"Sweet Speech," the vernacular of southern blacks that Zora Neale Hurston captures in her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is the subject of a resource from the PBS American Masters series. An anthropologist, Hurston drew on her recordings to give voice to her characters.

Concepts

zora neale hurston, their eyes were watching god, african american culture, the harlem renaissance, oral presentations

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the resource mid-way through a study of the novel after readers become familiar with the vernacular and the free indirect discourse 

Classroom Considerations

• One of five PBS videos focused on Hurston
  
• The entire Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun film may be purchased and downloaded

Pros

• Support materials include teaching tips, discussion questions, and handouts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 L.9-10.4.a L.9-10.4.d RL.11-12.1 RL.11-12.2 RL.11-12.3 RL.11-12.4 L.11-12.4.a L.11-12.4.d L.11-12.5.b