preview

Essay Outline For Their Eyes Were Watching God

Decent Essays

1.) There is a vast amount of historical context surrounding the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God with many historically important events. Throughout these events, the lives of African-Americans have been changed forever: the foundation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, world war one, and the Harlem Renaissance.

2.) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, (NAACP) was founded in 1909. They fought for the integration and equality of African Americans.

A.) The goal of this organization was to “…work for the abolition of segregation and discrimination in housing, education, employment, voting, and transportation; to oppose racism; and to ensure African Americans their constitutional …show more content…

This was a period of time where African Americans were praised for their talent and ingenuity but were still segregated in many places. African American authors chose to tell their stories of civil injustice or difficult times being segregated through poems and short stories. “Claude McKay urged African Americans to stand up for their rights in his powerful verses. Jean Toomer wrote plays and short stories, as well as poems, to capture the spirit of his times” (The Decade That Roared, page 1).
B.) White Americans, especially those who agreed that African Americans should be equal, found it interesting when they read a book and saw the world from the point of view of an African American. “Book publishers soon took notice and patronized many of these talents. Zora Neale Hurston was noticed quickly with her moving novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God...” (The Decade That Roared, page 1).
C.) One of the most iconic happenings in this age was the creation of jazz. Jazz had always been popular in night clubs in the south but during the great migration, jazz was brought to the north. After just a few weeks, jazz was the new fad and everyone was playing it. “Jazz flouted many musical conventions with its syncopated rhythms and improvised instrumental solos…improvisation meant that no two performances would ever be the same…” (The Decade That Roared, page

Get Access