Students in English 11 are taking a deep dive into Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, exploring themes of love, identity and fulfillment through an analysis of the symbolism and imagery woven throughout this literary classic.
Students in Amy Hayes and Erin Gannon's classes recently completed a two-part assignment focused on a pivotal scene in the book in which the protagonist, Janie, finds herself reflecting on life beneath a blossoming pear tree.
First, students identified a central theme and composed a written response analyzing Hurston’s use of a specific writing strategy. Building on that work, they then collaborated in small groups to create a visual text analysis of the passage.
Prior to jumping into their project, each group member had the opportunity to select a defined role—central idea leader, evidence curator, analysis architect or visual designer—to ensure an effective process as they created a poster together.
By combining artwork and text, students were able to connect key quotes to their analysis and draw important connections between the central idea, symbolism and imagery in the selected passage. After completing their work, students had the opportunity to view one another's projects with the goal of exchanging thoughtful feedback.
Not only do dynamic classroom experiences like this encourage a love of reading, they also help our students build essential knowledge and deepen their understanding of how literature reflects and shapes our world.