Honors English III

Read:  Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

About the text:  One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years—due largely to initial audiences’ rejection of its strong black female protagonist—Hurston’s classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.  (Description from Amazon).

Objectives:  The Honors English III Teaching Team believes that Their Eyes Were Watching God fulfills all three of the text complexity criteria set by the NC Department of Public Instruction: craft, significance, and content. Further, "To grow, our students must read lots, and more specifically they must read lots of ‘complex’ texts—texts that offer them new language, new knowledge, and new modes of thought" (Adams 182).  Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel that will challenge students and enable them to build knowledge, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.  Additionally, we think it's a fascinating story!

Assignment:

• We highly recommend that you annotate the text.  The dialect in Their Eyes Were Watching God can be difficult to understand. If you are struggling, we recommend listening to the audio book while reading. (The entire audiobook, chapter by chapter, can currently be found on YouTube. You can also try checking it out of the public library.). Please make sure your annotations demonstrate authentic thinking about your reading; avoid summary guides.   

You will not turn in your annotations; however, quality time spent on note-taking should positively affect your seminar participation. Annotations can be made in the margins of your text, on sticky notes, on a google doc, etc. 

• Include in your notes information about Hurston's life and writing career. Pay attention to the historical context of the 1920s and 30s. Make connections between her life, important cultural events, and the novel.

• We will conduct a formal seminar as a major grade, so comprehension is crucial to your success. Be sure you bring your copy of the text and notes to school as needed. 

• If you will be taking AP English Language and Composition, you will have an additional reading assignment. Please see the designated tab for this course.

• If you have any questions about this assignment, please contact  by phone (252-393-7022) or through email any of the Honors English III teachers:

  • Ms. Jennifer Gainey at  jennifer.gainey@carteretk12.org

  • Ms. Toni Adams at toni.adams@carteretk12.org

Works Cited:

Adams, Marilyn.  "The Challenge of Advanced Texts:  The Interdependence of Reading and Learning."  Reading More, Reading Better:  Are Students Reading Enough of the Right Stuff?  Ed.  Elfrieda Hiebert.  New York City:  Guilford Publishers, 2009.  163-189.

"Text Selection Guide for Grades K-12." State Board of Education, Department of Public Instruction, Public Schools of North Carolina, 2017.