Their Eyes Were Watching God Analysis

Janie’s first husband, Logan Killicks, is a wealthy old man. In the beginning of their marriage, he treated her alright, but then he called her spoiled and expected her to work like a slave in the fields. Janie’s second husband, Joe Starks, started out poor and treated Janie with

Janie, like Esperanza of House on Mango Street, matures through her journey through the novel. However, unlike Esperanza, matured more mentally and emotionally than she did physically. Janie’s most important lessons that she learned was the ones involved with love. When she was on the brink of feeling sexual desires, she started kissing a young man at the end of her gate, but her Grandmother (who raised her) resented the idea of her granddaughter would marry a statusless man with no wealth. Consequently, she demanded that Janie would marry a wealthy farm/land owner named Logan Killucks. Janie was repulsed when confronted with this idea because Logan was an older man and was simply unattractive, but she eventually bought the myth that marriage would lead to love between the two of them. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and she ended up resenting him even more once they were married due to his unhygienic nature, his desire of her working on his land with him, and lack of affection. Her experience taught the first lesson on her life journey and “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (Hurston Ch. 3). In addition, her marriage to Mr. Killucks influenced her to run of with a charming man named

In many novels, authors have implemented social constructs in order to shape the mood of the books. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Hurston alludes to social class, especially race, subtly. Hurston’s background of anthropology and growing up as an African-American woman clearly plays a role in the social makeup of the novel. The main character of the novel, Janie, has various experiences in which readers can discover the social structures in her life. Through Janie’s story of self-discovery, Hurston reveals social constructs of the time, especially race and wealth, by including anecdotes, complex characters, and thought-provoking scenes that highlight controversial issues.

Published in 1937 by author Zora Neale Hurston, the novel ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ chronicles an African American woman's journey to find true love in the Deep South. On one hand, an equal balance of power in a relationship leads to equality, fulfilment, and happiness for both partners - as observed in Janie’s relationship with Vergible Woods (Tea Cake). On the other hand, an unequal distribution of power in a marriage with a dominant partner leads to an overall sense of discontent and unhappiness in the relationship, as observed in Janie’s first two marriages to Logan Killicks and Joe Starks respectively. Thus, an equal balance of power in a relationship built on mutual respect and desire is a vital to a stable and healthy relationship.

Richard Wright and Alain Locke’s critique on Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God reveal the common notion held by many of the time, and still today, that there is a right and wrong way for a black person to talk and to act. Wright’s point of view of clearly racially charged and coming from a place of ignorance and intolerance. While, Locke’s point is simply due to a lack of an ability to think out of the box and observe deeper meaning, perhaps due to internalized oppression and a fearful desire to talk and act just like a white man in order to be taken seriously. Wright’s argument that the novel has no central theme and is parallel to minstrel shows, and Locke’s belief that Hurston uses relatable language to avoid diving into mature writing, are inherently wrong and fueled by the very issues Hurston was trying to combat: racism and sexism.

Initially Janie was raised in a impecunious African American household by her grandmother. She was taught from a young age that marriage equals love and that women depend on men for financial security. Janie wanted a love “sweet…lak when you sit under a pear tree” (29) but instead receives Logan, a man who wants her to “chop and tote wood” and calls her “spoilt rotten.” (31) Janie was stuck to succumb to these expectations when she was with Logan. However, Janie’s second marriage begins with a personal choice that Janie makes to leave Logan and follow Jody, a man whose plan was to build “a town all outa colored folks” and become a leader in the new city. Just the fact that she left her first husband was a very bold move, but the profound point is that Janie chooses to get together with another man. Janie expresses her true feelings and voice by leaving Logan and telling him that he “ain’t done [her] no favor by marryin’ [her.]” This displays that Janie’s views on marital expectations have took a turn and she will no longer be put under this illusion of a perfect woman during this time period. However this newly acquired confidence that Janie had gained

