Their Eyes Were Watching
God
Zora Neale Hurston
1930s
Characters
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Janie-- wants love, independent??
Logan--farmer, loves Janie
Jody--rich, powerful, Janie as a prize
Teacake--young, attractive, gives Janie
freedom
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
Themes
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Love
Feminism
Race
Rural life
Marriage
The Turn of the Screw
Henry James
1890s
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
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?
Themes
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Madness
Oppression of females
Class Inequalities
Supernatural
Isolation
The Awakening
Kate Chopin
1899
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 “motherwoman” befriends Edna
 Robert- loves Edna, wants to marry her
 Alcee- seduces Edna
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.
Themes
Social conventions
Feminism
Love/possession
Art
Native Son
Richard Wright
1930s
Characters
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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
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
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Themes
Race
 Class
 Fear
 Isolation
 Violence
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest
Ken Kesey
1950s
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
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.
Themes
 Race
 Conformity
 Sexuality
 Gender
 Insanity
The Tortilla Curtain
T.C. Boyle
1999
Characters
» Delaney--rich, white liberal,
writer
» Kyra-- aggressive realtor,
» Candido--illegal mexican,
» America--illegal mexican,
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
Themes
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Race
Hypocrisy
Immigration
Borders/walls
American Dream
Survival
Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
1920s
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
Plot
Nick moves East and befriends
Gatsby and Buchanans
Gatsby reunited with Daisy only
to be denied again due to his
reputation
Themes
Class
American Dream
Morality
Treatment of women
Huck Finn
Mark Twain
1880s and pre-Civil War
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
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
Themes
 Racism
 Satire- hypocrisy
 Violence
 Education
 Maturation
The Crucible
Arthur Miller
1690s and 1950s
Characters
• Proctor- protagonist, cheater, honor
• Abigail- antagonist, jealous
• Hale- Rev. character change
• Mary Warren- weak, manipulated
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.
Themes
 Connection to McCarthyism
 Religion
 Power
 Intolerance
 Hysteria
 Innocence
 Lying/Manipulation