Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston’s fictional novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in September 1937 by J. B. Lippencott, Inc., is a 193 page story that delves into the South’s black culture from the perspective of Janie Crawford. Her persistence and stubbornness drives her through the trials and tribulations that live in society’s harsh standards.
The novel begins in 1930s Eatonville, Florida as the protagonist, Janie Crawford, returns home. The limited omniscient perspective gives the reader insight into Janie’s thoughts and motives. Her journey in search of true love takes her across Florida through three different marriages to an elderly Logan Killicks, a prosperous Joe Starks, and a vibrant Vergil “Tea Cake” Woods. Hurston seems to convey a sympathetic and affirming tone toward Janie throughout the novel. The reader recognizes that Hurston’s own past seems to influence her writing in view of Janie’s situation. As a black woman during a time of racial injustice, Hurston most likely felt that she has lost her freedom, her God-given right of equality. In the same way, Hurston uses the theme of the search for self to let the reader understand Janie’s drive in trying to find love. Janie must fight off the influences of her grandmother and society, who encourages her to sacrifice self-identity and self-fulfillment for security. Hurston’s underlying theme of independence is a startling one for its day and is the reason why it has become an inspiration to people everywhere. Hurston contends that black people, in a society filled with hatred and injustice, could still attain personal identity as Janie did. It seems that the novel’s title shows its readers that “their eyes were watching God” for they did not wish to look down on the earth as many others seemed to do. I believe that Hurston’s strong message is one that is ahead of her time and is the sole reason why people critiqued it as they did. Her story conveys an existential message while, at the same time, encouraging one’s belief in his or her own culture. Hurston’s weakness, however, is that she fails to call to the reader’s attention to the problem of racism which pervaded in the South. Janie is always found in “black” settings where she is welcomed. It seems that Hurston is oblivious to the true evil of racial prejudice, most likely because she had lived her life in Eatonville, an all black community, just as Janie did. Although she grasps the injustices blacks faced in working and social conditions from whites, her protagonist does not face them. Furthermore, Hurston has succeeded in illustrating Janie’s independence and refusal to conform to society very well. Through each of Janie’s marriages, a new self-identity has come to her. Hurston uses Janie as a model for all oppressed men and women to follow so they can achieve their dreams and “bring in [their] horizon.”
Overall, Their Eyes were Watching God is a moving piece that shines a different light on life. Though dull at times, the novel's content is bursting with wisdom and inspiration. I recommend this book to all; anyone can learn from the message that the novel provides. I recommend that anyone who reads this book think deeply about its meaning and learn from the characters and their experiences. This novel is a fine example of classic literature and how an innocent story about a woman's life can mean so much and leave such a tremendous impact.
The novel begins in 1930s Eatonville, Florida as the protagonist, Janie Crawford, returns home. The limited omniscient perspective gives the reader insight into Janie’s thoughts and motives. Her journey in search of true love takes her across Florida through three different marriages to an elderly Logan Killicks, a prosperous Joe Starks, and a vibrant Vergil “Tea Cake” Woods. Hurston seems to convey a sympathetic and affirming tone toward Janie throughout the novel. The reader recognizes that Hurston’s own past seems to influence her writing in view of Janie’s situation. As a black woman during a time of racial injustice, Hurston most likely felt that she has lost her freedom, her God-given right of equality. In the same way, Hurston uses the theme of the search for self to let the reader understand Janie’s drive in trying to find love. Janie must fight off the influences of her grandmother and society, who encourages her to sacrifice self-identity and self-fulfillment for security. Hurston’s underlying theme of independence is a startling one for its day and is the reason why it has become an inspiration to people everywhere. Hurston contends that black people, in a society filled with hatred and injustice, could still attain personal identity as Janie did. It seems that the novel’s title shows its readers that “their eyes were watching God” for they did not wish to look down on the earth as many others seemed to do. I believe that Hurston’s strong message is one that is ahead of her time and is the sole reason why people critiqued it as they did. Her story conveys an existential message while, at the same time, encouraging one’s belief in his or her own culture. Hurston’s weakness, however, is that she fails to call to the reader’s attention to the problem of racism which pervaded in the South. Janie is always found in “black” settings where she is welcomed. It seems that Hurston is oblivious to the true evil of racial prejudice, most likely because she had lived her life in Eatonville, an all black community, just as Janie did. Although she grasps the injustices blacks faced in working and social conditions from whites, her protagonist does not face them. Furthermore, Hurston has succeeded in illustrating Janie’s independence and refusal to conform to society very well. Through each of Janie’s marriages, a new self-identity has come to her. Hurston uses Janie as a model for all oppressed men and women to follow so they can achieve their dreams and “bring in [their] horizon.”
Overall, Their Eyes were Watching God is a moving piece that shines a different light on life. Though dull at times, the novel's content is bursting with wisdom and inspiration. I recommend this book to all; anyone can learn from the message that the novel provides. I recommend that anyone who reads this book think deeply about its meaning and learn from the characters and their experiences. This novel is a fine example of classic literature and how an innocent story about a woman's life can mean so much and leave such a tremendous impact.
-This song was chosen because it represents Janie's freedom from society's harsh standards. The lines "emancipate yourself from mental slavery,none but oursleves can free our minds" parallels Janie's own life struggles and her fight to overcome them.
