During what years in history did this take place?
1920 to mid 1930s
What was unique about Zora Neale Hurston?
didnt experience racism
what did claude mckay hate? why? why is this ironic?
hated capitalism because he felt that as long as there was capitalism, there would be racism. he was the most successful novelist of the harlem renaissance, making him a commercial success and because he didnt agree with alain locke’s glorification of blacks
who romanced McKay and Hughes? why?
the communists because of their desire to promote radical politics
what was hughes’ nickname?
bard of harlem
hurston’s nickname?
storyteller of harlem
Mckay’s nickname?
the soujourner
why were hughes’ poems so successful?
they found the heart of black folk traditions and used a jazz beat in meter without being confined to creating just an image of black fold that would help the cause. represented ordinary lives of urban blacks
what symbol represents the american dream? what does alain locke believe represents harlem? why?
statue of liberty because it represents a thrust towards democracy
by what means did locke think the image of blacks could be changed?
through cultural arts, equal appreciation for culture as rep. in the arts; music, dance, literature and fine art
name 5 piems written by hughes?
democracy
i, too
a dream deferred
song for a dark girl
visitors to the black belt
i, too
a dream deferred
song for a dark girl
visitors to the black belt
describe how langston hughes emphasized the sense of smell, taste and hearing in his poem “mulatto
smell: turpentine wood, pine wood, pine sent
taste: sweet earth, sweet birth
sound: the angry pleas
taste: sweet earth, sweet birth
sound: the angry pleas
describe what hughes contrasts in his poem “note on commercial theater” or negro speaks the rivers”
rivers:past to present; historic africanism events to modern. hate to hope, ancient to modern
theater: white man to thief of black man’s music; black man to patience and pride
theater: white man to thief of black man’s music; black man to patience and pride
explain “why i too” is effective in expressing the desire for equality?
proof of beauty and strength and the human characteristics of patience, pride and guilt
what kind of poetry did claude mckay write?
english sonnets, protest poetry that demanded respect for african americans
what is an english sonnet format?
3 quatrains with a rhyming couplet at the end.
first quatrain introduces the subject
second develops/complicates it
third complicates it even more
couplet is a resolution
first quatrain introduces the subject
second develops/complicates it
third complicates it even more
couplet is a resolution
what are three kind of patterns that repeat in poetry?
words, images and ideas
what story is mckay telling about the continent of africa in his poem “africa”?
how she went from being a young loved women to a harlot, bearer of slaves, tarnished image
revealed all the events that made her seem less attractive and ruined by outside nations
revealed all the events that made her seem less attractive and ruined by outside nations
is the sonnet africa more about historical events or perspective?
historical perspective on the abuse of africa
what paradox or opposite is present in the poem “harlem dancer” to reveal the comparison btw human value and economic deprivation?
happy youths+happy prositutes vs. the sad dancer
the pride in dancers movements vs the worth the audience gives her by tossing coins
wholesome picnic vs boys with prostitutes
the pride in dancers movements vs the worth the audience gives her by tossing coins
wholesome picnic vs boys with prostitutes
what theme is revealed through the dancer’s movements and the adult observer’s comparison to the palm?
pride and inner strength, natural grace
why does mckay suggest that they should fight back with one death blow in “if we must die?”
if they all came together and fought back, it would be much stronger than single people fighting. he wanted them to unite and become a rembered force and not forgotten even in defeat
in the story slave on the block, who is luther and why is he in harlem?
luther is a black teenager who had come to harlem to get his aunt’s belongings and ended up working for the same people his aunt worked for
what are the five plot line elements of a short story?
exposition
rising action
climax
falling action
resolution
rising action
climax
falling action
resolution
what is the climax of slave on the block?
when luther oversteps his boundaries as a black person in an all white house. he acts out and is subsequently kicked out of the house, in which mattie follows
what did the climax of slave on the block reveal about the characters?
the limitations of a racially divided society…racism still existed…anne and michael were shallow and entrprenurial not geniune
how did luther escape the prejudice?
harlem and mattie: mattie taught him that his didnt have to be a slave
in mentioning slavery, dows hurston drive a point home or reveal a new perspective about the operation?
reveals a new persepective
in how it feels to be colored me, what does the line, “but im not tragically colored” mean?
she doesnt feel burdened or handicapped by the color of her skin
whast is hurston’s brown bag theory? who do you thinkn is the great stuffer of bags?
people are like bads stuffed with bits of miscellany. very little distinguishes them. god is the stuffer
how do hughes and hurston combat racism?
racial pride and confidence
who was alain locke? what was his vision?
black intellectual who was to change the way african americans were viewed by whites
why was locke’s philosphy of cultural plurism important?
he understood the enormity of the 1920s harlem growth and wanted to harness it for the creation of a new image for african americans
describe why a media blitz and the harlem renaissance may be compared
both are meant to change human consciuosness; require a visionary and means to inform public
what did hurston teach readers through her short story how it feels to be colored me?
african americans should be proud; racism is external and that we are all about the same
name 5 history events that made the HR possible
WW1
black migration to north
prohibition
jazz
inventions
black migration to north
prohibition
jazz
inventions
name 5 events according to locke that made HR possible
objectification
making something seem like an object
cultural pluralism
the uniqueness of different styles and values
visionary outlook of alain locke
wanted to create a society in which black and whites were equally accepted and respected
accursed
doomed
errant
straying from the proper course or standards
hegira
forced march of muhammed from mecca to medina
cheek by jowl
side by side
