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

Dogon religious belief systems refer to the existence of twins as a spirit pair, created by God, and representing perfection. According to the belief, God's earth-wife was impregnated and water entered the earth's womb resulting in the development of twins. Two homogeneous beings came forth during the reproductive cycle. Their bodies were half human, half snake and illustrated characteristics of water and earth. Their were considered fluid, flexible, and endowed with the essence of God. Over time, their bodies evolve into human like forms and combined they were considered complete and ideal. Their relationship was signified by the number eight. This number represented the totality of their physical members and the concept of perfect speech. Often, this pair of spirits was referred to as "Nummo" growing into a communal relationship with nature and seeking its regeneration.

Assignment:

• Using this brief description of twinship as the "ideal pair" consider the development of friendships in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Sula, and Meridian. In Their Eyes Were Watching God how does Janie's relationship with Tea Cake serve as a liberating source allowing Janie's movement towards self actualization? How does her friendship with Phoeby function as a source of empowerment for both women, and the entire community, through the act of Janie telling her story to her friend? What references from the literature support your discussion?
  
• In Sula, both Nel and Sula have grown to rely on each other as a source of strength, comfort, and orientation towards knowing themselves as individuals. How does the friendship allow each to fully recognize herself as an individual during childhood? How does Sula's affair with Jude further represent an attempt at completion for her? How does Sula's subsequent death help Nel to understand the sense of loss she has experienced following the affair? Explain Eva's final comments regarding the friendship between Nel and Sula in regards to this concept of twinship and completeness.
  
• Lastly, in considering Meridian, how might Meridian's relationship with Anne-Marion be analyzed? Does this friendship represent completeness? How does Truman's attempts at maintaining relationships with both Meridian and Lynne suggest an effort towards constructing an "ideal pair"? What are the implications of Truman's activities? What references from the literature supports your analysis?

Program content by Violet Bryan,Ph.D. and Robin Vander