Their Eyes Were Watching God
Winter Assignments
(This novel includes southern African-American dialect from the 1930’s.
You might want to consider reading it out loud in order to understand what they are saying! )
1. Complete a Double-Entry Journal
For each chapter, you will need to identify 2 to 3 quotations that have some sort of meaning. They can
include symbolism, metaphor, imagery, or life lessons; they might also be descriptions of characters,
places, and/or events. In the left hand column, you will write the quotation (word for word), the page
number, and if it is the words of a character, who said them. In the right hand column, you will explain
why the quotation is significant and explain its meaning. [I recommend that you make comments about
the clothing, houses, and husbands that Janie encounters during her journey in order to prepare for an
assignment you will work on when class starts.]
Sample:
Quotation & Page Number
Importance and/or Meaning of Quotation
"Ah don't mean to bother wid tellin' 'em nothin', Pheoby.
'Tain't worth de trouble. You can tell 'em what Ah say if you
wants to. Dat's just de same as me 'cause mah tongue is in mah
friend's mouf" (6).
~ Janie
Janie is talking with her friend Pheoby about the nosey
neighbors that live next door. She essentially tells Pheoby that
they can hear the story, but she does not want to bother with
them to tell it. She gives Pheoby permission to repeat what
she is saying.
2. Write a Personal Narrative
Choose an event in your life that had a significant impact (Ideas Include: birth of a younger sibling, major
injury, winning a state championship, parent’s divorce and/or remarriage, etc.) Write about this event as
if you were writing it for your autobiography/memoirs. Remember that you need to set up the event with
background information, to fully describe the places and characters, and to end it with how it changed
your life. This should be at least two pages typed (double-spaced and in 12 point font with 1” margins).
[Sample Personal Narratives can be found at: http://thewritesource.com/models.htm  Make sure you
choose the 9-12 grade models; They are “The Climb,” “Caught in the Net,” and “The Boy with John
Travolta Blue Eyes.”]
Extra Credit: Complete the Study Guide (It must be fully completed in order to receive credit; however, I
advise you use it to help you understand sections that are confusing you! You can also find important
quotations for your journal.) The study guide can be found on the AP English Literature website that is
accessible through Teacher Webpages.