Their Eyes Were Watching God Critical Analysis

Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel that has shocked its readers since its publication in 1937. It has challenged people emotionally and ethically through its discussion on racism, sexism, and the social hierarchy that imposes specific ideals n individuals. At the time of the book’s release, critics were so offended by Hurston’s discussion of interracial racism and her book’s feminist trends that they essentially ended her career as an author through their reviews of the novel. The book follows a woman, Janie, through her three marriages and her quest to find love and her independance. Her dream was to achieve equality between her and her partner. It focuses on the oppression Janie faced not only because of her gender, but because of her race and wealth as well. Their Eyes Were Watching God shows its …show more content…
Just as readers in present day are made uncomfortable the extreme racism and sexism that Janie faced, reader’s back then were just as uncomfortable at how she overcame it. Feminism was taboo and speaking of interracial racism was appalling and it was these themes that both ruined Hurston’s name back then, and brought her back into fame long after her death. The lessons it can teach through its radical ideals continue to empower women and people of color today as racism and sexism still exists. Even though the human race has come a long way to achieving equality, there is a long way to go. Learning about how the culture has changed because of extremists like Hurston who go as far as to end their career to convey a message is the most effective way for people to understand the problems that racial and gender stereotypes create in a society. This book provides a great insight to the struggles a black woman like Janie faced and empowers its readers through her journey to overcome these and achieve her dreams and find her

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Their Eyes Were Watching God Critical Analysis