Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Character Analysis

Janie receives this definition of Nanny’s love and protection with the faith and obedience that one would offer God; “[i]n the few days to live before she went to Logan Killicks and his often-mentioned sixty acres,” Janie decides, “Yes, she would love Logan after they were married. She could see no way for it to come about, but Nanny and the old folks had said it, so it must be so” (21). When the forced marriage quickly threatens to annihilate her, however, Janie uses her voice and fights to salvage her dream and her life; “[s]he beg[ins] to cry” to Nanny and announces, “’Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think’” (24). Unfortunately, Janie uses her voice to little avail with her first parental figure because Nanny hushes her and says, “’Better leave things de way dey is…Yo’ mind will change[,]’” and she “sen[ds] Janie along with a stern mien” (24).

Hurston’s main way of inspiring a sense of feminism in her novel, is through the relationships of Janie including her Nanny, Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake. She addresses Janie’s role differently in each of these relationships using motifs and stereotypes. Janie begins her journey of self-discovery following the dreams of her Nanny to becoming a strong, independent woman who makes her own decisions. All of the roles that Janie obtains stem from the distinct

All of Janie’s husbands abuse her in a way, showing control and possession over her. By writing his book, Hurston is trying to say that violence is not a proper way to control jealous and insecurity. All Janie’s husbands felt insure in their relationships with her, and felt being violent towards her wad the answer. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a victim of physical abuse or violence. Janie is a strong and independent women who doesn’t put up with the abuse of her husband’s controlling her. Even though she isn’t angry at Tea Cake for beating her, she doesn’t let him boss her around and tell her how to live her life. I aspire to as strong as Janie, and to never let anyone take possession of me and my life. I’ve also learned a lesson from Janie’s husbands; never let jealous and need for control lead you to do violent and dangerous things to people you

In Zora Neale Hurston’s romantic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, the heroine Janie, a beautiful mixed white and black woman, is on a journey to find someone who will make her feel love to find her own identity and freedom, away from her spouses. Janie’s marriages and quest for love impede her individual search for freedom, but in doing this she has discovered what exactly she wants for herself. Janie’s search for her identity and freedom is very much evident. Being abused and controlled during her marriages has made it clear how she wants to be treated and how she wants to live her life; as an individual who does not have to listen to anyone. The story opens with Janie’s return to town. Janie tells Phoebe Watson the story of her

Throughout the Novel Janie struggles with handling the opinions of others and allowing them to affect how she sees herself. For instance Hurston writes “some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships. Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon- for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you- and pinched it into such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter’s neck tight enough to choke her” (Hurston 89). Here Hurston demonstrates that others will always see things differently from one's perspective and Janie’s ongoing internal conflict with doing what would make her happy or doing what will satisfy those around her. However at the end of the novel Janie ultimately departs from the beliefs of others and displays self empowerment by disregarding the opinions of others over her actions. Similarly Hurston states “so she was free and the judge and everybody up there smiled with her and shook her hand. And the white women cried and stood around her like a protecting wall”(Hurston 188). This quote from the novel indicates that Janie displays self empowerment throughout the course of the novel and individual progress. This quote also shows the ideal of equality because although Janie is mixed she has always made her African

Although her marriages end for different reasons, they all lack unconditional love. Janie’s first marriage was not even her choice; Janie’s grandmother married her off when she was young because she saw Janie kissing a boy named Johnnie Taylor. "Dat’s what makes me skeered. You don’t mean no harm. You don’t even know where harm is at. Ah’m ole now. Ah can’t be always guidin’ yo’ feet from harm and danger. Ah wants to see you married right away." (31). It is impossible to give and receive unconditional love in a forced marriage. “Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships.” (34). Janie tries to see the good in the person she is married to. She wants the marriages to work, but they never do because of her partner. Janie’s third marriage with TeaCake is good because she finally finds someone she truly loves, but not long after they are together TeaCake becomes abusive. “Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches” (57). Janie’s true vision of love and marriage is revealed through a pear tree in the novel. The pear tree reveals Janie’s sexual identity and helps her come to terms with what she thinks is love. Janie sees the things she enjoys within the pear

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

At the same time, however, Janie begins to confuse this desire with romance. Despite the fact that nature’s “love embrace” leaves her feeling “limp and languid,” she pursues the first thing she sees that appears to satisfy her desire: a young man named Johnny Taylor (Hurston 11). Leaning over the gate’s threshold to kiss Johnny, Janie takes the first step toward her newfound horizon. Nanny sees this kiss and declares Janie’s womanhood. She wants Janie to marry Logan Killicks, a financially secure and well-respected farmer who can protect her from corruption. The marriage of convenience that Nanny suggests is “desecrating … [Janie’s] pear tree” because it contradicts her ideal vision of love (Hurston 14). Because she did not have the strength to fight people in her youth, Janie’s grandmother believes that Janie needs to rely on a husband in order to stay safe and reach liberation. Ironically, Janie’s adherence to Nanny’s last request suppresses her even more because it causes her to leave behind her own horizon.

