What is the significance of the title Spunk?
Courage and Cowardice The most important theme in Spunk is suggested by its title: since the nineteenth century, the word spunk has been slang for feistiness or liveliness. To say of someone, She’s got spunk, is to say that she is spirited, unafraid.
Did Spunk feel any remorse for killing Joe?
While Lena cries, Spunk claims that Joe cowardly tried to attack him from behind, so Spunk was merely acting in self-defense by shooting his attacker. The men follow Spunk out of the general store and into the woods, where he shows off Joe’s crumple[d] and limp body. Spunk shows no remorse for Joe’s death
What is the setting of Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston?
The story is set is a rural, all-black town in the South modeled on Eatonville, Florida, where Zora had grown up. As it begins, a group of men outside the town’s general store watch as Spunk Banks walks by, with Lena Kanty, the wife of another man, Joe Kanty, clinging to his arm.
Who is the main character Spunk?
Spunk Characters
- Spunk Banks. As the eponymous character, Spunk could be understood as the story’s protagonist.
- Joe Kanty. The protagonist of the story, Joe Kanty is nervous, awkward and physically inferior to Spunk Banks, his rival.
- Lena Kanty.
- Elijah Mosley.
- Walter Thomas.
- Jeff Kanty.
- The Sheriff.
What is the meaning of the story Spunk?
Manhood is a major theme of this short story. Throughout the story, Spunk and Joe are compared and contrasted. Spunk represents the stereotypical view of what men are supposed to be. He’s strong, confident, and fearless, and as a result, he wins Lena’s affections.
What is the significance of the title does it perhaps have a double meaning Spunk?
What is the significance of the title? Does it perhaps have a double meaning? The significance of the title is that Spunk’s name represents courage, liveliness,willpower, and determination.
What is the meaning of Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston?
Through Elijah’s dialogue, Hurston quickly positions Spunk as the epitome of archetypal masculinity. Spunk embodies strength, pride, and potency and is envied by the other men, who look up to him for both his fearlessness at work and his success with women.
How does Spunk feel after killing Joe?
Joe is riled up and goes to fight him, but he is killed when Spunk shoots him with an unfair advantage because Joe only had a razor. The court rules Joe’s death as self defense but Spunk still feels guilty and says that he sees Joe’s ghost everywhere.
How does Spunk die and who does he think is responsible?
Spunk falls from a log into the saw and is fatally injured. Before he dies, he accuses Joe of having pushed him into the bladepushed him from the back, like a coward. When Spunk is laid out for burial, the whole village comes to see him and to comfort Lena.
Why is Joe upset Spunk?
he is jealous that Spunk has married the woman Joe wanted to marry. he knows that Spunk and his wife are having an affair. goes home with Joe, since she is still his wife.
What does the Bobcat symbolize in Spunk?
The big, black bobcat that appears towards the end of the story, after Spunk has murdered Joe Kanty in the woods, symbolizes justice. Walter Thomas gives credibility to Spunk’s superstition when agreeing that the bobcat must be a manifestation of Joe’s spirit because they have never seen a creature like it locally.
What is the theme of the short story Spunk?
Major Themes Manhood is a major theme of this short story. Throughout the story, Spunk and Joe are compared and contrasted. Spunk represents the stereotypical view of what men are supposed to be. He’s strong, confident, and fearless, and as a result, he wins Lena’s affections.
What is the setting of sweat by Zora Neale Hurston?
Let’s first look at the setting of Sweat. Sweat takes place in a rural town in Florida in the 1920s. The fictional town is based on a real place called Eatonville, Florida, where author Zora Neale Hurston grew up. This real-life connection makes the descriptions in the story come to life.
Who is the main character in Spunk?
In this story the two main characters are Spunk and Joe, they are both in love with the same woman, Lena. Spunk has a physical appearance that makes the village afraid of him, including Joe. Joe is married to Lena, but spunk wants her as well.
What is the tone of the story Spunk?
Tone is the attitude which the author communicates towards her subjects. Hurston’s tone in the story is serious. When the two men tell Joe about Lena walking off with Spunk, Hurston says, One could actually see the pain he was suffering, his eyes, his face, his hands and even the dejected slump of his shoulders.
What kind of character is Spunk?
Spunk is a fearless, arrogant man who is openly seeing Joe’s wife, Lena. When Joe gathers his nerve to confront Spunk, he is shot and killed. After Spunk decides to marry Lena, he is visited by a black bobcat that he believes to be Joe. He becomes so afraid that he develops a tremble.
Who is the hero in Hurston’s tale?
The hero of the story, John Buddy Pearson, is a big, powerful man, a living exultation, who is born over de Big Creek, on the wrong side of town. He falls in love with a rich girl, Lucy Potts, who calls him a big yaller bee-stung man.
What is the setting of the story Spunk?
The story is set is a rural, all-black town in the South modeled on Eatonville, Florida, where Zora had grown up. As it begins, a group of men outside the town’s general store watch as Spunk Banks walks by, with Lena Kanty, the wife of another man, Joe Kanty, clinging to his arm.
What is the main conflict in Spunk?
Through Elijah’s dialogue, Hurston quickly positions Spunk as the epitome of archetypal masculinity. Spunk embodies strength, pride, and potency and is envied by the other men, who look up to him for both his fearlessness at work and his success with women.
What happens after Spunk kills Joe?
One day Spunk falls on his saw, and is fatally cut. He claims he felt a push on his back, and through his last dying breaths, he swears that Joe was the one who pushed him. The story ends with the people of the town gathered for Spunk’s funeral. As Lena grieves, they all secretly wonder who her next man will be.
How does Joe’s dad feel about Spunk’s death?
he is jealous that Spunk has married the woman Joe wanted to marry. he knows that Spunk and his wife are having an affair. goes home with Joe, since she is still his wife.
Why did Joe kill Spunk?
Further, it suggests that Spunk knows that no one will challenge him, and that he won’t face repercussions for his actions. While Lena cries, Spunk claims that Joe cowardly tried to attack him from behind, so Spunk was merely acting in self-defense by shooting his attacker
Who does Spunk kill?
Later, when Spunk has killed Joe, the men reassess their notions of bravery. Spunk, the man who ain’t skeered of nothin , is now the nervous one, so nervoused up he couldn’t shoot at the bobcat howling outside his window.
Who did Spunk think pushed him into the saw?
the community forces Spunk to leave town. the court allows Spunk to go free. he slipped and fell off the carriage. Skint Miller pushed him onto the saw.
What did Joe do Spunk?
While Lena cries, Spunk claims that Joe cowardly tried to attack him from behind, so Spunk was merely acting in self-defense by shooting his attacker. The men follow Spunk out of the general store and into the woods, where he shows off Joe’s crumple[d] and limp body. Spunk shows no remorse for Joe’s death
