Last Entry!!!!

I believe it is still beneficial to study the Harlem Renaissance in the 21st century because it was extremely influential to today's world. After researching performing arts of the Harlem Renaissance, I learned that dances like the Lindy Hop are still used today. The dancing aspect of the Harlem Renaissance can be tied to modern dancing and the techniques that are still used. Also, during the Harlem Renaissance music was important and and influential. Some of the most profound musicians were during this time, especially Jazz performers. Music has evolved, but Jazz is the foundation of many types of music today.

I also believe it is important to still study the Harlem Renaissance because it represents Aferican American history and culture. We have read in numerous books the stuggle African Americans went through during this time in history. I think it is important to acknowledge it, but also learn the impact society had on African Americans and with their stregth and determination they were able to succeed and overcome their hardships.

I enjoyed learning about the different aspects of the Harlem Renaissance. I have always been interested in African American history. I was able to read a variety of literature that allowed me to understand the life sytle during the Harlem Renaissance but also the struggles and strength African Americans had during this time in history.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

When I began reading this novel, I didn't think I was going to like it. As I read further I began to really like this novel. I really like Janie's character. I like how through the novel, we see how Janie grows as a person through her relationships. We know as readers that Janie had many relationships. Her marriage with Jody was dysfunctional and did not allow her to be the woman that she wanted to be. As the story continued, we see Janie sticking up for herself and believing in herself. I like when she says "Ah reckon ah looks mah age too. But Ah'm uh woman every inch of me, and at know it. Dat's uh whole lot more'n you kin say" (p 79). I like how Janie throws it right back and sticks up for herself and doesn't let anyone hold her back from her thoughts.

I thought that the relationship with Tea Cake might be questionable but as I read I can see that Tea Cake is the man that has brought the best out of Janie. He made her feel the way a woman should feel. Although he was still a manly man, he was able to let that manly guard down a little bit and show Janie that he cared and wanted to make her happy. He was willing to pick lemons to make lemonade, he was will to comb her hair and whip the dandruff off her shoulders, etc. He was willing to accept the good and bad (accept her for her.)

I enjoyed reading about the struggles Janie had trying to find out who she really is. Although she struggled and had to suppress her feelings, she was able to overcome those hard times. She found herself, which allowed her to be happy and live a life that was fulfilling.

A Cautionary Tale and a Partisan View

After reading this story about Zora Neale Hurston, it reminded me of many topics that we have covered in class, especially the incidents where African Americans abandoned their race and culture, to fit into society, "white society." In Hurstons "Mules and Men," Hurston shares the stories of African Americans that have been forgotten for many years because African Americans abandoned those memories. I believe Hurston as an author, was brave and did not care what society thought of her as a writer. She wrote from the heart about the lives of so many African Americans. She brought life back into many lives and brought back a sense of happiness and fulfillment that so many lacked for many years.

The narrator states how Hurston was one author who did not lack the sense of racial health, complexity, etc. which so many African Americans authors lacked during this time. It was as though she was not going to settle (like so many have) to fit into a society that was not going to except her. She was going to stand tall and speak out about her beliefs and for those who have abandoned their race and culture because they did not see another way out. She took a risk, but in doing so, brought comfort and a sense of community back to the African American population. The narrator states, "Zora grew up in a community of black people who had enormous respect for themselves and for their ability to govern themselves." Not only did she bring this to those who knew her, but to everyone who read her book. Although she may not have been well known and "rewarded" for what she accomplished, she did have a positive impact of many African Americans.

Characteristics of Negro Expression

I was surprised in the section "will to adorn" when Hurston stated that "the Negro has introduced no African words to the language." I guess I never truly thought about who introduced words or where they originated from, especially if African Americans introduced words to our language. Although African Americans are looked down for their "slang," I think its fair to say that it is their own language and I do believe that it has been passed down to many generation. Words like "aint" are transformed from the english language from the word "aren't", but these words did originate from the African American culture and are still used today. I think it is important to identify because in the early 1900's it may not have been accepted, but today, "slang" words are commonly used even though they aren't "proper."

