Amariani Garcia
Lantern Staff
“A Woman’s Place” hosts their last book event on Wednesday, April 24 at 2 p.m. at the L.W. Nixon Library. The library will have a discussion on “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston with the discussion leader as Margy Stewart, a retired professor from Washburn University.
The library hosts a group discussion every fall and spring semester. They invite all students to come enjoy the reading and discussion with a variety of opinions. Each discussion leader is different and brings new ideas. This spring semester “A Woman’s Place’ was chosen by the Humanities Kansas, a non-profit organization encouraging readings and new ideas.
Ruth Harries, the director of “A Woman’s Place,” enjoys the discussions they have had so far.
“I am excited about it; it is always a fun group,” Harries said. “It’s always really interesting to hear what the outside speakers bring in… it’s always a little bit of a surprise what the outside speakers portrays such as our last speaker a history professor from Washburn, Thomas Prasch.”
In “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” the novel follows Janie Starks, a middle-aged black woman, who comes back to her hometown and speaks with Pheoby, her longtime friend. Janie speaks about her failed marriages with Logan Killicks, the farmer, Joe Starks, the politician and Tea Cake, the southerner.
As Janie discusses her trials and tribulations of life, the reader goes on an unexpected journey of the timeline for women. Janie dated Logan, the farmer, who treated her as an object rather than a person. She later ran away with Joe, the politician, she thought to become an advocate for women but was rather humiliated and dominated by Joe. After his tragic death, she fell in love with Tea Cake, a true southerner, who loved her as a person and loved her up until his death.
The book discussion started with a rough start because of February’s icy road conditions, but picked up afterward and current attendance is 12 elderly women who share the same love for books, history and women’s rights.
If you wish to contact Harries with any questions or concerns for the next discussion or want to get ahold of the book “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” please email at rharries1@butlercc.edu or visit the library and ask for Harries personally.
