Janie's Quest in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

In the first marriage Janie was a 16-year-old girl who was forced into marriage with a man in his 50’s. She lives with Logan on his potato farm, where Logan is very set in his ways and does not care what Janie has to say or think. Being that Janie is only 16years old she allows her outer personality to submit to whatever Logan wants even though her inner self, her true self is miserable. She believed that because they were married that just being married would bring love. So she continues to submit to Logan’s

First, Janie’s first husband was named Logan Killicks. Janie’s grandmother basically forced her into her first marriage. Nanny wanted Janie to marry for money, and not for love. When Janie married Logan. She went into the marriage expecting love. Her husband Logan was a land owner. Later in their relationship he didn't treat Janie with much respect. He saw the farm as his own, and saw Janie’s as someone who’s responsibility was to

Janie's first marriage was with Logan Killicks. This marriage was arranged by Janie's Nana, and Janie had no say in the marriage. Unfortunately for Janie, when Nana arranged her marriage with Logan Killicks she didn't think about Janie's feelings in any way as her first concern was for Janie's safety and financial security. Unfortunately, Janie and Logan have different views on gender roles. Logan expects his wife obey his demands and to help him out with the farm, while Janie prefers to do the opposite and to leave the physical labor to Logan. In this marriage, Janie learned the lesson that love is the foundation of a strong marriage, as, without love for each other, there can be little motivation to remain loyal in a relationship. Janie also learns that in a working marriage, couples must share similar worldviews about life.

Janie in her first marriage is her far from mesmerized with her husband's 60 acre land. The incompatibility between her and Logan ultimately cause the marriage to fail. Logan

In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie has allowed us to better understand the restraints that women in society had to deal with in a male dominated society. Her marriage with Logan Killicks consisted of dull, daily routines.  Wedding herself to Joe Starks brought her closer to others, than to herself.  In her final marriage to Vergible Woods, also known as Tea Cake, she finally learned how to live her life on her own.  In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie suffered through many difficult situations that eventually enabled her to grow into an independent person.

Relationships also play a huge role in Janie’s development, giving her a better understanding of love, independence, and self-motivation. Stated before, Janie has had 3 marriages throughout the book that aided her in becoming an independent woman. Her first marriage to Logan represents traditional expectations set by her culture and community. Due to both Logan and Janie’s culture, Janie was expected by both her husband and community to prioritize her husband's wants and stability over her own personal fulfillment. A prime recollection of this is when Janie is asked by Logan to work in the fields and help with manual labor stating “If Ah kin haul de wood heahand chop it fuh yuh, look lak you oughta be able tuh tote it inside.

In Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their eyes were watching God the main character Janie is on a quest for self-fulfillment. Of Janie’s three marriages, Logan and Joe provide her with a sense of security and status. However, only her union with Teacake flourishes into true love.

Janie’s experience through three different marriages shapes her to see how she is viewed as a woman in her position as a wife. Her first marriage is to Logan Killicks, he believes that women are objects to men and later threatens her because of her disobedience. Logan shows little emotion to Janie and is old which contrasts Janie’s youthful beauty. Janie leaves Logan and is later attracted to Joe Starks, her second marriage. Joe Starks is sharp looking, confident, and views himself above others.

Janie had three different marriages with three different men: Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake. These three marriages were very different from each other, each spouse having a different personality. Janie learns from each relationship and she develops her sense of independance.

Janie and the Pear Tree in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

            Janie's first husband was a poor old soul named Logan Killicks.  He was an ugly, dirty farmer whose prime concern for Janie was that she do her share of the work in order to keep the farm up and running.  Janie was simply another pair of hands to do some work.

In marriage, a man should possess certain qualities in order to be a good husband, and he must provide both financial, and personal support. In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, characters Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake all have some of these qualities in their marriages. Janie’s first husband Logan does not provide support for her and has very poor qualities in their marriage, in fact, he requires Janie to do unnecessary work on his farm, therefore, he is not a good husband. Furthermore, in her next marriage, she is overshadowed by Joe Starks, a selfish entrepreneur that provides her with financial support, but does not support her needs and desires. Nevertheless, Janie obtains a third husband, Tea Cake, who has exceptional

Janie’s first husband is Logan Killicks, an old, unattractive man whom Janie marries while trying to appease her grandmother. Logan is a farmer with 60 acres of land and a comfortable house. Nanny believes in marrying for financial stability, not for love: “Tain’t Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it’s protection” (Hurston 15). Instead of following her heart and insisting on not marrying someone she doesn’t love, Janie consents due to the pressure and marries Logan. He wants to keep her firmly under his control so he forces her to work in the field with him and clean the house. In addition to physically oppressing Janie, Logan also mentally oppresses her by showing Janie no affection during their marriage. Due to

     Logan Killicks complained to Janie that she had been “spoilt rotten” because she did not do hard labor around the house like his previous wife

Janie’s three marriages were all different for the most part, though they each had their ups and downs. Her marriage with Logan Killicks was the worst of the three. The only upside to this marriage was that she did have the protection and security her grandmother wanted, but Logan was not willing to make compromises like, “And ‘tain’t nothing’ in de way of him washin’ his feet every evenin’ before he comes tuh bed. ‘Tain’t nothing’ tuh hinder him ‘cause Ah places de water for him.” (Hurston 24) which shows that he wasn’t even willing to wash his feet so Janie wouldn’t have to smell his feet. Logan also expected Janie to help him with everything he was supposed to do and still make dinner for him. Despite all that Janie still wanted to love him but she just couldn’t do it. Janie’s marriage to Joe was better than Logan’s but was still really bad. Joe provided Janie with anything and everything she needed, but not what she wanted. Their relationship was about Joe, and what Joe wanted. Joe also thought he was superior to Janie. “Ah knows uh few things, and womenfolks thinks sometimes too!” “Aw naw they don’t.