Feminism In Their Eyes Were Watching God
Janie Crawford
- Eyes tells the story of Janie's awakening as a woman and triumphing over the men that try to silence her voice
- Janie is married off when she is very young to Logan Killicks, who treats her like a mule
- She soon leaves him for Joe (Jody) Sparks, an ambitious but controlling man
- Jody dies after being married to Janie for twenty years
- Janie becomes interested in Tea Cake, a natural man who does what he pleases
- She soon runs off with him and with him by her side, grows into the natural woman she has always wanted to be
- Over the course of her three marriages, Janie finds her voice, her horizons, and her confidence
Overarching Themes
Over the course of the book, Zora Neale Hurston ties in three major ideas that can be explained through a feminist lens. They are the Act of Speaking, Seeking Horizons, and Confidence to Deviate from Traditional Roles. As you and the students read the book, pay careful attention to these themes and keep an eye out for significant quotes!
The Act of Speaking
Janie's literal voice and ability to speak represent her freedom and empowerment as a woman. With Logan and especially with Jody, her voice is suppressed, but with Tea Cake she is able to speak.
"Janie loved the conversation and sometimes she thought up good stories on the mule, but Joe had forbidden her to indulge. He didn't want her talking after such trashy people" (53).
Explanation: Jody refuses to let her speak out and tell stories with the rest of the people on the porch. By not letting her use her voice and be natural, he isolates her from people that she would probably choose to spend time with instead of acting like she is above them as the Mayor's wife.
"Time came when she fought back with her tongue as best she could, but it didn't do her any good. It just made Joe do more. He wanted her submission and he'd keep on fighting until he felt he had it. So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush" (71).
Explanation: During her marriage to Jody, Janie comes to accept his control over her, since he is unrelenting and it seems easier to just give in. She buries her voice deep inside and forgets about it for a bit.
"But he done showed me where it's de thought dat makes de difference in ages. If people thinks de same they can make it all right. So in the beginnin' new thoughts had tuh be thought and new words said. After Ah git used tuh dat, we gits 'long jus' fine. He done taught me de maiden language all over" (115).
Explanation: With Jody's death, Janie reaches inside herself and brings her voice back out. Tea Cake helps her revive and even expand her voice, which she never truly had the chance to develop before.
"Janie loved the conversation and sometimes she thought up good stories on the mule, but Joe had forbidden her to indulge. He didn't want her talking after such trashy people" (53).
Explanation: Jody refuses to let her speak out and tell stories with the rest of the people on the porch. By not letting her use her voice and be natural, he isolates her from people that she would probably choose to spend time with instead of acting like she is above them as the Mayor's wife.
"Time came when she fought back with her tongue as best she could, but it didn't do her any good. It just made Joe do more. He wanted her submission and he'd keep on fighting until he felt he had it. So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush" (71).
Explanation: During her marriage to Jody, Janie comes to accept his control over her, since he is unrelenting and it seems easier to just give in. She buries her voice deep inside and forgets about it for a bit.
"But he done showed me where it's de thought dat makes de difference in ages. If people thinks de same they can make it all right. So in the beginnin' new thoughts had tuh be thought and new words said. After Ah git used tuh dat, we gits 'long jus' fine. He done taught me de maiden language all over" (115).
Explanation: With Jody's death, Janie reaches inside herself and brings her voice back out. Tea Cake helps her revive and even expand her voice, which she never truly had the chance to develop before.
Seeking Her Horizons
The horizons represent the distant aspects of the natural world, which Janie is so determined to be in. Throughout her journey in the book, Janie's main goals is to reach the horizons, so she can be natural and at one with herself.
"Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon--for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you--and pinched it in to such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her grandmother's neck tight enough to choke her."
-Ch. 9
Explanation: At this point, Janie is extremely upset with Nanny. She blames Nanny for taking away her horizons and putting Janie in her less than perfect situation with Jody. Essentially, Janie wishes that she had not listened to Nanny and thus she could have led her life in a more natural way.
"She hated her grandmother and had hidden it from herself all these years under a cloak of pity. She had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizons in search of people; it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her. But she had been whipped like a cur dog, and run off down a back road after things. It was all according to the way you see things. Some people could look at a mud-puddle and see an ocean with ships. But Nanny belonged to that other kind that loved to deal in scraps. Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon – for not matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you – and pinched it in to such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter’s neck tight enough to choke her. She hated the old woman who had twisted her so in the name of love.
-Ch.9
Explanation: Nanny tried to confine Janie’s sense of value to only material objects or "things" while Janie has always really loved being natural. Nanny imposed her narrow sense of the world onto the more broadminded Janie. This concept is illustrated in Janie’s metaphor of the horizon; Nanny took the "biggest thing God ever made" and twisted it into a choking noose that would not let Janie breathe, much less live, in the way she wanted to.
"So Ah'm back home agin and Ah'm satisfied tuh be heah. Ah done been tuh de horizon and back and now Ah kin set heah in mah house and live by comparisons."
-Ch 20
Explanation: Janie is finally able to say that she has, "been to the horizon and back." This shows that she has completed her journey in trying to find her horizons. She has now found her true self as she has lived her life to the fullest, having no regrets at all.
"Here was peace. She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see."
-Ch.20
Explanation: She is finally able to bring in her horizons, which indicates that she is finally at one with nature. She is her natural self and has found her own voice and identity. Her journey is complete because Janie finally found the true-meaning in life and is no longer searching for her horizons. This symbolizes the end of seeking her horizons and her acceptance with her natural self.
