Their Eyes Were Watching God External Factor Essay

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External Factors in Their Eyes Were Watching God Did you know that Zora Neale Hurston published Their Eyes Were Watching God over 85 years ago, in 1937? The novel starts with Janie Mae Crawford returning to Eatonville, an all-black town. Returning home, the town’s folks gossip about Janie’s love life, and Pheoby, Janie’s best friend, welcomes and defends her. Not fazed by the comments, Janie explained her story to Phoeby. Her childhood began with her and her grandmother, Nanny. Her mother, Leafy, ran away, leaving Nanny to raise Janie in the backyard of a white couple, the Washburns’ home. Bullied for living in a yard, Nanny decides it would be better to move out and own land. Janie finds her favorite hangout spot in her new home under the …show more content…

Later that night, Nanny would catch Johnny and Janie kissing. External factors such as Nanny, death, and the hurricane shaped Janie and her life. An external character, Nanny, influences Janie’s life by convincing her to marry Logan and that her marriage will produce love, shaping her thinking. After Nanny finds Janie kissing Johnny Taylor, Nanny tells Janie that womanhood is upon her and that she wants to get married immediately. As Janie complains and asks who her husband would be, Nanny tells her it is Logan Killicks. Janie refuses to marry him, insulting his appearance and age, saying, “He looks like some ole skullhead in de graveyard” (13). Nanny then explains that it is not Logan that she wants Janie to have, but his protection. Nanny starts to describe her past, where she was once a slave and a victim of rape, resulting in Janie’s mother, Leafy. Leafy, also a victim of rape, is in Janie. Nanny explains that she does not want the same to happen to Janie and asks Janie to have some sympathy for her. Later, Janie marries Logan, “Janie and Logan got married in Nanny’s parlor on a Saturday evening with three cakes and big platters of fried rabbit and chicken”

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