In the section "dialect", I thought it was very interesting how Hurston states how the lip form is responsible for the way African Americans speak. Hurston says, "By experiment the reader will find that a sharp "I" is very much easier with a thin taut lip than with a full soft lip." I think this description of how words are pronounced by other cultures give you more of an understanding and respect for their culture, rather than judging them of how they pronounce words.

Langston Hughes Article

After reading this article, I was very surprised how influential whites were towards African Americans without them even knowing it. In the beginning of this article it states hows "Negro art in American- this urge within the race toward whiteness, the desire to pour racial individuality into the mold of American standardization, and to be as little Negro and as much American as possible." I think in order for African Americans to feel accepted with their work and art, they had to write as though they were white. Its obvious that racial tension still existed during this time and to be successful you had to fit in and do what society wanted. The author mentions a great point at the end on the first page that "he" as the poet is never taught to to see his beauty but to be ashamed of it. It must be tough to grow up being told (by your family) that the white life is how you should live and want to live because you aren't accepted as an African American.

On the first page, the author gives examples of how the father refers to whites but unconsciously. He uses the white life as a guide for how he lives and how he raises his children. The author states "the whisper of "I want to be white" runs silently through their minds." It seems as though children during this time were taught about how to live like a white person rather than living and representing their culture and heritage. From the perspective of this father, it seems as though his goal is to blend in with the white society and try to forget about who he really is.

Cullen Poems

After our discussion in class on Wednesday, the poem "Tableau" stood out to me. It was one of my favorite poems of Cullen's poetry. I think some of his poetry can be difficult to understand and hard to relate to, which as a reader takes away the meaning of the poem.

After learning that Cullen may have been gay, this poem stands out as a way to express those feelings without actually saying it. He uses a black and white boy to show the vivid contrast of the boys walking arm in arm. I think using this contrast it makes the boys stand out to the reader, but more significantly as a race issue rather than it being assumed they were gay. Cullen goes on to describe how the dark folks stare and the fair folks talk and how "wrong" this is to the viewers. I believe that he could be using the black and white boy as a way to express his feeling about a gay relationship, but people during this time were so against black and white relationships that the idea wasn't even a thought.

I think that if Cullen was expressing a relationship between two gay boys, he did an excellent job of conveying the message through a white and black boy. The attention that a white boy and black boy would get, is probably very similar to what two gay boys would recieve if the public was aware. He hides the true identity of the boys, by using their color as a center point to his poetry rather than truly identitfying that the boys are gay.

The Best of the Brownies' Book

I enjoyed reading these stories because they are different from what we have been reading. Also, I enjoyed reading stories that were written for children. I really enjoyed reading the story "The Heritage." I think many children would be able to relate to this story. When I began reading the story, it was evident that it was going to be about an African American girl because there were numerous references to her "brown face." I was wondering if this was common during this time to reveal the characters in the stories as African American. I know from further research about The Brownies' Book that anyone could read these stories, but many of the stories were written by African Americans for an African American audience. This story was easy to read and would be easy for a child but was also easy to relate to, espcecially for children going to school. Through the story of Julie, you can get the sense that school can be tough and can make you want to give up, but with strength and determination you can succeed. I also think that Mother Mason's character could be influential for a child reading this story. She shows Julie that she has been given a gift to go to school and obtain an education. Her parents were not allowed to get an education and they are living that through her. Julie says ""Is it true that I am not struggling alone, and that I have my whole race to work for?" I think this is a powerful question that Julie asked. She is working for her race. She is working to prove that her race can be successful and can achieve anything. She is succeeding for those who weren't given the chance to succeed and shes succeeding for future generations.

I believe stories like this one were published to inspire African Americans. It was a way for African Americans to speak out about their race and to reflect on the past. I think stories like this one can help motivate the African American society to go for their dreams and do it because they can and not because they are being held back. Also, I believe that stories with a "happy ending" helped African Americans have hope to strive for the best that they deserved.

Passing

After class, I thought about Irene’s character and her “role” in society. Irene is portrayed as an African American woman who can pass when needed. In her case, when she met with Clare and her husband, she was passing. I feel like she contradicts herself. She felt that Clare was being humiliated and insulted by her husband who is obviously racist, but in all actuality it is an insult to Irene as well. She also stated in the first section that we read that she didn’t understand how Clare could sit there and just laugh and not saying anything to her husband. I feel like Irene is putting herself in the same position by passing and that if she felt it was an insult she should have stuck up for the race. I can understand the fear she felt because he was white and racist, but I don’t feel she should put the blame on other people for doing exactly what she is doing.

