Contemporary Perspectives: The Harlem Renaissance

  Landon Lofton Ms. Harris ENGL 2017 April 27, 2022 AAVE in Their Eyes Were Watching God In Zora Hurston’s famous novel, Janie exhibits a type of speech that sets her apart from other mulatta characters in fiction, especially when compared to the characters in Passing. This vernacular, specifically African American Vernacular English, is incredibly important to the story by characterizing parts of Janie just by existing, and as a vessel whereby Hurston can glorify the African American Oral Tradition.  AAVE sits in a precarious spot between not being recognized as a valid language for study and one that has been found as “In contrast, researchers, educators (i.e., 1996, Ebonics Resolution), and parents (i.e., “The Ann Arbor Black English Case”) supporting a difference view argue that AAVE is a legitimate language with its own rules for pronunciation, grammar, syntax, and semantics.” (Harris, 194). The arguments over the language are difficult to distinguish between systema...

  White Gaze/ Navigating White Space May 02, 2022 Charles Wilhite Ms. Harris Engl-2017 May 02, 2022 White Gaze/ Navigating White Space I chose to talk about white gaze and navigating white space for my assignment. It is hard to talk about one without talking about the other. During this semester we talked about the white gaze and how artists in the Harlen Renaissance had to take in mind how their work would be viewed by white audiences. Things have changed since then, but black artists still must be aware of the white gaze when they express themselves with their artwork. The Writers and artists from the Harlem Renaissance were able to do their work because of white benefactors that sponsored their work. Although the artists of today do not have white benefactors the venue or medium which they work is presented is ran by white people. This is true with musicians, writers, actors, or artists. If you are black and you want to get your work out there to the world you would have to sign...

  Makyra Hollins Professor Harris African American Literature April 29, 2022 Vernacular Tradition: African American Clothing Since the beginning of time, African Americans have always had their own style. Although their unique style of clothing and fashion in America did not start off as a choice, their style has always set them apart from other cultures. There are and were so many trends that were started by African Americans that were personally surprising.  After doing research, there were several findings and important history worth sharing  During the bondage, the slaveholders ordered a certain dress attire for certain slaves and people. The slaves that worked in the house were given better dress codes and the field slaves, children, and those considered too old to work were to dress poorly. Those enslaved as house servants in an urban setting were able to get better clothing which became a symbol of the master’s wealth. The dress codes that slaves were given wer...

  Deborah White Professor Harris Engl 2017 2 May 2022 Their Eyes Were Watching God and Its Contemporary Lens Through a contemporary lens, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston can be interpreted as the struggles black women go through in order to be heard in life, in the media, and in history.  In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, main character Janie is constantly suppressed and oppressed as she tries to express herself. Through being forced into marriages she did not want, her voice in reference to her love and sexual life was taken from her. She leaves Mister Killicks in order to have her own voice in her own love and life, so she follows Joe Starks. Soon after, as Joe Starks becomes a figurehead in town, Janie once again loses her voice and her say in issues, instead becoming a trophy wife, of sorts. She is forced to hide her hair, stay inside, and do as Joe Starks says. Today, black women are still suppressed and spoken over. Malcolm X is ...

  Azylah Gardner Professor Harris  Final  27 March 22                                                                   Final  Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” portrays the complicated life of protagonist Janie Crawford. Janie’s journey of self-discovery and awareness is one of the many obstacles she faces however; she eventually finds her own horizon or happiness. Janie’s process of self-discovery can be compared with the opposition African-American women must overcome to achieve the things they want for themselves. For instance, these obstacles consist of oppression, not having a voice or choice in your own life, and ultim...

  Jannie Ellis   Ms. Harris   ENGL 2017-6847   2, May 2022     Reaching Self- Actualizion Through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs   Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who was best know for the development of the hierarchy of needs that explained human motivation. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs  is a  theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling natural human needs in priority, and  reaching a final peak of self-actualization. His theory suggested that people have a number of basic needs that must be met to pursue a more social, emotional, and fulfiling  life.   For us to better understand what it is that human beings need in order to motivate themselves, Maslow proposed this hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy of needs is a set of human requirements that are important to meet in order for a person to achieve complete personal growth, development, and self-actualization. He presente...