Character Analysis: Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston

“Self Development with Growth of Love”
In the novel Their Eyes Were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, love and the main character’s personal development throughout the story plays a very important role. The protagonist, Janie Crawford, encounters three major relationships that will develop her own personal growth and independence. Each encounter, Janie will experience different problems and solutions that will better her to develop self-confidence. As the novel progresses, her relationships with Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake develops her independence from a dependent and shy, flat character, to a round, strong character with a voice for herself.
Janie’s first relationship is with Logan Killicks. Nanny, being Janie’s Guardian,
When Janie and Jody enter the town, they are greeted by the town calling Jody the Mayor. The town’s people eventually gather around Jody and Janie and Jody makes a speech. Janie is soon asked to make a speech but Janie is stopped by Jody. “Thank yuh fuh yo’ compliments, but mah wife don’t know nothin’ ‘bout no speech-makin’. Ah never married her for nothin’ lak dat. She’s uh woman and her place is in de home,”Jody (Hurston Pg 43). This quote reveals to us a small impression of what Jody is going to be like throughout the story. He is showing a little bit of male dominance and silences Janie to keep her from saying anything unrelated. Jody says that they are married, but they actually never get married. Throughout the story of the relationship with Jody is assumed that they are married. As Mayor, Jody plans to build a store and a post office. Jody forces Janie to work in the store and tie her hair in a rag. As Janie’s relationship with Jody moves on, we are able to see that her hair represents her own independence. Janie’s hair is long and beautiful but Jody is keeping her from showing it and by doing that, Janie gives up her independence to Jody. This also helps Janie in a way to find freedom to her own independence. Janie begins to notice that Jody is very old and becomes very ill. Janie calls for a doctor and the doctor says that he will die soon. Janie takes this advantage to talk to him one last time. “…Ah ain’t gointuh
Tea Cake treats Janie extremely different than Logan and Jody. “How about playin’ you some checkers? You looks hard tuh beat.” Tea Cake (Hurston Pg 95). This quote from Tea Cake was a serious question. Tea Cake asked Janie to play checkers with her even though Janie says she doesn’t know how. Janie is really happy when she is playing because she never got to play before and by the way Tea Cake is treating Janie. Tea Cake respects her enough to let her do what she wants to do. “He set it up and began to show her and she found herself glowing inside. Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought it natural for her to play. That was even nice.” Narration (Hurston Pg 95). Janie begins to have feelings for Tea Cake but the feelings she has now are different from what she felt with Logan and Jody. “Tell yuh whut, Janie, less buy us some shootin’ tools and go huntin’ roud heah.” “Dat would be gind, Tea Cake, exceptin’ you know Ah can’t shoot. But Ah’d love tuh go wid you.” Janie (Hurston Pg 130). This quote really shows us how Tea Cake is different from other men because of what he does for Janie. When Tea Cake shoots, Janie asks if she could also shoot and Tea Cake lets her. At this point, Janie has really developed her self-independence and her own voice. She is able to speak for herself and do the things she wants to do around Tea Cake because he is able to accept it. Her relationship with Tea Cake is significant to her