I think Irene says it perfectly, “Its funny about “passing.” We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we rather admire it. We shy away from it with an odd kind of revulsion, but we protect it.” (pg.82) She was stern about the idea of passing when Clare asked her the first time they met at the hotel, but she does use her color as a way to fit into society. She seems to have a sense of anger towards Clare for the way she lives her life, which I don’t feel should necessarily be the case because Irene does the same thing. Irene is proud of her race and fights for African Americans, but there are times where she acts inferior because she can pass as white, which is why I feel she should not look down on Clare for the way she is living. Clare is happy with her life and seems to feel like passing is the only way to be successful and have respect.

Movie

After watching the movie, the one thing that left a vivid picture in my mind was the way African American children were perceived and advertised. In the footage we saw today, the children were placed near rivers and on the ground to convey that they were savages and animals. There was one clip where an African American child was hanging above an alligator’s mouth that was wide-open ready to eat him/her. This shows the mistreatment that innocent children faced. They were perceived to be animals that other animals, in this case an alligator would eat. It was not right for anyone to receive treatment like this, but for a young child to be looked at like this is extremely sad.

The other thing I found interesting in this video was how mammy was represented. The only mammy I knew of was the one from Gone With the Wind. When I saw how mammy’s “figure” was changed I was shocked. I was surprised to hear that mammy’s role according to “society” was not womanly. The video stated how mammy had a lack of sexuality, but was strong, and controlled. You think of women as having a sense of sexuality, which was taken away from mammy’s so that they weren’t a threat to there mistress’.

The video revealed many things that I was unaware. I was unaware how the African American “figure” was transformed during the minstrel era and how African Americans were looked upon as something to laugh at and make fun of. Its surprising to see what occurred so many years ago, but to see that things still occur during recent times, like the Black Rambo and how African American are perceived as violent and brutal cops and detectives.

Mary Elizabeth

As I began reading the short story about Mary Elizabeth, I had a few questions about her. I was wondering if she was a servant because Sally couldn't make a cup of coffee and seemed very clueless about cooking. Also, I was wondering if Mary Elizabeth was a servant, why she was late or not coming that day and if it would cause her any troubles.

As I read on, I came to realize that Mary Elizabeth was African American. Her "slang" was difficult to understand at times. Many of her words were clustered together, which made the reading choppy at times for me. I had to re-read passages to get an understanding for the stories she was telling. I do think this adds to the story. I think it brightens up Mary Elizabeth's character and gives you a sense of the African American language during this time.

Something that stood out to me was the realationship between Sally and Mary Elizabeth. Sally didn't seem to care much that Mary Elizabeth was late. I would have thought this would have been a problem and could have costed Mar Elizabeth her job or a pay reduction, which could have impacted her and her family. Also, Mary Elizabeth seems very open with Sally and comfortable telling her about her husband and ex-husband, along with her sister, etc. Through stories I have read in the past, I never got the sense that a servant had a relationship with anyone in the household that they were working with. I enjoyed reading the stories Mary Elizabeth told Sally and the energy I felt from her as I read this story. It seems as though Sally just sat back and listened to Mary Elizabeth and enjoyed her company but was also shocked by the things she was saying to her. I also got the feeling that Sally respected Mary Elizabeth and wanted to help her out because she often gave her clothes and seemed quite generous. I think they both appreciated each other but in different ways.

Cane

When I began reading the story "Katrintha", I wasn't sure if this book was going to be about African Americans. When I read the line "Home in Georgia are most often built on the two-room plan," I made the assumption that the characters were going to be African American living in the south. As I continued to read, more and more stories made it clear that this book focuses on times of slavery.

