Jane was given her name by a yankee soldier whom shed been told to give water by her mistress, and it was janes name from then on. Because of the historical content, some readers thought the book was nonfiction. The autobiography of miss jane pittman 1972 edition. Gaines, author of the autobiography of miss jane pittman. Or more accurately, the movie allows the fictional miss jane to tell her own story as both eyewitness and participant in 110 years of painfully real american history. The story depicts the struggles of african americans as seen through the eyes of the narrator, a woman named jane pittman. The autobiography of miss jane pittman by ernest j.
The autobiography of miss jane pittman timeline created by mgras. This english language quiz is called reading comprehension 11 the autobiography of miss jane pittman and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. The autobiography of miss jane pittman television movie. In february, 1962, as the civil rights movement reaches bayonne, louisiana, a new york journalist arrives to interview jane pittman, who has just turned 110.
He has other novels and collections of short stories, but the autobiography of miss jane pittman published in 1971 is undoubtedly the work for which he will be remembered. She tells him her story dating back to her earliest memories before slavery ended. The novel is set in rural southern louisiana and spans 100 years of american history from the early 1860s to the onset of the civil rights movement in the 1960sin following the life of the elderly jane pittman, who witnessed those years a child at the end of the civil war, jane survives a massacre by. About the autobiography of miss jane pittman this is a novel in the guise of the taperecorded recollections of a black woman who has lived 110 years, who has been both a slave and a witness to the black militancy of the 1960 s. It opens with an encounter between the ostensible editor of the novel, a high school history teacher, and miss jane pittman, a woman who is about 110 years old. Gaines proved me once again wrong in the autobiography of miss jane pittman. The autobiography of miss jane pittman kindle edition by. The biggest challenge of teaching this text is also its biggest reward. The introduction sets the novel going, but its direction has already been given in the unusual dedication to his grandmother, stepfather and aunt who did not walk a day in her life but who taught me the importance. The editor introduces the novel by explaining that after years of asking miss jane pittman to tell her story to him, she finally did in the summer of 1962. By ernest gaines a summary jane pittman is born into slavery on a plantation somewhere in louisiana. The narrator in the autobiography of miss jane pittman is not a real person.
Gaines who wrote the story as a supposed interview with pittman, who had lived 110 years. Dec 23, 2006 the autobiography of miss jane pittman is a 1971 novel by ernest j. The novel is set in rural southern louisiana and spans 100 years of american history from the early 1860s to the onset of the civil rights movement in the 1960sin following the life of the elderly jane pittman, who witnessed those years. Her mother died as a result of a beating when she was a child and she did not know her father. As a historical novel, the autobiography of miss jane pittman places its fictional characters in relation to a known history of african americans in the south and names specific historical persons and events. The autobiography of miss jane pittman timeline timetoast. The history of miss jane pittman openedition journals. Gaines novel of the long journey to freedom the autobiography of miss jane pittman by ernest j. Why do janes and jimmys differences make them a good team. Jane pittman is a fictional character who is approximately 110 years old. Jane leaves the plantation in hopes of reaching ohio. The autobiography of miss jane pittman student journal due date discussion date introduction pages 24 pages 1198 pages 56 pages 99148 pages 78 pages 149184 pages 910 pages 185215 pages 1112 pages 216278 pages 14 pages 279342 pages 1516 the exchange. It explores many events that took place in our history.
This shows how jane understands that she is free and she can do. He wants to hear her history because he is a teacher and her experiences have not been included in the history textbooks he uses. The autobiography of miss jane pittman quotes by ernest j. Gaines novel brings to mind other great works the odyssey for the way his heroines travels manage to summarize the american history of her race, and huckleberry finn for the clarity of her voice, for her rare capacity to sort through the mess of.
Cicely tyson in the autobiography of miss jane pittman 1974. Jane, born ticey, was interviewed by a man who was interested in the life of a woman whod lived from slavery to civil rights. Miss jane lived through black history, first as a slave in louisiana, then as a strong, courageous woman trying. This is a novel in the guise of the taperecorded recollections of a black woman who has lived 110 years, who has been both a slave and a witness to the black militancy of the 1960s. He breaks horses as a job to show that he is tough. The autobiography of miss jane pittman, novel by ernest j.
