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Jonah's Gourd Vine
ENG 264 Exam 2
19
Literature
Undergraduate 2
03/20/2011

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Cards

Term
Hurston quote
Definition
"It amazes me that anyone would deny themselves the pleasure of my company."
Term
Hurston background
Definition
-Masters degree and teaching experience from Columbia
-Anthropologist
-public feud with Richard Wright, who generally wrote about "social realism" (Wright felt that black artists must point out white racism)
-She wanted to show that black people had their own community & culture (John's problems are not from the white community)
Term
Hurston's use of dialect
Definition
-points out cultural differences
-everyone in the book spoke in the dialect (even Alf who was white) proving that it was region, not race
-inside-outsider dynamic: making African Americans the insider
Term
Hurston's glossary
Definition
Allows outsiders to become insiders if they are willing to try and work at it
Term
Black vernacular
Definition
-own rules of syntax
-own vocabulary (consistent throughout the book)
Term
Spike Lee YouTube video stereotypes
Definition
-Exaggerated features
-Servants
-clowns
-monkeys
-unattractive women
-"blackface"
-dancing
-food (chicken & watermelons)
-cartoons
Term
"Blackface"
Definition
-Celebrities gave the mockery commonplace, making it seem legitimate
-tons of cartoons (flat, mocking, stereotypes)

-minstrel shows & performances: created to demean African Americans, justified racism, suggested that all African Americans were parts of stereotypes, continued through the 1960s as the predominant role for African Americans on stage & film
Term
Hurston's writing style
Definition
-She would first record folklore, songs, jokes, & family stories in the South
-She would then use the data to create a novel
-She was aware of the dangers of oral storytelling and wanted to record these stories so that a chunk of black history would not disappear
Term
Why did Lucy stay with John?
Definition
-cares about her family & 7 children
-married to the town mayor and preacher "I'm a wife made man"
-needed his support w/o a job
-she would have to get remarried (ex. Ned)
-John is her protector (water snake, bed scene)
-she desires a traditional family structure (upbringing)
-John promises to be her mother & father after her mother disowns her
-she was very young and knew little about the world
Term
What positive traits did Lucy see in John?
Definition
-he is opposite of her (rebellion)
-first love
-charming, socially acceptable
-source of money
-means of escape from family
-hardworking (unlike Ned)
Term
Lucy's mother setting her up to marry Artie
Definition
-he had 60 acres and two mules (60 acres and 1 mule was the standard of freedom)
-she was trying to do what was best
-Lucy could have a hand in John's future but not in Artie's
-Artie viewed a wife as a worker (bought her a mule)
Term
Evidence that Lucy may not really hate John's affairs
Definition
-they appeal to her vanity
-he always returns to her
-other people want what she already has
Term
Evidence that John truly loves Lucy:
Definition
-he almost kills Lucy's brother after he steals the bed
-he writes her name on the chimney (so that everyone could see it)
-he buys her gifts
-he was "sweetly distracted" by her note
-when he got out of jail, he sent money for Lucy and the children
-he becomes very angry when she mentions leaving him
Term
Why does John continuously cheat on Lucy?
Definition
-Lucy lets him
-for his manhood (he takes on some feminine roles with Lucy)
-other girls are attracted to him
-he is proud
-the "brute beast" in him (animal, uncontrollable, blaming hypersexuality)
-he sees Lucy as his wife but also his child ("Little Bit," doll, makes her sit on his lap)
Term
Two times that John cheats on Lucy
Definition
1. when she is pregnant (possibility of death)
2. when she is dying

Showing that he is scared she may die but also that he is incredibly selfish
Term
Gifts that John gives to Lucy
Definition
-Necessities: dress, pineapple (not common), mangoes (exotic), oranges, pig
-Doll
-Necklace (ego boost), earrings (everyone will notice), pocketbook with money.... like Lucy is the doll he is dressing up
Term
African American Christianity- Pre-divorce
Definition
-John is called to be a minister while working in the heat (hallucination or desire for easier work)
-early on, he mimicked other ministers (entertainment)
-he liked being a minister for: money, prestige, & attention (all of which are attractive to women)
-John's interests are all about him (wants to be a "big N_____" and wants to show off his prestige to those from his past)
-scene with converted member: John wants the attention on him to show he is a good minister
-early sermons were scripted (when he would shout, faint, yell) and repetitive
-"Natural Man" sermon after he gets caught cheating
-the more John performs, the more people flock to the church (celebrity, false Gospel that condoned sin, fun)
Term
African American Christianity- Post-divorce
Definition
-John could have taken two paths: either to blame Hattie for the Voo Doo or to lose the church and not share the reasons for his divorce
-He chose not to testify because: of the white audience (stereotypes), would give the black race a foolish face
-he essentially sacrifices himself for the fate of his church (his first true Christian act, saves the church through committing a sin)
Term
John's suicide
Definition
-allowing a train to hit his car (in a way that could have happened by accident)
-cheats on Sally with Aura (homely & barely 16) even though he has no interest in her. (He knows what will happen but couldn't control himself)
-he was afraid he would hurt his congregation and Sally like he did Lucy
-Suicide (the unforgivable sin): John chooses to save his church and wife (Christ-like)
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