American Women Writers

I enjoyed this course because it is the first college course that I have had that uses blogging. I blog using tumblr which is where many of wordpress media posts come from so I understood how it all works. Publicly posting on the internet you have to be aware that some people may not agree with your opinions but if it is something you really believe in you should not be afraid to share it. I liked that I was able to study texts that was not the common “British literature” because that has been required of me for years. Studying minority women authors was very beneficial to me as a woman because it further demonstrated the affects society has had on our growth as a gender. I find myself advocating more for women after taking this course speaking on gender roles, discrimination, double standards, and our credibility. Learning how much we have endured as a gender and more specifically how minority women continue to suffer is disturbing. I wouldn’t call myself a feminist but I do believe there is still many ways women as a group needs to be advanced as far as respect given to us by men. As long as we live in a patriarchal society it seems that we are second place, and through this course reading the many stories of how these powerful women fought for their individuality and voice I see that we really have not come very far. I enjoyed the group project it wasn’t difficult to work with my group members and I enjoyed seeing their views on Their Eyes Were Watching God that are different from my own because it allowed me to explore aspects that I overlooked. Zora Neale Hurston is very relevant on the internet and the film based on this novel really gave her a lot of attention so it was easy to research her but not as easy to form my own opinion of her because I feel that it was encouraged through her critics. So thank you, Dr. Travis for this class I really enjoyed this semester I hope you offer it again so that other people can get the same education on women writers that you gave us!

My favorite novel we read this semester is Their Eyes Were Watching God. I already read it in high school but out of all the books I had to read so far in college its definitely number one. I love that Eatonville is controlled and inhabited by blacks, showing successful black people living together in happiness and helping each other isn’t the typical way we are represented; especially during the early 20th century. There was judgmental and violent characters in the novel but we are not perfect, that only adds to the drama of the plot. It seems that many people at first glance might think this is about love/relationships, and that is very relevant but I do not see that as the most important takeaway from this novel. Janie first was taken care of by her Nanny, then she had 3 husbands each marriage beginning after the last ended. Janie spent her entire youth into her middle aged years depending on someone else and trying to figure out where her place is in the world and what made her happy. She wanted to stay with her Nanny because of the love they shared, she was not prepared for marriage but believed if Logan could love her she would find happiness. When her first marriage failed she found Joe and his wealth and motivation to provide others with opportunities inspired her. She was excited to be apart of something that brought happiness to others but Joe’s need to control her damaged her spirits. After he died she fell in love with Tea Cake, this marriage brought her release and freedom. She was able to express her self in their marriage and not be worried that he would try to prevent her from doing anything she wanted to. Through each relationship as Janie grew older she became more understanding of who she is as a woman and that is what I see as the most important part of the novel. How Janie allowed her experiences to mold who she became is what I picked apart. She took from her Nanny that it was necessary to have a man to help take care of you and this is why she had 3 husbands. From her first marriage with Logan she took his advice on being a devoted wife and to work and carried that into her next marriage. With Joe she understood that she must love herself more than she loves her man and took that into her relationship with Tea Cake. With Tea Cake she learned what unconditional love is and how to go after what is important regardless of other’s judgments. The character development of Janie is relevant to many women, we begin our lives depending on our parents/guardians for guidance and we grow through our friendships and love interests to determine what characteristics people bring out of us and decide what we like and who we want to be.

I wish I knew how to upload music into a post then I could give a sample of this song ‘brown skin’ by India Arie. Although every novel we’ve read during this course has not been about African-American women, many were. Starting from the first novel written by a black woman The Bondwoman’s Narrative to Their Eyes Were Watching God published just before World War II, I have been able to see parts of the US from a black woman’s perspective through literature. The different language used, imagery, environments, and capabilities of the author showed me where we have progressed as a culture and were we have remained stagnant. Whenever I reflect on the history of blacks in America, I always find it necessary to reflect on myself and where I am today as a young black woman born and raised in the US. I reflect on what my culture has done so that I can attend school and have rights and I see if I am holding myself up to the same standards my great grandparents would have. It is difficult to recognize that even though there is still racism and gender discrimination alive and spreading in our country, we do have opportunity to succeed. Therefore if I am not doing my best to break barriers set against me I am a failure of my own doing. Its not easy, we continue to struggle but I love who I am, I am not ashamed of my blackness because being black is a beautiful thing.

“Tasteless, offensive, and inflammatory” are the words used to describe these NFL players while they are supporting the #HandsUpDontShoot movement to bring awareness to the Michael Brown v. Darren Wilson case in St. Louis, Missouri. Why is it tasteless to bring awareness to the fact that a unarmed child was killed by a police officer? Yes there is debates over the racial issues in this case because officer Wilson is white and young Michael is black but when people respond to the black community as being violent, offensive, thugs when we express our anger over this case and others like it, it makes it seem as though the racial division is apparent on both sides. If we as blacks fear whites oppressing us and whites fear blacks being violent towards them and both assumptions are based on stereotypes, can we agree racism still exist? Not everyone would agree that it does simply because slavery has been abolished and we’ve grown into a time when a black man is president. The country (white America) does not see this overflow of police brutality cases as a human rights problem but as a black people problem, and they’re wrong.

