Presentation on William Faulkner's "That Evening Sun Go Down"

Hello everyone,

As you might be aware of, next Wednesday we are presenting Faulkner's short story "That Evening Sun Go Down" (later versions lost the "Go Down" in the title).

Here are some topics and questions we'd like you to think about.

- How is race depicted in the short story?

- How do the kids in the story see race?

- How does Faulkner himself see race? Is there any connection between the author and Quentin's character?

- The short story seems to explore the aspect of fear recurrently, how important is this to the overall theme of racial relations that Faulkner is presenting us?

- What's your opinion on the ending?


Agnese Fontana, Gustavo Santos, Vítor Gomes

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Good afternoon everyone,

Today we have been talking about Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes were watching God. In this post, I would like to write some information that I found interesting to take into consideration and I hope that it helps you to better understand some aspects of the novel.

First of all, here you are an interesting and dynamic video where you can find some information about the whole novel, and its context of production, along with some information about the life of the author that we know has a special meaning in the text. Also, this "crash course on literature" provides an analysis of some important excerpts of the novel.

I also would like to talk about a theme we discussed in class — the main character, Janie, is trying to connect with herself, with her own personality and feelings. Today, we compared this spiritual and mystical search of the self with a meditation called mindfulness. According to specialists, this is a technique that make people more conscious, happy, and able to use their mind's full capacity. Plus, the teacher mentioned a Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, who has been writing about how to integrate meditation in our daily lives and thus build a better world.

 

Still from Waking Life (2001), by director Richard Linklater

 Finally, talking about the consciousness, the nature of reality, free will and existentialism, I recommend you the film Waking Life. This will make you reflect on these topics. Here the main character wanders through a succession of dream-like realities.

Raquel Garcia Pérez

'Mudbound' and the race question

Hi everyone! I was at the movies recently and watched the trailer for Mudbound (2017), directed by
Dee Rees.

After reading L. Hughes's "Will V-Day be Me-Day too?" and watching this trailer I think you'd might definitely want to check it out later in the year - not sure when it comes out here (it was actually released on Netflix, but not in Portugal).

Vítor Dutta Gomes

"Get Out" and the mirage of a post-racial America

Since we've been delving into the theme of racial relations in the U.S. I thought it would be relevant to post something about this film. Get Out (2017) was directed by Jordan Peele (who you might know from the Key and Peele show).

In the last lectures we've been talking about the social and intellectual uprising of the African-American community and their constant struggle for respect and recognition, from the slavery period to the Civil Rights Movement. These are issues that still manifest in contemporary society, as we know.

Jordan Peele directed this film (which is now being taken into consideration for the Oscars) in order to present us with the mirage of this so called "post-racial" America. Since Obama was elected for Presidency, it's possible to say that an African-American has reached the highest social position in the U.S. This is the idea that Peele is trying to dismiss. What Get Out tells us is that even though black people can vote and be essentially free, there are still a lot of ideas that come from the slavery period alive today. Jordan Peele's film - which is kind of a satire to "white guilt films" - presents us with the most raw vision of white-black relations in the 21st century and the heritage of slavery that still functions as a hive-mind, even between those who consider themselves liberals and not-racist. I can't spoil the film, otherwise I'd write a full analysis of it.

Vítor Dutta Gomes

Fictional autobiography_Their Eyes Were Watching God

Hello,

 Next Friday's class will draw upon Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, a fictional autobiography about the quest for a voice.

Please consider some key topics to read this text, such as gender, language, race, and the journey towards independence/finding a voice.

After our presentation, we would like to have a brief exchange of ideas on what can we say about the title of the book. It is only referred twice, when the hurricane Okeechobee hits Florida. Take a look at the following quotes and consider these questions — What idea do these excerpts evoke? What is the meaning of the novel's title?

                                    "The time was past for asking the white folks

                                         what to look for through that door. Six

                                          eyes were questioning God." 

                                 "... their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny

                                      might against His. They seemed to be staring at the

                                       dark, but their were watching God."

Gastão Pereira dos Reis; Sofia Paulo

The Warmth of Other Suns / Literary Friction on NTS

Hello,

After last week's discussions on The Great Migration, I was reminded of a discussion about a book called The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration that was recommended on NTS's literature show Literary Friction during their special on Race in British Literature. While I haven't actually read the book yet, it's on my list of things to read and came highly recommended so if anyone has a further interest in the subject, then it may be worth looking at.

The book is non-fiction and follows the stories of various people and their migration - it has been well received critically and the suggestion comes from a really interesting radio show (also well worth checking out), so enjoy!

Eleanor Weinel

"How it Feels to Be Colored Me" and much more...

Take a look at this article discussing Hurston's essays, specially at the page dedicated to "How it Feels to Be Colored Me" (published in 1928, in the socialist journal The World Tomorrow: A journal looking toward a Christian World)

You can also find information about Hurston education at Howard University (and some funny pictures of the the author) here

American Corner at FLUL

Tomorrow the new American Corner will be inaugurated with the presence of the American Embassy of Lisbon. Though the ceremony coincides with our class, I hope you will drop by later on to check it out, since it is space that makes valuable resources available for American Studies researchers like us.

Ernest Hemingway

Dear classmates,

On the 15th of November we are going to present Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants". We would like to invite you to start by reading the short story and then focus on the following topics:

1) Abortion;

2) Female vs. male perspective;

3) Agency.

Furthermore we would like to open the debate by having you answer the following questions:

1) Do you think that the male character's behaviour is accepttable?

2) How is abortion considered in Portugal?

In addition, we invite you to take a look at Paula Rego's works on abortion, such as the triptych reproduced below.

Paula Rego (1935-), Triptych (1998)
Pastel on paper, mounted on aluminium (110 x 100cm). Image here

We also suggest you to listen to the artist talk about her stance on this topic (here). You may find some criticism on Rego's politics of sexuality here.

And, if you go to Cascais, visit Casa das Histórias, Paula Rego's museum.

Thank you for your attention!

Raquel Garcia Pérez, Fabrizio Consiglio, Enrica Spiga

William Carlos Williams

Hello everyone!

                                Landscape with the Fall of Icarus by Pieter Bruegel, The Elder (c. 1525-1530-1596)

On the 8th of November we will present "Landscape With the Fall of Icarus," by William Carlos Williams. We thus invite you to think about the following topics:

- William Carlos Williams and his search for a fresh, raw American idiom and rhythm;

- Poetry and painting as "interchangeable mediums;"

- The modernist poet as a fragile, indecisive, unsure author.

To introduce you the subject, here is the Greek myth that inspired both the painter and the poet:

Icarus was the son of Daedalus (an ingenious and creative man, known by his manual labors) who constructed the labyrinth (at the behest of Minos, king of Crete) where the Minotaur was imprisoned. But since Daedalus had helped the daughter of Minos to run away with her lover, he and his son were both imprisoned in their own labyrinth as a punishment. In order to escape, Daedalus invented a pair of wings ​made by feathers of different birds and beeswax. He advised Icarus not to fly too high since the wax could melt, nor too low for the sea could wet them. But the boy got dazzled by the sun and, feeling attracted by it, he flew too high, his wings melted, he fell and died.

Félix Ribeiro
Francisco Gaspar
Inês Pereira