Why is studying the Harlem Renaissance still worthwhile in the 21st century?"

I feel that the reason that studying the Harlem renaissance is worth it because of the appreciation for the people that have put so much effort into the advancement of the African American race. These people went against the grain of common society with fear of persecution and extreme resentment in order to further their cause. This cause is one of physical, psychological, economic, social, and political status and needs to be recognized. These morals and values that have been instilled within this time period are the same type that can be used in any situation where oppression and mistreatment are evident. By studying them we are embracing the strength of these people and celebrating their passion.

It is also important to study this subject due to how it has affected us as a society. We take for granted the struggle that African Americans have been put through and we think of it in an abstract regard through literature books, movies, and verbal communications. When we take a subject, such as the Harlem Renaissance and express the causes, content, and effects on society at the time we are taking the abstract issue of racial discrimination and making it reality. We touch on actual topics and works written and bring them to life. By doing this we are becoming aware of current problems in our society and keep our eyes open and await change.

Ending

The portion of the book that I found troubling was in chapter 19. After the storm and when Teacake got bitten by the dog, he seemed to get crazier and crazier. Jaine kept the information of the diagnosis of the rabies from Teacake and he only got worse.

Jaine did not feel safe around Teacake, which is ironic due to how much she loved him. The relationship that they shared was the best of her life. It seemed that throughout her journey throughout the book, she has become liberated. This incident with Teacake signifies the ending of her journey. The moment that she moves the chamber of the gun so that it has to shoot 3 times in order to fire at her shows intent. She knew that if he was going to fire at her, she was going to give herself a chance to fire back. She needed those bullets in the gun in order to prove before a jury that there was an actual threat.

She knew in her heart that in order to preserve this sense of independence and fufilment in her life, she would have to kill Teacake due to the rabies.

Second Reading for Eyes Watching God

Throughout the portion of the novel read thus far, I find it interesting the type of realationships that Jaine has had. In her first marriage she is not drawn to him in a physical or psychologically sense. She is put before him in order to retain a sense of security. The void that he fills with the lack of family in her life is the only reason they are together. Her nanny seemed to exhibit a twisted sense of idealized material moral upon her. It seemed that the nanny figure was trying to make her believe that she should marry for material gain and security, apposed to a sense of love and affection. This caused her at a young age to be confused.

She runs away with her second husband in order to escape the confines and oppression put upon her. She marries her second husband for a sense of romanticism, while still holding onto the morals impossed upon her by her nanny. She starts the relationship with a taste of what she was really searching for, but in actuallity it ends up even worse than her first marriage.

Her final marriage with Tea Cake finally secures her the relationship she was really looking for. She finally feels as an equal and is able to express her individuality and opinions. Tea cake seems a great companion for her thus far in the book.

Characteristics of Negro Expression

I found this piece to a little confusing at first. It seemed that the author was talking down about the negro race in a patronizing manner. The male dominated emphasis on the term "his," accented a condescending tone in the innitial portrayal of the African race. Hurston characterizes the negro's as a race that talks in action words, pictures, and that they act out their speech. In many cases he also talks about the negro's as being a "primitive man" that exchanges descriptive words.

Hurston talks about how the negro's need to emphasis action upon their speach in order to be able to picture an object. This shows a complete detachment from the ability to understand a concept without being able to match it to something familiar. This alone gives the reader a sense that the author is talking negatively about this race. Some other examples are on the description of the negro's taste for art, angularity, dance, and that he describes them as "not a Christian really."

Upon reading the text however, it seems that the author changes his tone about the race. His characteristics and portrayal turn more into a society that has shaped the one we live in now. This possitive portrayal seems evident within the text on the portions of originality and imitation as a mimic through the love and desire or the art, apposed to the need or want to conform to the imitatee. It is also evident when the author talks about the Jook as bieng "the most important place in America," which was born from the negro race.

The essay in general seemed confusing. I wasnt sure what the authors true feelings were about the negro race when I finished it. It seemed that the author was trying to give a two sided representation instead of being part of either one.

America

My favorite poem that I found in the readings of last week was entitled, "America." I absolutely loved this poem. This is in regards to not only the content and message, but also of the fast, upbeat, song-like delivery of the poem. The poem is broken down into short phrases that can be read either slow or fast. I prefer to read it fast. It reminds me of rap lyrics with a story line.

It talks about the children of the low cast being outcasts. It than goes on to talk about America seeking a better way (Stars). A vision of this new society is evident; being born out of the turmoil of the past. We come together through these hardships and enter a society of equality.

