A journal of negro life, because johnson had published her second story, drenched in light, and recognized her talent. In spunk, the protagonist, joe, is described as a meek man and is murdered in an attempt to get his wife lena back from joes polar opposite, spunk banks, who is seen by the townspeople a brave, courageous man. Zora neale hurston january 7, 1891 january 28, 1960 was an american folklorist and author during the time of the harlem renaissance, best known for the 1937 novel their. Monique a guishard bronx community college academia. In stories like spunk, isis and sweat, she heralds her brilliant novels such as their eyes were watching god and jonahs gourd vine. Telling almost the entire story through the viewpoint of the town general store gossip spunk is a great ghost story set in hurstons beloved eatonville, florida. In spunk the antagonist is a man who is intimidating in size, and gives. Litcharts makes it easy to find quotes by character and theme. But she was a washwoman, and monday morning meant a great deal to her.
A couple, at the moment are happy, walks through a village going into the woods, away from a small crowd at a general store who are gossiping about the couple. Two classic narratives about revenge and redemption. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of spunk by zora neale hurston. She used the distinctive dialect of the region to create an authentic representation of the culture. She portrayed racial struggles in the early1900s american south and published research on hoodoo. Sweat features delia and her husband, sykes, with their marital strife as. Mostly science fiction and fantasy, also includes some other novels. Hurston traveled extensively, documenting the expressions of southern black folk, and her works reflect a lifelong fascination with the black folk communitymost notably her own eatonville, florida, birthplace. Spunk quotes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Analysis of zora neale hurstons spunk free essay example. So she collected the soiled clothes on saturday when she returned the clean things. Critics have praised its mythic quality achieved by her use of material from folklore and voodoo perry 123, ikonne 18485.
Spunk is zora neale hurstons third published short story and helped launch her career. A giant of a brownskinned man sauntered up the one street of the village and out into the palmetto thickets with a small pretty woman clinging lovingly to his arm. Becomes minister at the zion hope baptist church in sanford, florida. Reading zora neale hurstons how it feels to be colored. Sweat is one of zora neale hurstons worldrenowned short stories. Twitter, prezi and the newest trends in social media services. Sweat by zora neale hurston it was eleven oclock of a spring night in florida. Zora neale hurston uses symbolism to introduce the reader to the world of voodoo. As hurston explains, delia is a strong, hardworking, calm, brave, and understanding woman who is able to stand with her head held high even through all the troubles she endures. Analysis of zora neale hurstons spunk essay 881 words.
Sweat, a short story written by zora neale hurston depicts the story of delia, a washerwoman who is physically and mentally abused by her husband, sykes. Spunk was only the third short story zora neale hurston published, and it was immediately successful. Sweat tells the story of a domestically abused, religiously devout laundress and her. In the 1920s, when she was in her early twenties, hurston moved to new york. Mystery, tension, and the supernatural in zora neale. Zora neale hurston was an african american novelist, short story writer, folklorist, anthropologist, and one of the most important figures of the harlem renaissance. She grew up in eatonville, florida, which was one of the first allblack towns in americathe local government was run by africanamericans as were all of the businesses. Howard university 19191924barnard college 19251927columbia university 19341935 work experience. Being an impoverished africanamerican woman in the 1920s didnt leave you with many choices. Stephen pasqualina nevada, zora neale hurston, weak. Her notable novels included mules and men, their eyes were watching god, and moses, man of. It is the story of a confident man who steals a weaker mans wife, and how the husband gets his revenge after death. On may 1, 1925, at a literary awards dinner sponsored by opportunity magazine, the earthy harlem newcomer turned heads and raised eyebrows as she claimed four awards. The role of guilt in spunk by zora neale hurston in spunk by zora neale hurston, the main character joe kantys death is the tool used to shape the characters in her story.
Spunk by zora neale hurston a giant of a brownskinned man sauntered up the one street of the village and out into the palmetto thickets with a small pretty woman clinging lovingly to his arm. Commonlit spunk free reading passages and literacy. From the time hurston submitted her first story, john redding goes to sea, in 1921 to the stylus, howard universitys literary club, until decades later, when she wrote a query letter to a publisher in the quavering hand of an old woman, zora hurston was a writer. The story centres on delia, a washerwoman in a small central florida town. Hurston had visited haiti and jamaica in the 1930s and had become very interested in the practice of voodoo. University may be awarded the following honors at graduation. The symbols of cowardice and true courage in the short. How it feels to be colored me by zora neale hurston duration.