Confidence to Deviate from Traditional Role
As Janie goes from marrying the "right" man to the right man for her, she gains the confidence to deviate from a southern woman's traditional role. From the time when Nanny held her back to when she walks back into town, Janie has obtained the confidence to ignore tradition, regardless of people's opinions or other consequences.
"What she doin coming back here in dem overhalls? Can't she find no dress to put on?-Where's dat blue satin dress she left here in?...-Betcha he off wid some gal so young she ain't even got no hairs-why she don't stay in her class? (2)"
When Janie comes back to her hometown after burying Tea Cake, she does not act like a traditional woman should and the best part is, she doesn't care. While judging what Janie has done and what she is currently wearing, the women on the porch are horrified and aghast by her explicit dereliction of their ideals. Janie, however, is confident and knows that she is who she wants to be; a natural woman. With her long and swinging hair, Janie refuses to abide with society's expectations and will not even pretend to go along with it by dressing the part. She is utterly and completely at one with herself and does not care what society thinks, which gives her the confidence to deviate from her traditional role as a southern woman.
"Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah..." (24)
Janie talks to Nanny about how she doesn't love Logan Killicks like she wants to and doesn't know how to make things better. Nanny encourages her to just stay with him and accept that marriage is not always happy. Janie wants her life to be like sitting under a pear tree, enjoying the air and the bees. But Janie knows that she must do what is proper in society and stay married to the respectable Mr. Killicks. She doesn't stop dreaming, however, and wishes she could leave him for a better alternative but it takes until Joe Sparks comes along down the road for her to start to try to escape from the bondage of society. She wants it but lacks the confidence to just walk away from the situation.
"Tain't dat Ah worries over Joe's death, Pheoby. Ah jus' loves dis freedom."
"Sh-sh-sh! Don't let nobody jear you say dat, Janie. Folks will say you ain't sorry he's gone."
"Le 'em say whut dey wants tuh, Pheoby. To my thinkin' mourning oughtn't tuh last no longer'n grief." (93)
When Janie finally escapes her marriage with Jody, she goes a bit further in ignoring societal norms and although she does not abandon them completely, she acts out in small ways to show her new and growing confidence. For example, she lets her hair down very soon after Jody's death, showing that she doesn't have to abide by his rules anymore. Furthermore, Janie refers to Jody as simply "Joe" which shows on a deeper level, her unwillingness to go along with his wishes. She pretends to look for suitors but Janie admits to Pheoby that a) she is not sad about Joe's death and b) she has no intention of remarrying another "proper" man. Janie despises the custom that a widow must be in mourning for a certain amount of time because in her mind, she doesn't miss Joe so why should she pretend? She wants to be natural and free and although she is resisting more and more, she is not yet ready to completely leave behind Granny's ideals and walk into the unknown but natural world.
"What she doin coming back here in dem overhalls? Can't she find no dress to put on?-Where's dat blue satin dress she left here in?...-Betcha he off wid some gal so young she ain't even got no hairs-why she don't stay in her class? (2)"
When Janie comes back to her hometown after burying Tea Cake, she does not act like a traditional woman should and the best part is, she doesn't care. While judging what Janie has done and what she is currently wearing, the women on the porch are horrified and aghast by her explicit dereliction of their ideals. Janie, however, is confident and knows that she is who she wants to be; a natural woman. With her long and swinging hair, Janie refuses to abide with society's expectations and will not even pretend to go along with it by dressing the part. She is utterly and completely at one with herself and does not care what society thinks, which gives her the confidence to deviate from her traditional role as a southern woman.
"Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah..." (24)
Janie talks to Nanny about how she doesn't love Logan Killicks like she wants to and doesn't know how to make things better. Nanny encourages her to just stay with him and accept that marriage is not always happy. Janie wants her life to be like sitting under a pear tree, enjoying the air and the bees. But Janie knows that she must do what is proper in society and stay married to the respectable Mr. Killicks. She doesn't stop dreaming, however, and wishes she could leave him for a better alternative but it takes until Joe Sparks comes along down the road for her to start to try to escape from the bondage of society. She wants it but lacks the confidence to just walk away from the situation.
"Tain't dat Ah worries over Joe's death, Pheoby. Ah jus' loves dis freedom."
"Sh-sh-sh! Don't let nobody jear you say dat, Janie. Folks will say you ain't sorry he's gone."
"Le 'em say whut dey wants tuh, Pheoby. To my thinkin' mourning oughtn't tuh last no longer'n grief." (93)
When Janie finally escapes her marriage with Jody, she goes a bit further in ignoring societal norms and although she does not abandon them completely, she acts out in small ways to show her new and growing confidence. For example, she lets her hair down very soon after Jody's death, showing that she doesn't have to abide by his rules anymore. Furthermore, Janie refers to Jody as simply "Joe" which shows on a deeper level, her unwillingness to go along with his wishes. She pretends to look for suitors but Janie admits to Pheoby that a) she is not sad about Joe's death and b) she has no intention of remarrying another "proper" man. Janie despises the custom that a widow must be in mourning for a certain amount of time because in her mind, she doesn't miss Joe so why should she pretend? She wants to be natural and free and although she is resisting more and more, she is not yet ready to completely leave behind Granny's ideals and walk into the unknown but natural world.