Their Eyes Were Watching God Character Analysis

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.

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.

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

In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston's novel is a story of one woman’s growth as a person to establish her voice and as a result, shape her own identity. As the novel’s protagonist, Janie Crawford, she desperately tries to find unconditional, true, and fulfilling love. Janie experiences different love with the affairs of the lovers she has had and ultimately grows as a person. Janie searches for the love that she has always desired, the marriage between a bee and a blossom on the pear tree that stood in Nanny's backyard. Janie shares her love with each of her husband's: Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake Woods.

In Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston, the main character, Janie, believes in the idea of love after watching a bee pollinating a flower. Out of all Janie's ex husbands, Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods would have been the best husband for Janie.

Right after the funeral, “she burnt every one of her head rags and went about the house next morning with her hair in one thick braid swinging well below her waist”(Hurston 89). The head rags symbolize the control Joe had over Janie, and her burning them is one step in her own decision making. Burning her oppression gives her a sense of freedom as well as hope for an improvement in her life. An important factor in Janie’s journey is when she steps up to make her own decisions, regardless of what people say. When Janie and Pheoby are conversing a while after Joe’s death, Janie says, “‘Let ‘em say whut dey wants tuh, Pheoby’”(Hurston 93). So far, every authoritarian figure in Janie’s life deeply cared about what people gossiped about. Nanny bought a house after hearing the white children make fun of Janie, and Joe made sure Janie was constantly working. This is the first time in the novel Janie states her lack of interest of what people have to say about her. Joe’s death is a significant step in Janie’s discovery, for it allows her to fully express herself in ways she could not, all the while bringing her closer to her destination.

She has made choices based on her own feelings and has spoke out to stand up for herself when necessary. One example of how Janie has self-directed herself was by making the choice to leave her first husband, Logan Killicks. For example, “The morning road air was like a new dress. That made her feel the apron tied around her waist. She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet” (Hurston, 31). Janie had made the decision to leave Logan when she knew Joe was leaving town. Nanny passed away days before this happened so this is why Janie is growing closer to being autonomous, she made her own choice and is redirecting her new life with Joe. Another instance is when Janie made a comment to her current husband, Joe, about feeling like she had become invisible ever since they traveled down to Green Cove Springs. “Naw, Jody, it jus’ looks lak it keeps us in some way we ain’t natural wid one ‘nother. You’se always off talkin’ and fixin’ things, and Ah feels lak Ah’m jus’ markin’ time. Hope it soon gits over” (Hurston, 43). Janie finally tells Joe how she has been feeling since he has been crowned the Mayor which demonstrates her moral independence. This shows how Janie Crawford has made choices that led her to become

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

Looking for the perfect man is difficult. The most essential feature for a man is his nature. A complex person does not fit the criteria. In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neal Hurtson, the protagonist, Janie marries a wealthy and modish man named Joe Starks. He was initially Janie’s perfect man but suddenly showed his true colors. Joe’s complex personality is helpful, yet disrespectful.

As Janie explains to Nanny, “you told me Ah mus gointer love him, and Ah don’t…But Nanny, Ah wants to want him sometimes.” (Hurston 21) it can be seen that Janie believes in how marriage should be: a relationship formed when two people love each other. She knows this is not the case and realizes this is not the marriage she wanted and her “first dream was dead,” (25). However, she permitted Nanny to continuously force outdated morals onto her. Despite the anguish is caused her, Janie allowed herself to become submissive because it brought her grandmother happiness. In addition to Nanny, there is her next big relationship: her marriage to Joe Starks. Because of the circumstances – Jody taking her away from her intolerable life with Logan Killicks- Janie is feel quite gratuitous towards him. This initial gratitude, mistaken for true love, is the reason Janie was manipulated into doing things and begin someone Jody wanted. It first begins as he forces her to work in a store, then he set

Zora Neale Hurston composed a classic African American love story entitled “Their Eyes Were Watching God” in 1937. Throughout the novel, Janie gets married three times in hopes of finding the contentment she has been searching for. Her first two marriages, with Logan Killicks and Joe Starks helps Janie realize that love does not automatically come from marriage. Her last marriage with Tea Cake shows her what true love is. After spending years seeking inner happiness and being a romantic dreamer, Janie becomes a dynamic character, therefore, she is able to enjoy the bliss of life she has always hoped for in a relationship.

Love was not the reason for Joe to marry Janie, he married her because of her value and treated her like an object in front of the world which would serve him some useful purpose. There was a lot of male dominance portrayed in Joe's character as he always forced her to tie up her hair, and also worries a lot about losing her due to the immense beauty of her hair. From keeping the other men attracted to her, he used to yell at her to cover her hair properly by using the hair rags, to wear a simple dress, and also to stop socializing with any man other than him (Hurston 55). And when Joe died, Janie had said "To my thinkin' mourning oughtn't tuh last no longer'n grief" ( Hurston 89). This quote explains that after Joe is dead, Janie has gained freedom from her second husband, and can now loosen up her hair by getting rid of all the head rags that she was given by

Throughout the book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, there are a couple of motifs. A motif is a structure, contrast, or literary device that recurs to assist in the development of the text’s major themes. This essay will discuss three of the motifs mentioned in the novel. These motifs are, Community, Race and Racism, Folklore and Religion.

As the traveling bee (Janie) once again meets spring, the sense of hope is reborn within the heart its being, carefully trying to deviate from any pear tree that calls to its attention. But seemingly enough, temptation lurks, and gets into the natural sense of the bee (Janie). Within the novel, Their Eyes were Watching God, the pear tree that caught Janie’s heart one last time with its “crushing scent” (pg. 127) was Tea Cake, the young tree that intoxicated the bee (Janie) with its utter peaceful ways. But this was no ordinary pear tree, for this being gave Janie what the others never thought to give…an equal relationship. This equivalence initiates from the first time Tea

Being whisked away in a carriage by a handsome prince is every girl's dream. A fairytale full of love, bees and blossoms is what Janie, the protagonist of the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, longed for. In the novel, Janie goes through a pivotal moment in where she grows from being a naive little girl who believes love is a fairytale to a mature woman who knows love is a roller coaster full of twists, turns and most importantly sacrifices. Janie experiences this pivotal moment when she herself has to kill her true love, Tea Cake. As hard as it was for Janie to do this she knew Tea Cake was suffering and he would be at peace if she ended his life. After this experience Janie matures in knowledge and realizes sacrifice comes with true love. This pivotal moment makes the reader ponder on the question ‘What does it take to find your true love?’