He flees with miss jane pittman, then parts ways with her. When she was eleven years old she began her battle of freedom. The autobiography of miss jane pittman kindle edition by gaines, ernest j download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The autobiography of miss jane pittman a mighty girl. With cicely tyson, eric brown, richard dysart, joel fluellen. It is gutsy and harsh from the word go and i have nothing but admiration for jane and.
The four sections of the novel roughly follow the lives of four men. Nov 17, 2017 the autobiography of miss jane pittman. Gainess nowclassic novelwritten as an autobiographyspans one hundred years of miss janes remarkable life, from her childhood as a slave on a. Finished 92817, rating 55, classic, 246 pages, pub. Although the autobiography of miss jane pittman concerns janes life, the idea of manhood permeates the novel. In between the chapters of her life, the presentday struggles of blacks in bayonne, urged on by jimmy, are dramatized. The autobiography of miss jane pittman has sold over a million copies nationwide since its publication in 1971, making the fictional character of miss jane so real many people dont know she exists only in the imagination of louisianaborn author ernest j. Miss jane pittman, like dilsey, has endured, has seen almost everything and foretold the rest. Her story begins sometime in the 1860s and ends up in the 1960s during the civil rights movement in the united states. Reading comprehension 11 the autobiography of miss jane. She doesnt give an exact date for when she left the plantation with a group of other former slaves, but the united states congress passed the th amendment, which officially ended slavery, on january 31 1865 and was officialy ratified by the states on december 6, 1865.
The autobiography of miss jane pittman quotes showing 19 of 9 anytime a child is born, the old people look in his face and ask him if hes the one. Cicely tysons portrayal of miss jane in the film of the same name is an endearing performance, but one misses much if one relies solely on the film plus some of the details. The autobiography of miss jane pittman was originally published by ernest j. The autobiography of miss jane pittman unknown binding january 1, 1972 4. She doesnt give an exact date for when she left the. The autobiography of miss jane pittman novel by gaines. She is called ticey during her days as a slave and has no parents.
The autobiography of miss jane pittman this awardwinning film, based on the book of the same name, follows the story of a 110yearold black womans life, from her childhood as a slave in the precivil war south to the civil rights movement of the early 1960s. In cicely tyson character in the television drama the autobiography of miss jane pittman, adapted from the eponymous novel by ernest j. Ned douglass, joe pittman, tee bob samson, and jimmy aaron. Gaines uses fiction in the autobiography of miss jane pittman to write a history of the african american from 1861 to 1961. The autobiography of miss jane pittman air force digital. Write janes and jimmys feelings and beliefs about life with and without slavery in the venn diagram. The autobiography of miss jane pittman film wikipedia. The autobiography of miss jane pittman open library. The autobiography of miss jane pittman tv movie 1974 imdb. The life stories the narrator describes, however, are based on actual events that occurred throughout the 100 plus. Dec 30, 2015 the autobiography of miss jane pittman. She tells of the major events of her life from the time she was a young slave girl in the american south at the end of the civil war. The autobiography of miss jane pittman 1974 directed by. Since the name of the author on the title page ernest j.
Apr 01, 1971 the autobiography of miss jane pittman. The introduction, the characters, their dialect, and the events work together to involve the reader in the lives of people who seem real. Autobiography of miss jane pittman, the downloadable. He helps the people by building a school, but is killed for his actions. Introduction, the autobiography of miss jane pittman it is difficult to remember while reading the autobiography of jane pittman that it is indeed a novel. Recorded books the autobiography of miss jane pittman. The robe 1953 the autobiography of miss jane pittman 1974 the autobiography of miss jane pittman, with related readings, glencoe literature library study guide teaching strategies, background, and suggested resources, reproducible student pages to use before, during, and after reading by erness gaines.