“Ah’m ole now. Ah can’t be always guidin’ yo’ feet from harm and danger. Ah wants to see you married right away”

In Their Eyes were watching God Janie who is raised by her grandmother was forced into an arranged marriage because her grandmother felt that it was the best way to be sure Janie would be taken care of after she is no longer able to. Janie is still very young when her Nanny has this conversation with her (around 15) but after Nanny witnesses Janie’s first kiss she is sure Janie has grown out of childhood. I am sure that many can relate to this in the way we want our parents/guardians blessing on who we have a relationship with or marry. Although everyone does not enter arranged marriages, many do not enter a marriage without the approval of family.

“So de white man throw down de load and tell de nigger man tuh pick it up. He pick it up because he have to, but he don’t tote it. He hand it to his womenfolks. De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. Ah been prayin’ fuh it tuh be different wid you.

This conversation continues as Nanny tries to explain to Janie a woman’s place in the world, specifically a black woman’s place. This is the world Nanny lived through and she wants Janie to understand their part in it so she will not be naive. Women continue to have worse circumstances then men, and black women have had it worse than everyone. We’ve carried the burden and consequences of our men, and of the world for centuries and have yet to receive the treatment and respect that we deserve.

These are images taken from an interview given on a radio show “Sway in the Morning” with guest Lauren Conrad and she answers a few questions from fans of the show. One of the questions she was asked is “What is your favorite position?” and Lauren answers “CEO”. Now everyone assumes the the intention of the question was meant to have a sexual connotation and is surprised by the turn she takes in her response. They laugh and praise her for her unexpected response. I like that she answers the question this way by respectfully declining to answer in the way others were expecting. Its difficult as a woman to publicly speak about your sex life without some level of negative feedback from society. Society is so hypocritical in its demands for the exposure of the woman’s body yet still they want us to remain pure and innocent.

In the novel Passing by Nella Larsen, Irene and Clare are the main characters who are both mulatto women who take advantage of their “white attributes” in order to pass in society. During this time period, segregation was still existing and racism was very openly expressed. Clare uses her passing features to marry a white man, while Irene uses her features to receive better treatment from others socially such as getting a cab or dining in a restaurant that does not serve blacks. Clare wants to completely disclaim her black culture while Irene accepts it. The novel raises an important question to all blacks that if we had the option what would we choose? Would we associate with white culture with the belief that our lives would be easier financially/socially? I believe many would enjoy the benefits of that lifestyle and it was so intriguing that Clare could not turn away. In my own life I struggle with Identity differently. I do not prefer to refer to myself as African-American, only as black. Only because as far as my ancestral history goes that I have discovered, I cannot closely connect myself to any country other than America. I am aware that historically slaves were taken from Africa, I do not deny that however there is no specific country of Africa I can say my family is born from, there are no traditions I carry with me today that are not American. Some do not agree with the way I identify myself, but that’s there problem. Many have another country they can easily trace their roots to unlike me, so I have to define who I am as best as I can.

These images I have taken from tumblr are from a TV show “Bob’s Burgers” and this character, Tina, is about 14 years old. I like that she said she doesn’t need  boy to pay attention to her because I see a focus in our course on empowerment of women. I believe it is necessary for women to never allow a man to tell her who she is, she must define it for herself. As we have seen through the novels we’ve read women have struggled to be in control of their voice, body, and education, from centuries ago. It is unfortunate that the power we gained was at the hand of sympathetic men. Men decided it is wrong for them to rape women then it became illegal, men who gave us permission to be able to vote, men who allowed us to become educated, because someone decided to listen. Women always had a voice, but we did not always want to be heard. I think it is very important today that women never forget that we are fully capable to be everything we want and find happiness without the permission of a man to do so.

Although in America it is very common for girls to receive an education, the same education as their male peers, the occupations they are preparing for are not the same. Today you will find that women remain dominant in fields such as nursing, child caring, cleaning services, secretarial positions, primary school teachers, and especially in dehumanizing occupations such as sexual services. While men are dominant in fields such as politics and business. Regardless of the focus of study a woman has it is important that she learns how to take care of children, a home, and her male partner. As long as a man has a job and pays bills, he is taking care of his family. I do not think this idea will ever change. In my home both of my parents work, clean, cook, and care for me and my siblings. However, my mom sister and myself clean and cook more often than my dad and brother. So I do not think that in America specifically the issue is educating women but more so the focus society wants them to have.