This section includes information on:

Instructor's Guidelines Suggested Guidelines: Preparing for the assignments: Completing the assignments: Final assignment (option)

Selection List:

Works Examined: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Sula by Toni Morrison Meridian by Alice Walker

Literary Conventions

Questions and Exercises

The following guidelines have been developed as a means of helping instructors obtain the fullest benefits of this module. Although these suggestions are based strictly on the material included in the module, the instructor is encouraged to consider additional methods or topics that will best facilitate the student's appreciation for the literature, traditional African influences, and comparative approaches to literary studies. This module requires approximately six (6) to eight (8) hours of work by the student (excluding actual reading time for novels). The module is developed as a brief introductory course for students unfamiliar with literary studies wishing to gain a limited, working understanding of important novels written by key African American women authors. As a result, upon completion of the module, students will have familiarized themselves with:

• literary biographies
• story overviews
• essential literary terms
• African beliefs and cultural concepts
• concept of womanhood

• Read "Program Purpose"
• Have students read and familiarize themselves with the section "Literary Conventions"
• Have students read and familiarize themselves with the section "African Religious Beliefs"
• Read "Literary Biographies"
• Read "Literary Texts"
• Select the first novel to read. Students should take comprehensive notes while reading drawing upon information provided in the sections "Literary Conventions" and "African Religious Beliefs" as a means of organizing thoughts.
• Students should be able to summarize the novel in two pages. (This will assist in the review of literature when completing assignments.)
• Select the second novel to read. (Follow the instructions listed with first novel.)
• Select the third novel to read. (Follow the instructions listed with first novel.)

1. Students should review their notes from the three novels.

2. Students should be able to develop a comparative summary of the three novels.

(This will assist students in completing assignments by requiring them to examine and discuss various topics as they are managed in the three novels simultaneously.)

There are approximately six assignment topics. These assignments require comparative analysis of the material and are routinely comprehensive questions. Each assignment has been developed with multiple parts. Students should be able to complete all parts of the assignment. Note: The assignments (both individually and collectively) evolve from asking basic questions to requiring more comprehensive discussion of the materials and topics. The following "suggests" the possible order in which assignments might be completed with the degree of difficulty increasing with each assignment.

1. "Time and Space" assignment.

2. "Death, Immortality and Supreme Beings" assignment.

3. "Matrilineal Descent" assignment.

4. "Dogon Culture and the Concept of Twinship" assignment.

5. "Myths, Symbols, and Folklore" assignment.

6. "Call and Response" assignment.

As an option, the instructor might offer a final assignment where student's develop their own theories of "womanhood" as depicted in the three novels. Here, students will be allowed an opportunity to reflect upon the texts and consider:

(1) the development of women's voices,

(2) the role of nature and imagery, and

(3) the importance of relationships (to name a few) as integral components of constructing "womanhood."