Their Eyes Were Watching God Gender Analysis

“She had waited all her life for something, and it killed her when it found her.” Their Eyes Were Watching God is a coming of age novel by Zora Neale Hurston. Janie Crawford is a young black woman growing in love and marriage. Back in the day, women like Janie were expected to marry as soon as they were of age and follow behind their husbands. Gender stereotypes have played a large role in Janie’s life in concerning the expectations her husband’s had as her role of a married woman vs. her expectation of being a wife.

Janie’s first husband, Logan Killcks, simply wanted her for physical labor. For example, Logan approaches her in a hostile manner because she isn’t working in the field. “Tain’t no use in foolin’ round in dat kitchen …show more content…
It’s wherever Ah need yuh. Get uh move on yuh, and dat quick.”
Janie was young and stuck in her way and was in no shape to get her hands dirty.

Janie’s second husband Jody Starks really shapes how she views marriage and how her husband thinks she shouldn’t react to his snide comments. By way of example, Jody has to help Janie by cutting some Tobacco and says a smart remark that causes Janie to speak up “Stop mixin’ up mah doings wid mah looks, Jody. When you git through tellin’ me how tuh cut uh plug uh tobacco, then you kin tell me whether mah behind is on straight or not.” As Janie grows she realizes that it is her time to speak and that no one, not even Jody will hold her back from speaking out.

Shortly after Jody Starks passes away, she meets a young man by the name of Teacake, that has very little expectations for Janie at all; just to love and be loved. For instance, Janie had just got done having a pleasant time with Teacake when she realized “Teacake wasn’t strange. Seemed as if she had known him all her life. Look how she had been able to talk with him right off!” As well as when Teacake offers to teach Janie how to play checkers and he treats her as an

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