Sweat, a short story by zora neale hurston, is a female empowerment text about a woman overcoming her abusive husband. Nella larsen, zora neal hurston, richard wright, ralph ellison, alice walker, toni. Wolfe and is an adaptation of three stories by zora neale hurston. Hurston set many of her works, including spunk, in her hometown, eatonville, florida. After a few share their thoughts, i tell them that we are going to watch a short video on the life of zora neale hurston. Spunk analysis context writers background hurston wrote during a very oppressive time period. Sweat is a short story by american writer zora neale hurston, first published in literary magazine fire in 1926. A letter to zora neale hurston fifty years after brown.
Spunk, a short story by zora neale hurston, is a juicy tale about a love triangle that goes terribly wrong. Valerie boyd, a protofeminist postcard from haiti, the official zora neale hurston website, zoranealehurston. However, as the story progress, spunk begins to breakdown and becomes lesser and. Cuny, bronx, ny theorize back to conventional research ethics magna cum laude. As the characters develop a guilty conscience, they realize just that. Discussion of themes and motifs in zora neale hurston s spunk. Prezi presented at the 2nd annual meeting of the bronx cuny edtech showcase. The beauty of it is the way we really only get the story from the point of view of the. Zora neale hurston s use of language in her short story spunk allows the reader to become part of the community in which this story takes place. Do not use prezi or other media with motion, zoom or strobe effects, as these pose. Zora neale hurstons 18911960 brief tale spunk originally appeared in the magazine opportunity. This set of lesson plans consists of approximately 74 pages of tests, essay questions, lessons, and other teaching materials.
Though her work faded into obscurity during her life, it became popular again in 1975 when alice walker published an article titled in search of zora neale hurston the article was published in ms. Fitzgerald, ernest hemingway, john steinbeck and zora neale hurston. Any other night, delia jones would have been in bed for two hours by this time. A literary star of the harlem renaissance, zora neale hurston wrote a number of awardwinning plays, novels and short stories, including the wellknown sweat. Community and the folk, in community, the making of. In this lesson, we will learn more about the characters and the plot and analyze the. Elijah tells us in the story that spunk sees a black bobcat that looked him in the eye, an howled right at him.
As a famous american writer, hurston is known for writing stories that depict real life as it was during the years when she wrote the stories. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Gender plays a significant role in both of these stories for both the male and female characters. Justice is served at the end of this harrowing tale of a woman trying to survive in some of the most challenging. Guilt in spunk by zora neale hurston essay 1220 words. Zora neale hurston simple english wikipedia, the free. Zora neale hurstons use of language in her short story spunk allows the reader to become part of the community in which this story takes place. Reading zora neale hurstons how it feels to be colored me black lit. Zora neale hurstons spunk at actors theatre of louisville. Hurstons mastery of biblical themes and styles is reflected in book of harlem and herod on trial in the appendix, a skill she would later put to use in her masterpiece moses, man of the mountain. Analysis of zora neale hurstons spunk essay 880 words. Story takes place in a town that closley resembles hurston s.
What evidence could spunk have used in court to prove he was acting in selfdefense against joe. If hurston could have spoken to alice walker as walker searched for her grave. Johnson, the editor of the national urban leagues influential magazine, opportunity. The most popular of her four novels is their eyes were watching god, published in 1937. She also wrote more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays.
He resents the fact that delia has to wash the clothes of white people. Wolfe won a 1989 obie award for best offbroadway director for spunk external links. Once everyone is seated, i ask them what they thought of the short story spunk by zora neale hurston. Zora neale hurston was born on january 7, 1891 in nostagula, florida. This handout accompanies the short story written by zora neale hurston.
Following joes murder, the characters experience different forms of guilt, representing hurston s belief that everyone in our world has a conscience. Written in the 1920s, the story is set in central florida, near orlando. First published in 1942, dust tracks on a road is hurstons personal story, told in her own words. The story takes place in a rural, allblack southern town, much like eatonville, florida, where hurston grew up. Zora neale hurston, american folklorist and writer associated with the harlem renaissance who celebrated the african american culture of the rural south. We assign a color and icon like this one to each theme, making it easy to track which themes apply to each quote below. Spunk by zora neale hurston short story magic tricks. She had been encouraged to come to new york city by charles s.
Analysis of sweat by zora neale hurston using symbolism. Joe has had enough of spunk, attempts to kill spunk but fails and spunk shoots him. Following joes murder, the characters experience different forms of guilt, representing hurstons belief that everyone in our world has a conscience. Spunk banks this character is a giant of a brownskinned man and a sawmill worker with flashy clothes, a guitar, and a way with women. Awarded to students who have attained a cumulative average of. Zora hurstons pieces spunk and sweat both feature antagonists who are strong and meanspirited men who eventually face their downfall due to their karma. Students analyze the various literary elements in the short story. Zora neale hurstons spunk 1925 is a story of lust, killing, and supernatural revenge set in rural florida. Delias husband, sykes, does not have a job and is abusive.
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