People follow rules in every aspect of life, from school to societal roles. The social hierarchy of life puts everyone in a box and creates bigger restrictions for some compared to others, usually affecting our life story and its fulfillment. In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston presents Janie, a woman rebelling against society’s norms through her actions and words to display the restrictive hierarchy women have compared to men. Hurtson extensively illustrates that one can “complete life” without following the hierarchy or rules of society. First and foremost, in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie has many different relationships throughout the novel. Such as her actions of not hiding after her husband’s passing, …show more content…
For instance, Janie opposes societal norms when she tells the men, "...you don't know half as much 'bout us [women] as you think you do," and Joe Starks retaliates "You gettin' too moufy, Janie," (Hurston 75). Throughout Janie and Joe’s relationship, Joe assumes to know everything about Janie because men can say whatever thoughts they have, and that ultimately restricts women’s abilities of how they must act in society. Janie speaking up once and for all provides affirmation of how she rebels against her society’s norms. Furthermore, Joe views her opinion as inappropriate behavior to how she must act to the construct of societal norms. Considering Janie’s rebellious action, moreover allows the idea Hurston created, how “completing life” doesn’t require fixation around societal standards. In the novel, Janie explains to Pheoby that "'Dem meatskins is got tuh rattle tuh make out they're alive,'" and knowing the truth means “...you got tuh go there tuh know there,” (Hurston …show more content…
Hurston provides a bunch of context in this piece of evidence, giving an example of how Janie doesn’t care about the rumors going around about her because, in her eyes, she has succeeded in life, while others talk about living their lives. Overall, Hurston creates the idea that life can be fulfilled without all the societal constructs, like gossip in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie shows clear evidence of this through the actions she makes. Finally, Janie’s last relationship with Tea Cake provides further information about how she breaks the rules society gives women and once again ignores the rumors flown around about her through town because all of those thoughts don’t affect her mindset of “completing life”. To illustrate Janie rebelling against her society, Hurston describes Janie as "all dressed in blue" (110) soon after Joe’s death and following her introduction to Tea Cake. After Joe’s passing, Janie starts going out with Tea Cake and she wears blue because that’s Tea Cake’s favorite color and the town starts conspiring about her moving on too quickly, without mourning her late
By the end of the story, Janie has accomplished finding and conquering self-actualization, she has reached her enlightenment through the her marriages to Logan, Jody, and Tea Cake. It is apparant when she tells Pheoby, “You got tuh go there tuh know there.. Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (Hurtson 183).
In, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author takes you on the journey of a woman, Janie, and her search for love, independence, and the pursuit of happiness. This pursuit seems to constantly be disregarded, yet Janie continues to hold on to the potential of grasping all that she desires. In, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author, Zora Hurston illustrates the ambiguity of Janie’s voice; the submissiveness of her silence and the independence she reclaims when regaining her voice. The reclaiming of Janie's independence, in the novel, correlates with the development and maturation Janie undergoes during her self discovery.
Janie’s attempts at achieving her own pear tree and fails, nevertheless this is done so that she can find for herself that adventure and life experiences are more important than love alone. It didn’t take Janie long to learn her first lesson but after she left Logan “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead” (Hurston 25). Janie sought to have her own “pear tree” which meant that she wanted a perfect relationship with a man, defining her as a dependant early on. Once Logan began demanding more of Janie and stretching that thin fabric that is Janie’s loyalty she left him, Janie will experiment with Jody and learn the same lesson. Hurston personifies the extent of Janie’s dream by stating that it is “dead” showing that Janie chases her dreams extensively and she will do this continually until she achieves her own horizon. When Janie lives with Jody she is suppressed and her search for perfect love is shattered once more except this time she learns how to defend herself from this malice, “You ain’t tried tuh pacify nobody but yo’self. Too busy listening to yo’ own big voice.” (Hurston 87). We see once more that Janie is denied of her grand dream and is taught another valuable lesson, how to defend herself. Janie demonstrates her independence as a woman by living without a man for the
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel that presents a happy ending through the moral development of Janie, the protagonist. The novel divulges Janie’s reflection on her life’s adventures, by narrating the novel in flashback form. Her story is disclosed to Janie’s best friend Phoebe who comes to learn the motive for Janie’s return to Eatonville. By writing the novel in this style they witness Janie’s childhood, marriages, and present life, to observe Janie’s growth into a dynamic character and achievement of her quest to discover identity and spirit.
Hurston uses the power of language and different narrative techniques to show Janie's transition throughout the novel. It is important to notice that in Janie's journey from object to subject, the narration of the novel shifts from third person to a mixture of first and third person; thus, the shift shows the awareness of self within Janie. Language becomes an instrument of injury and salvation and of selfhood and empowerment. The use of powerful language is exemplified well in the text when Janie is asked to say a few words as the new Mrs. Mayor. Joe, her second husband, quickly cuts in and says, "Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for not...
