Analysis Of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” From the moment one is born, one begins to form their identity through moments and experiences that occur throughout the years. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie’s identity of independence arises through her past marriages through the words and actions of her husbands. Janie growing up was given everything she needed, forming an identity of being dependent of others and the thought of being on her own was nowhere near her future. Soon after Janie came into adulthood, she was forced into a marriage in which evidently sparked her need of independence. The marriage between Janie and Logan was more or less a safe net marriage that consisted of one another benefiting

The marriage with Jody consisted of nothing but oppression towards Janie both physically and mentally and throughout it Janie seemed to take in all the words and pain from Jody in a way to build up to her character at the end. As previously stated, the scene in which Janie realized that Jody was not her answer to the years of confusion she spent with Logan was when Jody humiliated her in front of the townsmen, this behavior however did not change. When it came to simple tasks that anyone may forget to do Jody would immediately point it out to Janie and publically yell at her, “Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don’t think none theirselves.” (71) In this scene it is most prevalent on how Jody views Janie, like an animal that is owned and has to be guided in order to survive. At this turning point, Janie is almost near erupting to being on her own without any man by her side, however the moment which pushed her to it was the moment the abused turned physical, “He struck Janie with all his might and drove her from the store” (80) At this moment staying with Jody and putting up with Jody’s abuse was no longer an option for Janie, sitting back and allowing the abuse to continue without putting her say in no longer existed and the Janie that would no longer allow this took over the old dependable