Their Eyes Were Watching God Character Analysis Essay

All throughout Their Eyes were Watching God, the main character, Janie, seems to swoon over her third husband Tea Cake. She’s obsessed with the fact that he makes her feel worthy or even smart unlike her other husbands, Joe and Logan. He actually takes the time to teach her how to play checkers, something she was never allowed to do. Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods also makes Janie young and spontaneous. Their adventure filled relationship make her glow inside. To the sudden night fishing trip, to romantic picnics, even to dancing until her feet hurt at Jacksonville clubs.They way he cuddled up to her scratching her head and petting her hair make her feel beautiful and loved deeply. All these factors may all make Tea Cake seem like a “good” man, but Janie really fails to narrate or even look into his cons, which happen to big ones overcasting his pleasant traits. He’s stolen her money without her permission, caught practically cheating on Janie with another
No man ever should be able to take dominance over a woman like that. Not only did he whip her because it “relieved that awful fear inside of him” of reassuring himself that she’s his possession, but he bragged to his friends afterwards. He even got responses like, “ Tea Cake, you sho is a lucky man,” and “Lawd! Wouldn’t Ah love tuh whip uh tender woman lak Janie!” (Hurston 141). This scene disgusted me in many different ways, Janie had been so love struck that she didn’t realize the problem with what he did. Showing someone who’s boss, in this case the Turners, gives no reason to be whipped. That’s a personal problem he could’ve solved himself with no whip needed. Tea Cake knows Janie is a quiet, emotionally unstable woman only really looking for love and affection. He completely took advantage over her weakness and used it to make him feel better about himself. This makes Tea Cake seem more low and repulsive than