He encourages miss pittman to tell her story because he does not believe the history textbooks adequately teach the students about black history. She tells of the major events of her life from the time she was a young slave girl in the american south at the end of the civil war the novel was dramatized in a tv movie in 1974, starring cicely. Miss jane pittman is a literary not historical figure. Miss jane pittman is a black woman who battled for her freedom during the time period of slavery. She is one of the most unforgettable heroines in american fiction, a woman whose life has come to symbolize the struggle for freedom, dignity, and justice. I thought this book was a true story and was surprised to learn it was fiction. Gaines, written in the style of an interview with a 110yearold black woman named jane pittman. The autobiography of miss jane pittman teaching unit terms used in this novel the autobiography of miss jane pittman terms used in this novel creole a person with both white and black blood. The autobiography of miss jane pittman education quizzes. Story of a black woman in the south who was born into slavery in the 1850s and lives to become a part of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The autobiography of miss jane pittman respond to pages 279342, continued 5. From banned books lists to required reading lists, neoslave narrative the autobiography of miss jane pittman 1971 is probably the most taught of gaines novels. The autobiography of miss jane pittman is the fictional account of the life of a woman born into slavery in the civil war era the teaching unit for the autobiography of miss jane pittman gives you a comprehensive academic framework that saves you hours of prep work you can rely on this wellresearched unit as a strong base for your lesson plan it was written by one of our seasoned. The autobiography of miss jane pittman is the fictional account of the life of a woman born into slavery in the civil war era.
But gaines makes jane, not history, the central figure in his novel, subordinating the broader historical element to her own personal story. This superb historical drama tells the fictional story of 110yearold former slave jane pittman. The atlanta child murders part 1 1985 miniseries duration. A lesson before dying, which won the national book critics circle award for fiction, is the story of a young southern black mans struggle for. Gaines was a selection chosen by members of on the southern literary trail as a group read for january, 2016. Special thanks to trail member jane for nominating this work. Playing educational quizzes is a fabulous way to learn if you are in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade. The autobiography of miss jane pittman by john korty.
Jane pittman was born a slave in louisiana, before the american civil war, and has witnessed, and participated in, every major aspect of the history of black america since that time. A work of historical fiction, the autobiography of miss jane pittman takes place in rural louisiana. Her performance as the 110yearold former slave whose life is depicted up through the civil rights movement of the 1960s won tyson two emmy awards. The autobiography of miss jane pittman is a novel by ernest j. Book critics circle award for a lesson before dying 1993, the story of two. The autobiography of miss jane pittman is a 1971 novel by ernest j. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the autobiography of miss jane pittman. Levee is an embankment built along side a river to prevent high water from flooding the land. The autobiography of miss jane pittman teachers pet. Jane was given her name by a yankee soldier whom shed been told to give water by her mistress, and it was jane s name from then on. The autobiography of miss jane pittman introduction 1. The autobiography of miss jane pittman 1972 edition open. Beginning during the racial turmoil of 1960s louisiana, 110yearold exslave jane pittman cicely tyson grants an interview to a persistent journalist and relates the remarkable story of her life.
The autobiography of miss jane pittman follows the life of one woman from her emancipation as a slave in the 1860s to her initiation into the civil rights movement of the early 1960s. All of the black men in the novel struggle to articulate their masculinity. The autobiography of miss jane pittman novel by gaines britannica. Originally known as ticey, miss jane changes her name to jane to symbolize that she is free. Conclusions jane grows up in slavery times, while jimmy does not. Why does he encourage miss pittman to tell the story of her life. Learn miss jane pittman with free interactive flashcards. Teachingbooks the autobiography of miss jane pittman. The introduction sets the novel going, but its direction has already been given in the unusual dedication to his grandmother, stepfather and aunt who did not walk a day in her life but who taught me the importance of standing gaines iv. Choose from 69 different sets of miss jane pittman flashcards on quizlet. Miss jane pittmans interviewer, the man taping the tapes, is a historian, and the lesson of miss janes life story is to be a history lesson which teaches the great repeating cycle of the tragedy of black race. The teaching unit for the autobiography of miss jane pittman gives you a comprehensive academic framework that saves you hours of prep work.