Their Eyes Were Watching God

1. Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston 1930s

2. Characters • Janie-- wants love, independent?? • Logan--farmer, loves Janie • Jody--rich, powerful, Janie as a prize • Teacake--young, attractive, gives Janie freedom

3. Plot • Janie looking for love raised by grandma (mother raped by white teacher) • Marries Logan for security only 1 year • Marries Jody for adventure 20 years • Marries Teacake and goes to Everglades • Hurricane and rabies, court scene • Flashback structure returning from burying Teacake

4. Themes • Love • Feminism • Race • Rural life • Marriage

5. The Turn of the Screw Henry James 1890s

6. Characters • Governess- protagonist/antagonist, sees ghosts, feelings for master, possible insanity • Miles- manipulative, dies, expelled from school, orphan • Flora- Supposed innocence, afraid of gov. sent away from Bly, orphan • Mrs. Grose- servant below gov. companion but possible manipulative as well • Quint and Jessel- former servant and gov. ghosts haunting the children, forbidden relationship • Douglass- keeper of gov. story, possibly loved her

7. Plot • Young Gov. arrives at Bly to care for children at request of Uncle. • Gov. allowed no contact with Uncle. • Sees ghosts and gets increasingly hysterical. • Ends by smothering Miles?

8. Themes • Madness • Oppression of females • Class Inequalities • Supernatural • Isolation

9. The Awakening Kate Chopin 1899

10. Characters • Edna- young wife and mother, discontent with social role • Leonce- controlling husband • M. Reisz- Independent artist type, not liked by society • Adele Ratignolle- typical “mother-woman” befriends Edna • Robert- loves Edna, wants to marry her • Alcee- seduces Edna

11. Plot • Edna awakens to her true self after attention from Robert. • Moves out of her home and attempts independence with men. • Fails to be both independent and intimate. • Drowns in the sea.

12. Themes • Social conventions • Feminism • Love/possession • Art

13. Native Son Richard Wright 1930s

14. Characters • Bigger- young poor black, violent, fearful, chauffeur • Mary Dalton- rich white, ties with Communists, friendly • Daltons- rich family, try to help blacks but really oppressive with business • Bessie- submissive, drunk, girlfriend to Bigger • Max- lawyer, speech for Bigger

15. Plot • Bigger born to poverty in Black Belt, becomes chauffeur for whites. • Accidentally kills Mary and blames it on Communists • Search for Bigger highlights oppression of blacks • Max defends Bigger but loses

16. Themes • Race • Class • Fear • Isolation • Violence

17. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Kesey 1950s

18. Characters • McMurphy- hero figure, in jail, Christ comparison • Nurse Ratched- hides sexuality, overly controlling • Chief Bromden- deaf, mute, Native-American • Harding- effeminate, dainty hands • Billy Bibbit- stutters, innocent • Black aides- abuse power, rapists

19. Plot • Mental hospital completely run by Nurse. • Mac comes in and rebels against her, raises the men up against the system. • Mac is sacrificed through lobotomy.

20. Themes • Race • Conformity • Sexuality • Gender • Insanity

21. The Tortilla Curtain T.C. Boyle 1999

22. Characters • Delaney--rich, white liberal, writer • Kyra-- aggressive realtor, • Candido--illegal mexican, • America--illegal mexican,

23. Plot • Delaney hits Candido w/ his car • Candido desperate for work keeps having problems (injuries, fire, rape, mud slide) • Delaney attacks Candido w/ a gun • Ends with birth of baby but drowns and Candido grabs Delaney

24. Themes • Race • Hypocrisy • Immigration • Borders/walls • American Dream • Survival

25. Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald 1920s

26. Characters • Nick- narrator, Midwest, supposedly unbiased • Gatsby- rags to riches, hunts Daisy • Daisy- wealthy, voice of money • Tom- brutal, snob, cheater • Myrtle- wants to be upper class, very sexual • George- submissive, lower class • Jordan- gender contrast, careless, love interest with Nick

27. Plot • Nick moves East and befriends Gatsby and Buchanans • Gatsby reunited with Daisy only to be denied again due to his reputation

28. Themes • Class • American Dream • Morality • Treatment of women

29. Huck Finn Mark Twain 1880s and pre-Civil War

30. Characters • Huck- white boy, matures, goes against society. • Tom- very romanticized, imaginative • Jim- runaway slave, very moral and logical • Huck’s dad- drunk, abusive, thief • King and Duke- carpetbaggers, manipulative thieves • Widow and Miss Watson- care for Huck, want to civilize him

31. Plot • Huck fakes death and escapes from his father down river. • Meets Jim and has many adventures always finding trouble and violence when on land. • Huck ends up realizing society is wrong and decides to free Jim

32. Themes • Racism • Satire- hypocrisy • Violence • Education • Maturation

33. The Crucible Arthur Miller 1690s and 1950s

34. Characters • Proctor- protagonist, cheater, honor • Abigail- antagonist, jealous • Hale- Rev. character change • Mary Warren- weak, manipulated

35. Plot • Puritan society, run by strict religion. • No outlet for sins, emotions, ect. • Town run by hysteria, revenge, power. • Belief in innocence of children. • Need a sacrifice to stop corruption.

36. Themes • Connection to McCarthyism • Religion • Power • Intolerance • Hysteria • Innocence • Lying/Manipulation