Their Eyes Were Watching God Literary Analysis

723 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Sweat by zora hurston symbols

There are various techniques to get a message across to the audience in literature; one very common, but effective way is to use symbolism. The symbol in a book could be anything but it’s main purpose is to express an idea, clarify meaning or enlarge literal meaning. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston her message was to live life the way you want to and not by other’s standards, she revealed this message by using a horizon to express this belief.

The horizon is symbolism of dreams, specifically achieving one’s dream. Everyone has one but they vary widely person to person due to each one having different desires. In the novel Hurston mentions how many people go their whole life trying to reach the horizon but ultimately never make it before their death. Although …show more content…

After starting her new marriage with Logan Janie talks to Nanny about her unhappiness in the marriage; she wanted and believed she would be loved if she was married and realized that wasn’t always the reality. However Nanny assured that she should be happy, joyful, appreciative, and lucky she reached her horizon. Nanny believed that reaching the horizon or achieving the dream was find stability,wealth and possessions in a husband. If you could find that, and Janie did, you had reached the horizon and there's no need to be searching for it anymore. A Las before Nanny states this Janie makes it clear she wants to experience life and find out what it means to be loved; she could have cared less about wealth, possessions or even having a stable life. Due to the contrast in dreams or horizons Nanny surprised Jamie's free spirit and her dream because she believed she was right and knew what was best for her more than she knew. Hurston showed how important the horizon is to the story and how it could be very different from person to

Show More
Related

  • Rhetorical Analysis: Their Eyes Were Watching God

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    Zora Neale Hurston uses many rhetorical devices to depict the relationship Janie has with Joe Starks in the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. In chapter 7 Hurston uses devices such as metaphors in three paragraphs to convey how Joe Starks role of a mayor has a tremendous weight on him and Janie. Also how he’s aging physically and mentally is affecting their relationship in a negative way.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston: Character Analysis

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Janie is growing up she has to learn to accept her Nanny’s belief of how a woman is supposed to live in society. Nanny grew up in slavery so she believes that the role of men is to support his wife financially. Nanny thinks Janie should marry a man according to how successful he is and Janie should keep up the household responsibilities. Janie’s grandmother said, “Ah been waitin’ a long time, Janie, but nothin’ Ah I

    Read More

  • Three Features of "Their Eyes Were Watching God"

    447 Words  | 1 Pages

    Every novel has a protagonist and an antagonist of the story. There has to be a "good guy" and "bad guy" in order for there to be some sort of an interesting plot. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, my most and least favorite characters happen to be the protagonist, Janie, and the antagonist, Jody Starks. There are many things that symbolize these characters that are both comparable and contradictory of my personality. Symbols, objects or characters that are used to represent abstract ideas or concepts, play a major role in this novel. Janie is represented by her hair and Jody by his power, wealth and status of the town. Janie Jody and the symbolic representations are the three most appealing fundamentals of the story.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Quote Analysis

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nanny let Janie believe that she would find love after she is married by saying, “‘ Yes, she would love Logan after they were married’”(21). Which in the long run distorted her view on finding love. Also, Nanny doesn’t let Janie go for someone who doesn’t have it together. She say, “‘Whut Ah seen just now is plenty for me, honey, Ah don’t want no trashy nigger, no breath-and-britches, lak Johnny Taylor usin’ yo’ body to wipe his foots on’”(27). Ever since then, Janie had the mindset of Nanny. Nanny doesn’t want Janie to settle for less than what she is worth. Nanny isn’t all to blame for giving Janie this false perception. Nanny knows what it’s like to try to make a good living in this time while being black and a woman. So she wants Janie to live in a protective

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Book Analysis

    1804 Words  | 4 Pages

    Oprah Winfrey mutilated the classic novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston by turning the movie into a story with no resemblance to the book. Throughout Janie Crawford’s life, love is a dream she wished to achieve. Oprah makes changes to Janie’s character, her marriages, and the differences of symbolism, the change of themes, and the significance of Janie’s childhood which will alter the entire moral of the story. Another difference is the way the townspeople gossip. Oprah changes the point of Janie’s life journey to find herself to a love story.

    Read More

  • Search for Identity in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

    977 Words  | 2 Pages

    Janie's outlook on life stems from the system of beliefs that her grandmother, Nanny instills in her during life. These beliefs include how women should act in a society and in a marriage. Nanny and her daughter, Janie's mother, were both raped and left with bastard children, this experience is the catalyst for Nanny’s desire to see Janie be married of to a well-to-do gentleman. She desires to see Janie married off to a well to do gentleman because she wants to see that Janie is well cared for throughout her life.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Analysis