     The plan for Janie’s future begins with her lack of having real parents. Hurston builds up a foundation for Janie that is bound to fall like a Roman Empire. Janie’s grandmother, whom she refers to as “Nanny” takes the position as Janie’s guardian. The problem begins here for Janie because her Nanny not only spoils her, but also makes life choices for her. Nanny is old, and she only wants the best for her grandchild, for she knows that the world is a cruel place. Nanny makes the mistake of not allowing Janie to learn anything on her own. When Janie was sixteen years old, Nanny wanted to see her get married. Although Janie argued at first, Nanny insisted that Janie get married. “’Yeah, Janie, youse got yo’ womanhood on yuh… Ah wants to see you married right away.’” (Page 12). Janie was not given a choice in this decision. Her Nanny even had a suitor picked out for her. Janie told herself that she would try to make the best of the situation and attempt to find love in her marriage to Logan Killicks. But, as time went by, Janie realized that she still did not have any feelings of what she had considered to be love in her husband.

Janie Mae Crawford serves as the protagonist of one of Zora Neale Hurston’s most notable works Their Eyes Were Watching God. From her grandmother Nanny to her last husband Tea Cake, Janie has always been a victim to those attempting to decide her fate for her. Her grandmother determining who she loves, Logan and Jody treating her as a possession and Tea Cake jealousy and stubbornness all lead to the climatic point in Janie’s life where she blossoms into the strong woman she is becomes in the end. It is by the end of the novel that Janie finally gets to decide how she chooses to live her life. Thus, Janie’s character development is a reflection of the various experiences and relationships that she has had throughout her life. From these

In each of the marriages, the reader rediscovers the same issues and Janie’s same reactions. In order to protect her marriages, Janie repeatedly chooses to follow her husband’s instructions to control her speech and determine her appearance, job or duty. The control of Janie’s speech is an important theme in the novel. Her husbands, and Jody Starks in particular, often prevent her from expressing her voice, and they speak “without giving her a chance to say anything” (43). Regarding her appearance, she is told by them to wear specific clothes so “nobody else’s wife [would] rank with her” (41), but on the other hand, she is told to “keep her head tied up lak some ole ‘oman” (49) as to not show off her beauty and draw others’ attention. As for her job or duty, her husbands are the ones who choose whether “her place is in de home” (43), at the store, or in the field. Regardless, Janie’s main job is to be a good and loyal wife. Although her husbands “[want] her submission” (71) sometimes even more than they want her, Janie chooses to accept “all those signs of possession” (111) and tries to save her marriages hoping that one day it will be as successful as the one represented by the pear

One of Zora Hurston’s greatest accomplishment in regards to ‘Their Eyes were Watching God’ is making Janie a character that is relatable despite race, gender, or religion. As a part of being human, we grow older and begin to wonder - begin to question. What does life have to offer? What is life meant to be? Where am I meant to go? Janie like most people believed that her life’s canvas would be painted by receiving the feeling of true love from a significant other. She yearned for the love like that between a bee and a pear tree. A love that she believed would be the key to having a happy fulfilled life. As Janie goes through life searching for love and through the losses that she suffers, she, in turn, finds the keys to actual self-awareness:

In 1791 Thomas Paine wrote the book Rights of Man in which Paine illustrates his thoughts on the unity of the American people. Walter Russell, however, says America "has always been a division of man. There has always been the conqueror and conquered - the master and slave - the ruler and the ruled - the oppressor and the oppressed. There has never been content nor unity. There has been only discontent and disunity". While in the United States there are people similar to Thomas, who believe and strive for freedom and diversity, there are also those who Walter Russell illustrates that promote racism, violence, and disunity. I mostly disagree with Thomas Paine because, while there are times of peace; justice; and concord, there are far greater instances of oppression, privilege, and riots.