Noah Baudoin
Guillot, 3
English III GT
1/29/14
Her Eyes Were Watching God According to a study done by Paul R. Amato, African Americans report lower levels of relationship quality. African American couples are also more likely to end their marriages in divorce. In Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, all of Janie’s relationships fail due to her need to be presiding. In Janie’s first marriage, the relationship led to failure because Janie had a lack of love for Logan and because Logan did not respect Janie. After a while “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (25). Janie is almost forced by Nanny to marry Logan when Nanny only told Janie of Logan’s wealth as a reason for marriage. Janie is told by Nanny that love would come later in the marriage; and when it didn’t, Janie began to make life decisions more independently. Then Janie says she “wants sweet things wid mah marriage,” (24). Janie’s view of marriage differs from the view of Logan or Nanny. With Janie’s opinion being thrown to the side everytime, she develops a longing to be heard and presiding. After her first experience with marriage, Janie realizes what she desires in life and takes control of her decisions. In Janie’s second marriage, she found what she wanted but her views did not change as her husbands’ did. After her meeting with Joe Starks, “A feeling of sudden newness and change came over her” (32), when she concludes what she wants for marriage. Janie realizes she wants out of a loveless marriage, so she runs off with Joe Starks and marries him. The couple began a new life in a developing town where Starks obtains the title of mayor. Years pass by and “[Janie] got nothing from Jody except what money could buy” (76). Over the years, Joe allowed his position to influence every aspect of his life. Janie did not love the man Joe had become and reconsidered her marriage choices. After Joe’s death, Janie feels free to be who she wants but still longs for someone to call hers, someone she truly loves and loves her back. In Janie’s last marriage with Tea Cake, she finds herself in a new experience that she loves but later regrets. Her friends tell
