Their Eyes Were Watching God Summary

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Zora Neale Hurston is the author of the classic American literature “Their Eyes Were Watching God”. The beginning of the story takes place as Janie Crawford, the protagonist of the story, has just now returned back to Eatonville, Florida after being away for so long. Her well trusted best friend, Pheoby Watson, after getting tired of hearing the neighbors on the street gossip about her friend comes over to bring her supper, and get the story of what happened to her. Janie happily tells of her experiences in her adolescence and 3 marriages. The book is mostly written in a flashback from the time Janie was 16 years old living with her grandmother. From that young age she had become clear and aware of what “love” and “marriage” was, and searches …show more content…
They live with a high status, money and material things. Joe’s flaws overshadowed everything about the relationship. His definition of a woman's role, outlashes and pride causes Janie to not be able to bear him any longer. Fortunately he was old and dying anyways so after his death she lives happily as a single women. Now she is much more mature and knows what it is she wants: Freedom! The narrator tells us that “... she liked being lonesome for a change. The freedom feeling was fine”. Being in two abusive relationships, one that suppressed her opinions, and free will caused a feeling of confinement. Freedom was not only seen with Janie. While sharing her story she reflects back before her grandmother died when she told her how she used to be a slave after she gave birth. She had to escape her master although she was threatened, and hide out is swamplands until it was safe for her to come out as a free person. Another few examples was how Janie speaks of how the men she married too always forced her to be quiet, hide and work. At this time in history where the novel takes place, women were still subject to their husbands. Prisoners by marriage. Blacks still were not seen as equals to to whites. Men and women still had separated roles where they were not seen as equal, so this freedom that Janie has obtained is much different and worth keeping for a …show more content…
This was achieved with, “Tea cake”, her third husband. In her story it was said that “All next day in the house and store she thought resisting thoughts about Tea Cake. She even ridiculed him in her mind and was a little ashamed of the association. But every hour or two the battle had to be fought all over again. She couldn’t make him look just like any other man to her. He looked like the love thoughts of women. He could be a bee to a blossom—a pear tree blossom in the spring. He seemed to be crushing scent out of the world with his footsteps. Crushing aromatic herbs with every step he took. Spices hung about him. He was a glance from God.” By comparing Tea Cake to “ a bee to a blossom” she is saying that he is the love she had been searching for all this time. Throughout her relationship with Tea Cake love is present everywhere. From beginning to end.
In conclusion, “Their eyes were watching God” overall theme love and freedom. The ultimate goal of the protagonist in the story was to find love in her marriage. Along the way she found freedom that not many others found. She found a love that was nurturing, open, equal, satisfying and worth lived. A love with freedom. A love remorseless sweet that leaves you limp and
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