It than talks about different people who made this possible. Those bieng Crispus Attucks, Jimmy Jones, and Sojourner Truth. It than goes on to talk about the reality of the situation and how this dream is mearly a dream. That person who is talking is seeking this equality that has not been reached.

A brown Girl Dead

This poem I found to be simple and straight forward. I found the meaning to be expressive and compelling, as well as effective to the reader. The imagery to the color white expresses a sense of innocence. The two white roses upon her breasts, the white candles, and the white dress shows a girl who has been deprived of life. The only time she is able to be dressed up in this way is after life. This delivers a message to the reader that the family in which she belongs is poor and the color of white expresses a essence of purity. When thinking of the racial conflict during the time, it also delivers a sense that white is somewhat powerful and superior than dark. With dressing the child up in white, in essence the parents are trying to make her equal for her journey to the unknown.

Thoughts on Death

In this blog entry I would like to share what the book expressed to me in regards to the cause of Clares death at the end of the text. I feel that Irene pushed her out the window. She was so close to losing everything that she had and the only way to hold onto it was to get rid of the "competition" and the obstacle in her life. I think the last straw for Irene was when she saw Clare clinging onto Brains arm while walking up the stairs. This seems to be the last show of affection that Irene takes in as a hint of betrayal. This betrayal was on both sides of the spectrum. That is from her husband and her old friend. With Clare’s husband coming in and finding out that Clare was a black person, Irene had no other alternative. If he found out, with 100% certainty, that she was black, Clare would of moved out to Harlem and taken Brian away. This was that last thought in Irene’s head that lead her to push Clare out the window.
The moments after where she was just waiting while everyone was going downstairs show the nature of this act. She was spellbound with what she had just done and becomes paralyzed. These are my thoughts on this incident.

First Entry: Passing

Throughout this text I noticed a lot of times in which Irene was drawn into doing things that she did not really want to do. This was through the physical pressence that Claire emitted. In the beginning of the text, Irene starts with talking about Claire in such a derogatory manner. When she meets up with her at the restaurant and is in her physical presence, she is completely spellbound. She changes her portrayal and actually seems happy to see her. When they are physically apart she goes back the feeling of not liking Claire.

When she is subdued into going and meeting up with her later on in the week, Irene is upset. Again, when she is in Claire’s presence, Irene is "...even a little glad that she had come (p. 44)." I find this strange. How could the presence of someone be so enticing that simply being around them causes such a change.
It seems that Irene is overcome with so many mixed emotions through the first part of this book. At first she shows resentment and hatred for her. A little further on she is happy that they met up. She doesn’t want to see her again, but is happy to be around her when she meets her at Claire’s house. Irene than shows anger towards Claire when she is put in the position of having to "pass" in front of her husband. It seems that Irene has some type of physical or emotional attraction towards Claire, which I hope is better portrayed at the end of the text.

Response to Video

I found the images that were portrayed in the film to very dentramental to the African American effort to pick themselves out of the pit of racial inequality. With the institution of such characters as the Sambo, mistral, zipco, black mammy, and the baffoon there seemed to building up of more and more physical, as well as behavioral flaws in the portrayal of African Americans. They presented characters in blackface and huge lips. They also gave characters such as the mammy to be large in size and given roles that made her seem almost asexual in nature. There was never an instance where the mammy gave an image of beauty or desire. The characters would merely entertain, serve, and be submissive.
These images were accepted as a cultural norm for most people who were not involved with the culture first hand. They took what they saw and let it be fact. They saw these cartoons, advertisements, and movies and took the life of a slave to be that of solitude and happiness. The women in the society were the dominant figure and the men were more submissive. This alone hinted at the race being inferior in nature.
Even after the Civil War these caricatures were reinforced with displays of brute behavior. They portrayed these people as savages. Even with African Americans volunteering in the war the movies would show them as mere puppets in a game where they were brought for entertainment. These images of the past have an adverse effect on the present. When I was growing up I remember seeing images of racial inequality portrayed through such cartoons as Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and Popeye. Even walking down the supermarket in the 21st century you will come across images such as the Aunt Jamima Syrup container that shows a now slender mammy. These images will be with us for years to come.

Fauset

I find that within Faucet's poetry there is the reoccurring theme of love. This is in regards to the poems that either relates to a love that the writer is experiencing within her text or as an onlooker. One poem that sets itself apart from this common theme is Oriflamme.

