Possible Parallels between Alice Walker’s The Color Purple
and Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
DIRECTIONS: For each of the following, describe an example from the story that supports the listed reading of the text. Provide a quotation from Their Eyes Were Watching God for support.
1. Epistolary novels: A novel written in the form of letters. In this case, the author uses the letters as:
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A subversive or freeing agent
CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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An attempt to change his/her life to reflect the mirror image.
CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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2. Feminist novel: Writing from the position of “other” or “outsider” where, in this case, the woman is subordinate and disempowered. However, the act of telling her story empowers her. The manner in which the story is told helps to:
CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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Provide a motivation for survival in an almost impossible environment
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_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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3. Themes
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Naming as a form of definition and control
CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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Superficially strong men actually weak and vulnerable
CP: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________Eyes: __________________________________________________________________________________
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Quote from Eyes: ________________________________________________________________________
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