“She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight,” (11). The novel, Their Eyes Were Watching, God by Zora Neale Hurston, tells a story of a woman, Janie Crawford’s quest to find her true identity that takes her on a journey and back in which she finally comes to learn who she is. These lessons of love and life that Janie comes to attain about herself are endowed from the relationships she has with Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake.
Harvesting Love: Exploring Tea Cake and Janie’s Relationship. In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston, Tea Cake provides initial and romantic fulfillment for Janie, but as the novel progresses he begins to fail her through his obsessive behavior and physical abuse. In the beginning of the novel, Janie has an epiphany, realizing her wants and desires for a partner - respect, empathy, and faithfulness. When she first meets Tea Cake, he seems to be the perfect, charming husband that Janie has been looking for; Tea Cake treats Janie as if she is his equal, and she is physically and sexually attracted to him, things that both of her previous husbands had failed to offer.
In Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Janie Crawford’s self-discovery and self-accomplishments make her a role model to Pheoby and especially to the reader. Throughout her journey towards her goals, her “horizons,” Janie lacks guidance through a role model and finds herself struggling through difficult situations. Despite the lack of guidance in her life, she works against the forces that oppose her and overcomes her struggles to reach a point of accomplishment and self-satisfaction. Through her experiences told in her narrative, Janie represents a truly inspirational role model for not only Pheoby, but for the readers of the novel.
“Their Eyes Were Watching God” is a fiction novel written by American author Zora Neale Hurston. The book is about Janie Crawford a beautiful, confident middle-aged colored woman who returns back to her hometown Eatonville, Florida after a long period of time. Janie returns in dirty overalls which speculates gossip in the community.(sparknotes.com) Although there are many themes present in this book, the strongest theme of them all is self indepence.
Una Lake Ms. Cunnane English 3, Period 8 28 February 2024 Flora, Fauna, and Freedom Zora Neale Hurston’s Exploration of Freedom and Nature in Their Eyes Were Watching God As Langston Hughes once said, “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly”. Just as Langston Hughes wisely understood the importance of dreams and their effect on the world, Zora Neale Hurston understood the importance of freedom in life and how crucial aspirations are. Hurston focuses on the intertwined relationship between dreams, freedom, and nature. Their Eyes Were Watching God, a novel written by Hurston, follows Janie, a woman living in Florida, as she begins to find herself through nature. While living with her grandmother,
Dissecting “Their Eyes Were Watching God” Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel written by Zora Neale Hurston that often reflects values of the Harlem Renaissance while following a young girl named Janie throughout her growing years as she searches for true love in a time where it revolved around stereotypes. The Harlem Renaissance was the development of Harlem, New York where the rebirth of African American arts and culture took place and a significant value of this movement was self-determination. This is the value I feel is most important to the novel- making choices for oneself, individuality, concept of “New Negro”, separating from white stereotypes, and Black Pride. Hurston shows both reflections and departures of this value throughout
“No matter what Judy did, she said nothing” (Hurston 22). Janie would never say anything because at this time it wasnt the women's place to correct men or if she had try to correct he he might have gotten mad a her. This gets in the way because no matter what Joe had did Janie wasn't allowed to have any input in his decisions. Therefor this concept of women had blocked her from having any power in decision making or the things she is capable, just doing the things she is being
A Rebirth During the Harlem Times Relationships can introduce a new perspective of life causing a change in oneself leaving a shedding of layers left over. Their Eyes Were Watching God is Zora Neale Hurston’s novel about the trials of love and exploration in oneself (Janie) during the 20th century Southern times. This novel also contributes to the impact of the Harlem Renaissance values and shows the cultural scenarios of each value. The Harlem Renaissance was a period where black men and women expressed cultural creativity and black pride in a variety of ways. The community aspect reflects social areas during the Harlem Renaissance such as unity, support, movements, and socialism.
Life is compiled of time intervals of change that move people with each passing moment. Literature is the mirror that reflects the culture of the time, including people’s opinions and behaviors, giving modern day people perspective of how life was like in that given time era. In the iconic literature novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston takes us through the life of Janie Crawford, a black woman in the early 1900’s, and her journey for love and identity through three different marriages. Janie experiences the influence slavery still has on the Black community even after slavery was abolished, and also the re-emergence of racial stereotypes, rendering Zora Neale
... Janie is free-spirited and unconcerned about what others think of her. When she returns to Eatonville after Tea Cake’s death, she shows no shame for what she has done or where she has been, because she is finally able to live the life she always wanted to lead. Hurston’s own struggles in life for individuality and an outlet for her suppressed spirit clearly contribute to the development of Janie’s character. Just as Hurston struggled for recognition, equality, and purpose in the literary world during the Harlem Renaissance, Janie’s struggle for the recognition, equality, and purpose in her relationships.