I like the poem the "Reapers" because it was easy to understand but gives a vivid picture of what a day in the fields was like. The author presents this poem as if someone is witnessing it. He says "I see them place the hones in their hip-pockets as a thing that's done, and start their silent swingin, one by one." We get the sense that the reapers are used to this activity. From the poem, it seems to be a regular duty that they have to do. The reapers also seem to think nothing else than doing their job. He says, ".. a field rat, startled, sqealing bleeds. HIs belly close to the ground. I see the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting wees and shade." The reapers pay not attention to the rat. They are concentrated on one thing, and thats to get the job done. I think is poems shows the work ethic of African Americans back then and also gives you a sense of the labor they had to endure.

The other poem I liked that I compared "Reapers" to was "November Cotton Flowers." After reading the title I assumed that I would be reading about cotton picking that African Americans had to do on their planations. The author is very descriptive when describing what the cotton-stalks look like during the winter seasons. He says, "Made cotton-stalks look rusty, seasons old, and cottonm scarce as any southern snow..." It is evident that during November, cotton is out of season and the stalks look old and dead as if they were there more than one season. I visualize a corn field during the winter seasons and how the stalks and husks are brown and bending because they are dead. The author is also descriptive when desribing the soil and how there is not use for it. It made me visualize a farm before the harvesting season and how plain, boring, and un-useful it looks.

I enjoyed many of these poems and noticed that many of them referenced to God, which was a theme in McKay's poems.

McKay Poems

After reading the poems by McKay, there were two that stood out. In class we discussed the violence that African Americans went through and the torture they faces on an everyday basis. In the poems, "The Dominant White" and "The White House" you get a sense of the impact whites had on African Americans.

In the first paragraph of "The Dominant White", it describes how God gave whites the power and strength to help and lift, but instead abused their gifts and made African Americans bleed and hurt. In the second paragraph, he describes with detail the toture that whites put African Americans through. The description of the paragraph is similar in the Autobiography by Johnson when the narrator is describing the lynching. WIth the descriptions of these brutal attacks, you can see the impact it has left on so many African Americans. How could someone ever forget or forgive whites for what they have done? In the third paragraph he says,"Bequeathed to it a bastard heritage And made the black ashamed to see his face." What an awful feeling that African Americans have to face during this time. The term bastard heritage is a powerful way to describe whites. The last thing McKay says in every paragraph is, "You've proven unworthy of your trust, God-He shall humble you down to the dust." I think this sums up the feelings of African Americans. They were given a job by God when put on this earth, and for not doing that, God is going to punish them as much as they have punished African Americans. I think although African Ameicans may have felt hopeless at times, they kept God by their side to guide them, which is how they overcame this traumatic time in history.

I like the poem "The White House" because you get the sense of hatred that African Americans have developed towards whites. He says, "But I possess the courage and the grace To bear my anger proudly and unbent." I compared this poem with "The Dominant White" because in "The Dominant White", we get a sense of how brutal the whites were towards the African Americans and how cruel they were. In this poem, we see that even though whites are cruel and unworthy, African Americans will hold their heads up and fight this battle until it ends. They will not let white hatred posion them. I think this shows the strength that African Americans had and the courage they had to find within themselves to fight for their lives and for their race.

Johnson Autobiography pg.89-148

A common theme that I had in mind as I was reading "The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man," and that was mentioned in class was the idea of dependency that the narrator has. In the beginning of the story, it seemed as though he was dependent on other people, for example his mother. He also was passive and went with the flow. He does not seem to take inititive or speak out. He observed "Shiny" speaking out about his race, but he did not seem to know how to do that. This theme seemed to continue through a good chunk of the story until he starts to play music at the "Club."

As I was reading,I noticed that as soon as the narrator started playing at the "Club" it was the moment when he could indentify who he was and what characterized him as a person. He was confident about his musical abilities and described his popularity among the audience. I think this allowed him to feel unique and special at the same time. He was able to identify what made him, him. Once he met the millionaire and starts to make money, he realizes the direction he should take, whereas before he was gambling and wan't sure where his life was taking him. I also believe that the millionaire came into his life at the right time and guided him beause he admired his talent. Although they ended up going their own ways, the narrator has a basic foundation to his life and where it should continue, which I think he was looking for, for many years.

About Me!

Hi! My name is Kristine. I'm a senior. I'm majoring in Childhood Education with a concentration in American Studies. I will be student teaching in the Spring.