their eyes were watching god
Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937, was a novel so ahead of its time that it was hardly recognized until nearly 40 years later. The story follows the life of Janie Crawford, a black woman living in Florida in the early 1900's. The book centers on Janie's desire and search for self-establishment, but also deals with the problems of racism, materialism, death, and the treatment of women, among others. Throughout the forty years of her life documented in the book, Janie learns to live according to her own values and not be defined by others. Born an only child and abandoned by her mother, Janie is raised by her grandmother, an ex-slave who makes many sacrifices to ensure that Janie will have a better life than she did. She tells Janie, "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. Ah been prayin' fuh it tuh be different wid you." Wanting security for her grandd
Their Eyes Were Watching God was the first novel by an African-American woman to explore the interior psyche of a woman who successfully "creates" her own persona. When a hurricane strikes the Everglades, Janie and Tea Cake flee to higher ground. Tea Cake saves Janie from a rabid dog, but is bitten in the process. Several weeks later he contracts rabies and Janie must shoot him to protect herself. After being tried for murder and found innocent, Janie returns to Eatonville, where she tells her friend Pheoby Watson the story. However, instead of cursing God for what happened to Tea Cake, she feels immense gratitude for the life he has given her and finds joy in the many warm memories of their life together. Janie is fulfilled at the end of the novel, in which "she called in her soul to come and see." Janie finds the love of her life when she meets Vergible Woods, who goes by the nickname Tea Cake. He i
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Approximate Word count = 619
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
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