Introduction

In this lesson you will watch, read, and interact with the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. By the end of this lesson, you will answer the question: how does the historical context of slavery and reconstruction impact characters’ points of view in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

You will be reading and analyzing primary sources taken from this time period in order to connect how we see similarities and differences between the social norms of the time and the characters from Their Eyes Were Watching God. By being able to draw connections between history and literature, you will be able to more deeply understand the nuances of great literary works.