Janie, the main character, marries three times throughout the novel. Her marriages do not contain unconditional love and because of this, do not last. Her first husband, Joe Starks, belittles Janie as a person including her intellect. "Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don’t think none theirselves." (119). Joe shows his dominance over Janie by being the breadwinner in the relationship. Janie’s next marriage is with a man named Joe Starks. He tries to show his dominance over Janie by controlling her. “Janie! "Come help me move dis manure pile befo’ de sun gits hot. You don’t take a bit of interest in dis place. ‘Tain’t no use in foolin’ round in dat kitchen all day long…" (42). Joe belittles the

In Hurston’s novel, Joe is portrayed as a very wealthy man who is the mayor of a town known as Eatonville. Though Janie is very well off financially, her personal desires are, once again, disregarded. Janie is overlooked and demeaned by Joe while she is asked to speak, Joe interrupts, “Thank yuh fuh yo’ compliments, but mah wife don’t know nothin’ bout no speech-makin” (43). Janie is simply overlooked in her marriage with Joe, and he doesn’t have the decency to let his own wife speak, which foreshadows the failure in their marriage and that Joe does not possess the qualities that a good husband should have. Later on in their marriage, Joe grows ill, he eventually dies and the townspeople of Eatonville mourn over his death. Ironically, Janie does not acquire sadness over his death, yet she feels rather free. As Janie talks to her friend Pheoby after the funeral, she states, “Tain’t dat Ah worries over Joe’s death, Pheoby. Ah jus’ loves dis freedom” (93). The textual evidence provides reasoning as to how Janie is not mournful over her husband’s death, yet she is feeling a sense of freedom and independence. Thus giving that Joe Starks did not have a strong marriage with Janie, therefore he is not a good

“Beans running fine and prices good, so the Indians could be, must be, wrong. You couldn’t have a hurricane when you’re making seven and eight dollars a day picking beans. Indians are dumb anyhow, always were. Another night of Stew Beef making dynamic subtleties with his drum and living, sculptural, grotesques in the dance”(155).

Her second marriage was to Joe ‘Jody’ Starks. They met while she was still married to Logan, when she first saw him, it was like a breath of fresh air, “It was a cityfied, stylish man with his hat set at an angle that didn’t belong in these parts. His coat was over his arm, but he didn’t need it to represent his clothes. The shirt with the silk sleeveholders was dazzling enough for the world” (27). Joe was man with big aspirations and he told her about the town that was being built for Black people and how he wanted go there and make a difference, “But when he heard all about em’ makin’ a town all outta colored folkds, he knowed dat was de place he wanted to be/ It had always been his wish and desire to be a big voice…” (28). They had been seeing each other for two weeks before she ran off with him. The morning she ran off with him she took off her apron and

Battles and fights are some examples of conflict in most fictional stories. They can be many different fights, like the epic battle between good and evil, or a kingdom defending their land from enemies. When people think of the word ‘battle’, they may think of climatic sword fights and war. But sometimes, battles can take place inside of a person. Perhaps a character may have conflicting aspirations and desires that may cause an internal battle and maybe result in something catastrophic. Or perhaps a character has opposing personalities that might clash and cause something important to happen. In many works of literature, the writer

Throughout a fair part of Zora Neal Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie’s low class create problems when it comes to men. She lives with men she does not love because they give her the financial stability she cannot have yet on her own. Janie marries Logan Killicks at a young age even though she does not want to

Janie’s role she plays develops by her circumstance. With her first husband Logan Killicks she was expected to help in the kitchen and in the sixty acres of backyard. As the mayor's wife of eatonville she played the wife. Too good to instill herself into the community.

I read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, copyright in 1937 and has a total of 193 pages.

Janie begins her story explaining that her grandmother raised her because her own mother ran off. Janie’s grandmother worked as a nanny for a white family, so Janie grew up around that family. She was so used to being around white people that she actually believed that she was a white girl. Janie’s grandmother was devoted to making Janie happy and safe. She had the desire to marry Janie off right away, because she knew that a good man could provide the security that she could no longer provide if something happened to her. A farmer, named Logan Killicks, was the perfect guy that Janie’s grandmother had in mind for her to marry. Janie resists the need to get married, but she does it for her grandmother. She feels absolutely miserable living with Logan Killicks. He didn’t provide a sense of love that Janie felt she needed, but her grandmother argued that the love will come naturally and in time. Soon after Janie