and status.

Class Division Theme

Old money vs new money.

Illusion vs Reality Theme

Gatsby creates an illusion of himself.

Love and Obsession Theme

Gatsby's love for Daisy becomes unhealthy obsession.

The Past Theme

Characters cannot escape it.

Nick Carraway's Perspective

First-person narrator; story is told entirely through Nick's perspective.

Nick's Bias

Nick claims: "I'm inclined to reserve all judgments." But he is NOT unbiased.

Nick's Admiration

Nick admires Gatsby.

Nick's Dislike

Nick dislikes Tom.

Harlem Renaissance Definition

A cultural movement during the 1920s centered in Harlem that celebrated Black art, literature, music, and identity.

Harlem Renaissance Major Goals

Promote Black culture, challenge racism and stereotypes, encourage racial pride, create new artistic opportunities.

Zora Neale Hurston's Contribution

Celebrates Black culture, preserves dialect and folklore, centers Black voices, focuses on Black women's experiences.

Important Figures of Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, Countee Cullen.

MLA Header Format

Your Name, Teacher Name, Course Name, Day Month Year.

MLA Title Format

Centered, not bolded, not underlined, same font as essay.

MLA Page Header Format

Last Name Page Number in upper right corner.

Short Quotes Formatting

Author introduces quote, quotation marks around quote, parenthetical citation, period goes AFTER citation.

Correct Quotation Example

Gatsby insists, "Of course you can!" (Fitzgerald 110).

Wrong Quotation Example

Gatsby insists, "Of course you can." (Fitzgerald 110.)

Essay Focus

The essay is NOT about the books; it is about you as a writer.

Growth as a Writer

Discuss how you grew in literary analysis, thesis statements, organization, use of evidence, MLA formatting, and voice.

Challenges Faced in Writing

Using quotations correctly, analyzing instead of summarizing, connecting multiple texts, incorporating sources.

Possible Thesis for Reflection Essay

Throughout this year, I developed from a writer who focused mainly on summarizing texts into one who can analyze literature, incorporate evidence effectively, and communicate ideas with greater confidence and originality.

Their Eyes Were Watching God Key Points

Janie's 3 husbands = Logan, Jody, Tea Cake; Pear tree = ideal love; Hair = independence; Horizon = dreams/self-discovery; Hurricane = power of nature; Frame story = Janie tells Pheoby her life.

The Great Gatsby Key Points

Narrator = Nick Carraway; Green light = Gatsby's dream; Valley of Ashes = moral decay; Daisy kills Myrtle; Gatsby takes blame; George kills Gatsby; Theme = corruption of the American Dream.

Harlem Renaissance Key Points

1920s Black cultural movement; centered in Harlem; Hurston was a major figure.

MLA Key Points

Header on left; last name + page number on right; period goes after citation; always introduce quotations.