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and “Sweat,” Hurston uses the characters Janie Crawford and Delia Jones to symbolize African-American women as the mules of the world and their only alternative were through their words, in order to illustrate the conditions women suffered and the actions they had to take to maintain or establish their self-esteem.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    The flashback commences by recounting the years leading to Janie’s childhood through alluding to Nanny and Janie’s mother Leafy’s, life difficulties. Nanny is raised in slavery and was raped by her slave master, which led to Leafy’s birth. She had to flee in the night and hide in swamps during the war to protect her daughter. They go to live with a white family; the Washburn’s who are very accommodating. Once Leafy is older, she is raped by her white schoolteacher, leading to Janie’s birth. Leafy is absent through Janie’s life, so Nanny becomes her caregiver. Due to the abandonment of her parents, Janie is uncertain about her character and is lacking parental influence. Nanny raises Janie vicariously, so she will not encounter the same obstacles. Under a pear tree one day, Janie observes a bee pollinating a flower. She determines that this is how love is supposed to look. Love is passionate and never selfish or demanding. One day she kisses a boy named Johnny Taylor, whom Nanny does not approve. Nanny’s beliefs and authority on Janie’s life cause Janie’s abrupt marriage, before she can discover her true identity and spirit.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay on "Their Eyes Are Watching God"

    796 Words  | 2 Pages

    First, Janie’s failing love endeavors with her first two husbands. The first ideas about love that Janie was exposed to was those of her grandmother, Nanny. Her grandmother saw that Janie was entering womanhood and she didn't want Janie to experience what her mother went through (getting pregnant without being married). So Nanny went out to marry her as soon as she can. When Janie asked about love, Nanny told her that marriage makes love and she will find love after she marries Logan which was the old man that has been interested in Janie for a long time. Nanny believed that love was second to security and stability.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God

    6207 Words  | 13 Pages

    ...gh he gave her wealth and respectibility. So it seems that Nanny's worst fears and her highest hopes were realized in Janie's second marriage.

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis Of Their Eyes Were Watching God

    1237 Words  | 3 Pages

    Zora Neale was an early 20th century American novelist, short story writer, folklorist, and anthropologist. In her best known novel Their eyes were watching God, Hurston integrated her own first-hand knowledge of African American oral culture into her characters dialogue and the novels descriptive passages. By combing folklore, folk language and traditional literary techniques; Hurston created a truly unique literary voice and viewpoint. Zora Neale Hurston's underlying theme of self-expression and search for one’s independence was truly revolutionary for its time. She explored marginal issues ahead of her time using the oral tradition to explore contentious debates. In this essay I will explore Hurston narrative in her depiction of biblical imagery, oppression of African women and her use of colloquial dialect.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Idealistic Love Essay

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nanny pushed Janie into marrying him and made it seem like love did not mean anything as long as she lives life with somebody that can protect her. When nanny said things such as, “Tain’t Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it’s protection”, protection portrays as the key characteristic in a relationship (Hurston 15). When Logan and Janie’s relationship began, Janie had Nanny’s thoughts running through her head thinking she had the right views. So, she would end up loving Logan as the marriage continues. This obviously had no truth behind it because Janie never felt anything. The relationship between the two easily presented itself as idealistic, as they never had many discussions or even did much together. When reading, the author mentions many times how lonely Janie seemed. Later in Janie’s journey, when realistic love becomes introduced to her, the lonesome feeling

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    The beginning of Janie’s journey is with her marriage to Logan Killicks, a man with tons acres of land to his name, but to Janie’s knowledge, is just an ugly old bag that has a huge lack of any love or companionship for her. For example, when Janie talks to Logan one night about their relationship he only says “Considerin’ youse born in a carriage ‘thout no top to it, and yo’ mama and you bein’ born and raised in de white folks back-yard” (30). Logan is emotionally destitute towards Janie in the beginning of the marriage. She cannot relate to him in any way what so ever and they both know it as well. In addition, at a point later on in the marriage Logan asks Janie to help him with chores outside, she replies “you don’t need mah help out dere, Logan. Youse in yo’ place and ah’m in mine,” (31). Not only does Logan have an absence of emotion, he also has an absence of love and he expresses the exact opposite of it through his bitterness and anger for Janie. She can now understand that Logan sees himself as supposedly “higher” than her and she loathes it even more. The marriage between Logan and Janie isn’t equal...

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Literary Analysis

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout History there have been many eras of reinvention for people of all types. The Harlem Renaissance was such an era. It spanned from the 1920s to the mid-1930s and was an intellectual movement that helped create a new cultural identify for African American people. The movement fought to create pride for African American culture through literary works. (History.com)

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God Analysis

    509 Words  | 2 Pages

    In A Place in the Heart, the main character, Edna, just lost her husband and must figure out how to take care of her family, without him. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, the main character Janey goes through struggles of being an independent young black woman, in the south, while married. Both Edna in A Place in the Heart and Janey in Their Eyes Were Watching God are both strong independent women in their own ways. Both women mostly lived on their own, even though it was under different circumstances. Janey chose to be an independent woman, and preferred to be on her own with no one telling her what to do.

    Read More

More about Their Eyes Were Watching God Literary Analysis

Open Document