Journal #3

Absent: 2/13, 2/14, 2/15

1. "And when Ah touch de match tuh dat lamp-wick let de light penetrate inside of yuh, and let it shine, let it shine, let it shine" (45) Reference to religion and God

2. "They bowed down to him rather, because he was all of these things, and then again he was all of these things because the town bowed down" (50). oxymoron

3. "But Joe kept saying that she could it if if she wanted to and he wanted her to use her privileges. That was the rock she was battered against" (54) metaphor

4. "They wanted to begin, but the Parson wasn't there, so a messenger was sent to the ruler in a tree where he sat" (61). parallel to the town and Joe

5. "'What killed this man?'

The chorus answered, "Bare, bare fat.'

'What killed this man?'

'Bare, bare fat.'

'What killed this man?'

'Bare, bare fat.'

'Who'll stand his funeral?'

'We!!!!!!!'

'Well, all right now.'" (62)

anthropomorphism

Analysis:

When Joe relates the lamppost to God, he is making the event more of an Holy event than what it actually is. The book has many references to God, and the way Joe is portrayed may be mocking the use of God in the world because he is using its power to highlight a lesser event. This style also better describes the setting of the story, where religion is a very important aspect to African Americans. God symbolized as hope during slavery, and for equality after the Civil War. The lamppost symbolizes a better change and hope for the town.

Hurston's use of anthropomorphism of the buzzards is a little scary, it reminds me of the head of the pig talking to Simon in the Lord of the Flies. She uses this technique to bring out human attributes in the beasts. It is curious that they refer to the mule as a man as well as how the people make a mock human funeral as if the mule was more than a mule representing something else. The chorus of the buzzards chant in reply to the leader. This symbolizes the town or social norm, everything follows the leader.