Tips for Teaching the Novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston , is my favorite book. Why? Hurston's mastery of poetic language, vernacular, metaphor and "telling a story, within a story" makes Their Eyes a delectable read. I am teaching the novel to one of my English classes. I have heard from several friends and relatives that Their Eyes was a difficult read for them because of the vernacular throughout the story. The dialect, they cited, makes is hard to "get into" the story. If you are not familiar with reading or teaching different dialects in literature, read on. I have tips for educators interested in teaching Their Eyes Were Watching God so that it can be enjoyable for students to read again and again. You cannot teach this novel without helping students understand the author's background and what inspired her to write. Here are my suggestions. 1. Share the cultural background of the author. Zora Neale Hurston was an African American woman n