Their Eyes Were Watching God - Journey of Janie's Life Essay Example
Cherished Lessons | March 26
2012
| Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston | Debbie Luong |
“The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.”
– Zora Neale Hurston.
In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston explored the journey of Janie’s life. Her experiences throughout the novel helped shape-shift Janie. Slavery had ended when Janie took her first step into womanhood. Janie was a young girl who believed in true love’s existence, leading her onto the search for true love. What she did not understand then was true love does not last forever, nor does it exist. Throughout her journey, she undergoes harsh obstacles which then, physically and mentally, changed her attitude on life. Janie’s life consisted of disappointment, discouragement, and discrimination that helped her learn and grow to become a person who cherishes everything in life more.
Janie was in an arranged marriage with Logan Killicks, a financially stable, crop-owning farmer. Janie believed love revolved around marriage, but she was greatly disappointed when she had realized what a fool she was to be so naïve. Logan was soon exempted from what Janie believed to be true love. “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (Hurston, 25). After marrying Logan, Janie was forced to work like a slave because Logan viewed Janie as what a “typical wife” would do with and for their husband; work, clean, and cook. The internal racism led Janie to feel like a tool of her husband, to use and abuse only for his working matters. “Her [Nanny] dreams of a better life …ended…Nanny transferred her hopes to Janie” (SparkNotes Editors). Nanny believed a woman will become successful if she married a wealthy man and “sat on the front porch” all day. Nanny did not realize her mentality was battling reality. Nanny’s fantasy of good living contradicted with what Janie had to do; work alongside her husband in the
2012
| Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston | Debbie Luong |
“The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.”
– Zora Neale Hurston.
In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston explored the journey of Janie’s life. Her experiences throughout the novel helped shape-shift Janie. Slavery had ended when Janie took her first step into womanhood. Janie was a young girl who believed in true love’s existence, leading her onto the search for true love. What she did not understand then was true love does not last forever, nor does it exist. Throughout her journey, she undergoes harsh obstacles which then, physically and mentally, changed her attitude on life. Janie’s life consisted of disappointment, discouragement, and discrimination that helped her learn and grow to become a person who cherishes everything in life more.
Janie was in an arranged marriage with Logan Killicks, a financially stable, crop-owning farmer. Janie believed love revolved around marriage, but she was greatly disappointed when she had realized what a fool she was to be so naïve. Logan was soon exempted from what Janie believed to be true love. “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (Hurston, 25). After marrying Logan, Janie was forced to work like a slave because Logan viewed Janie as what a “typical wife” would do with and for their husband; work, clean, and cook. The internal racism led Janie to feel like a tool of her husband, to use and abuse only for his working matters. “Her [Nanny] dreams of a better life …ended…Nanny transferred her hopes to Janie” (SparkNotes Editors). Nanny believed a woman will become successful if she married a wealthy man and “sat on the front porch” all day. Nanny did not realize her mentality was battling reality. Nanny’s fantasy of good living contradicted with what Janie had to do; work alongside her husband in the