Their Eyes Were Watching God
B. R.
English III
8 February 2007
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Quest for Freedom
Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in the town of Eatonville, Florida. Her parents were Reverend John Hurston and Lucy Ann Potts Hurston. Hurston was one of eight children, and her mother, Lucy Hurston, passed away when Zora was only thirteen years old. This left Hurston and the rest of her family in a very emotionally unstable position. Hurston’s novelist career launched in the 1930s. In 1937, Hurston published what many critics say is her best novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel 's theme revolves around a young black woman’s search for a personal freedom beyond what she had ever experienced before. Personal freedom is universally sought. Some people search for their freedom by opening themselves up to new adventures. Others might seek freedom by turning to God and living a religious life. In this novel, the main character Janie searches for her freedom throughout her three marriages. In Zora Neale Hurston’s book Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie’s quest to find personal freedom is portrayed through her marriages. Janie’s first marriage is to Logan Killicks. Logan Killicks is an older man, and a farmer. He is very hardheaded and unromantic towards Janie. When Janie moves in with Logan, she is clearly miserable. “Logan Killicks disgusts Janie sexually, but has a pedestal for her to stand on. To be precise, sixty acres of land and a nice house” (Cantarow 318). Janie marries Logan because she feels as if she has no choice. “Her grandmother (Nanny) directs Janie’s entrance into adulthood. Born into slavery, the older woman hopes to find protection and materialistic comforts for Janie in a marriage to the property-owning Logan Killicks.” (Kaplan 1395). By Janie being forced to marry, it is already shown that she has no freedom of her own. “Although she hopes loves will follow marriage, Janie is soon disappointed, for Logan grows more
English III
8 February 2007
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Quest for Freedom
Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in the town of Eatonville, Florida. Her parents were Reverend John Hurston and Lucy Ann Potts Hurston. Hurston was one of eight children, and her mother, Lucy Hurston, passed away when Zora was only thirteen years old. This left Hurston and the rest of her family in a very emotionally unstable position. Hurston’s novelist career launched in the 1930s. In 1937, Hurston published what many critics say is her best novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel 's theme revolves around a young black woman’s search for a personal freedom beyond what she had ever experienced before. Personal freedom is universally sought. Some people search for their freedom by opening themselves up to new adventures. Others might seek freedom by turning to God and living a religious life. In this novel, the main character Janie searches for her freedom throughout her three marriages. In Zora Neale Hurston’s book Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie’s quest to find personal freedom is portrayed through her marriages. Janie’s first marriage is to Logan Killicks. Logan Killicks is an older man, and a farmer. He is very hardheaded and unromantic towards Janie. When Janie moves in with Logan, she is clearly miserable. “Logan Killicks disgusts Janie sexually, but has a pedestal for her to stand on. To be precise, sixty acres of land and a nice house” (Cantarow 318). Janie marries Logan because she feels as if she has no choice. “Her grandmother (Nanny) directs Janie’s entrance into adulthood. Born into slavery, the older woman hopes to find protection and materialistic comforts for Janie in a marriage to the property-owning Logan Killicks.” (Kaplan 1395). By Janie being forced to marry, it is already shown that she has no freedom of her own. “Although she hopes loves will follow marriage, Janie is soon disappointed, for Logan grows more
Cited: Bone, Robert. “Zora Neale Hurston.” The Chelsea House Library of Literary Criticism. Vol. 4. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Cantarow, Ellen. “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Novels for Students. Vol. 3. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1998. Crabtree, Claire. “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Novels for Students. Vol. 3. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1998. Domina, Lynn. “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Novels for Students. Vol. 3. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1998. Kaplan, Deborah. “Zora Neale Hurston.” Critical Survey of Long Fiction.Vol. 4. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1983.