At first I took this as a mother figure, or elderly women of some sort, sitting down in a chair looking up at the stars. These stars give her a sense of serenity, hope, and inspiration. Upon careful conclusion however, this mother figure seems to be part of the stars themselves. There is a type of ancestry in the stars that the African people can look upon and gather hope from. This ancient women that has been through so much give the people a sense of determination and the ability to fight for what they believe in. I feel that without this guiding star that the mother figure gives to her sons, that there would be a lot of despair and sorrow that would cripple the fight for equality.

Mary Elizabeth

I find this article to deal much more with gender roles than anything else. In the beginning we find the husband telling his wife that she should have breakfast ready for him even though she admits to being horrible at making it. She burns the coffee and turns pancakes into sheet rock.

The husband, even knowing already that he would have to get breakfast outside the home, has her make it anyways. Toward the end of the story the gender roles become evident again. The husband says to his wife that he would kill her if he came back and found her married to someone else even if he married 50 times. I find this very wrong on the part of the husband. This type of mentality shows the ideological principles that were evident during the period that this was written. It focus's more on the fact that the women should be home cooking and cleaning and the man should be out working.

I tried to find some type of racial undercurrent in this story, but this was to no avail. The only mention of slavery was in the past tense and it does not seem to be an important part of the story.

Reapers

After reading the poems by Toomer I noticed alot of repetition in the regards of the female character. One poem seemed to stand apart from this repetition was the poem "Reapers."

I enjoyed reading this due to its illiteration on the "s" sound and how expressive it felt when reading it. I noticed alot of reference to "black," which struck me as his comparison to the African race of course.

I noticed that even though the field rat was present during the work of the mower the workers did not stop. This to me showed the type of almost trance like conditions that must have occurred during this time. The workers do not stop for anything.

The term reapers also seem to me to have a double meaning. When I first read the title I thought that it was going to resemble the death of someone. When I read the first line I noticed they meant farm equipment. When I started concluding the poem it struck me that they were talking about death again. I thought this use of the term was very enhancing to the poem.

Rest of Book

Within the conclusion of the story I would like to touch upon a line that occurs on page 200. Toward the bottom of the passage he states, "I am sure I should have found it easier to take the place of a gladiator, no matter how fierce the Numidian lion, than to tell that slender girl that I had Negro blood in my veins."

This line sums up the entire book. Our narrators inner fears are addressed in their entirety. Above all else he is afraid to share his inner secret with the one person in the world that he does not feel alienated from. Everyone in his life that meant anything to him are no longer in the picture. He is completely alone, besides this one girl. He would rather take his chances and risk death than to turn away the only person in his life that he feels love for.

This aspect of his character shows that he is ashamed of bieng of his natural race and is afraid of other people finding out. This is not becuase he does not honor people of color, but that he is afraid of the uncontrolable action of others upon himself due to having black blood in his veins.

Pages 89-148 Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man

All right. In regards to the assigned readings to chapter ten I found an important aspect that I would like to touch upon. First, however, I would like to give a brief synopsis of the events that lead up to it.

The narrator first gives us a glimpse of his life when he becomes engulfed with a gambling problem and talks about his philosophy of gambling. This is how many people lose differently but in the end those who lose money go into a state of reform and give it up. Our narrator is one of those people who win some and lose some.

In regards to himself however, this is not the case. His philosophy does not pan out. He actually acquires a job rolling cigars and finally realizes that he cannot keep up with the life of honest work and gambling due to the strain on his body. He decides that instead of giving up gambling and reforming he will give up his job.

While being open to the style of music called "rag-time" at the “club” is where his life actually starts to take hold. A peculiar man who happens to be a millionaire takes him under his wing and hires him to play this style of music for him. This man that hires our narrator and the event that occurs accidentally is what this post will reflect upon.
There was a passage on page 141 that I found strangely intriguing. This is where the millionaire friend has him play the "new American music." When a fellow listener hears him play this style of music this listener bumps our narrarator off his seat. The listener than changes the narrators unique style of incorporating classical music into this style of "rag-time" and reverses it. He changes ragtime music into classical music. This changes how our narrator thinks. This seems to be one of the biggest events that happen to the narrator that changes his life up to this point in the story. This is where he gets the idea to go back to America and start playing for his people of color. He seems to get this notion that this whole time he has been in Europe with the millionaire he has become white. He has been educated and trained to be that of the upper white class through the coaching of the millionaire. This small incident in the narrators life makes him realize that he wants to be an advocate for his race and against the advice of the millionaire he decides to leave Europe and bottle up all the hopes of the American Negroes into his new form of music.

About Myself

My name is Shawn. I am in my senior year of college. I am studying to become a teacher for the grades of first through sixth. I am 22 years old and enjoy spending time with my girlfriend and friends