Rating: 
Summary: 3 and 1/2-3.75 Stars
Review: I had fun reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, and was entertained while doing so, but the end result left me somewhat unimpressed. The Southern dialect makes the novel a bit hard to read at first, but soon you'll pick up on it and won't even notice (as always when dialect is used extensively in a book.) The novel is an interesting, and slightly atypical portrayal of black community as seen at the time of the Harlem Rennaisance. The reader becomes sympathetic with the main character, Janie, during the course of the book, as she is a realistic and lovable character despite, or maybe because of, her sometimes irrational decisions. One feels for her as she struggles for acceptance and independence and falls prey naively to men that are less than she seemingly deserves. The dialogue was entertaining, and some of the language was lyrical and uplifting and, occasionally, profound, and, oftentimes funny. So why less than 4 stars? The ending of the book is unsatisfying. After such a journey, one would expect a somewhat clearer resolution. I don't really see the point or theme of the book, what Hurston was really trying to get across. The body of the book could be looked at as a discourse on the true meaning of love. Janie encounters false love at several points, and then finds true love in an unlikely source, eventually. But this doesn't seem to be the book's main message (if it has one.) Maybe it can be looked at as the epitomal tale of a character of this type, say the Catcher In The Rye for young black women (I realize, of course, that this novel predates Catcher, but you will appreciate my example.) Or perhaps it was just meant to be a realistic, if somewhat romanticized, portrayal of a young black woman growing up in the early part of the century. On this level, it succeeds. On a deeper level, perhaps it doesn't. In any case, this IS an enjoyable book, and I can see the cause for the recent upsurge in the scholarship surrounding it and it's being taught in public schools. Not a literary classic because of it's imperfection, but a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Hurston is a classic American voice
Review: I must say that after reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, that Hurston is one of the best writers of the 20th century. She captures the authenticity of African-American culture after slavery. She told the story of Black people with eloquence, wit, a little bit of anger but with a lot of humor. She, as a Harlem Renaissance writer, was not as negative and angry as her then rival, author Richard Wright. For anyone who is intrested in her work, read this book first. Her language is lyrical and will stay with after you've finished. Unforgettable experience!!!
Rating:
Summary: Ain't Nothing Wrong With a Woman Wanting Her Teacake and ...
Review: .....Eating It Too"Real Love.................. I'm Searching For A Real Love Someone To Set My Heart Free Real Love.................... I'aanayammm Searching For A Real Love" By Mary J. Blige If Zora Neale Hurston were alive, I believe she would have really liked that song, seeing as how it's sort of a theme for "Their Eyes Were Watching GOD" and Janie herself. The specific verse "Someone to Set My Heart Free" is not only saying what all women want but what all women need. Janie was me; Janie was you; just wanting someone to make her feel alive; a life she was excited to live. I can't imagine what it must have been like growing up back then with all the rules and judgements her grandmother put on her. She probably couldn't wait to get out of that house, which explains her nonchalant marriage to Logan Killicks. A good, hardworking man he was, but an exciting vibrant lover, in every sense of the word, he definitelty wasn't. We all want a man to take of us, but not just financially, but emotionally, physically, and spiritually too. Some people who feel confined in relationships live through them, but there are a choice few who decide to break away. Take, for instance, Rose from the movie, "Titanic". She was engaged to marry Cal and knew she was headed for a life of boredom, so she made the dangerous, life-altering decision to run away with Jack, and even though Jack died before her, just like Teacake died before Janie, do you think either woman regretted her decision??? Living with Logan was getting more and more everyday like the funk of old clothing that never gets washed. So when Joe Starks came strolling by with his fresh suit and clean cut appearance, he was like a breath of fresh air. Janie didn't stop to think about the consequences; she just left. A lot of lessons were learned through this relationship on Janie's part. Money isn't everything was one of them. I asked myself why didn't she leave Joe like she left Logan??? She obviously wasn't happy. I believe Ms. Hurston had a lot of love and respect for Teacake and wanted her audience to have those same feelings. I like to think there was one main reason she didn't bring Teacake into the story until after Joe's death. If Teacake had come into the picture while Joe was still alive, the readers would be critical of Janie. She already ran off from one husband. Doing it again would have questioned her value as a character to be taken seriously. "What now", she must have thought after Joe's death, She had lost most of her youth with this man and still didn't feel complete. Then he showed up. He was a man that didn't have a lot of money, but knew how to take care of his woman with the little he had. He was a man that didn't have a consistent means of transportation, but he showed his woman the world in his own way. He wasn't a man that had an extensive education, but his unique brand of speech and persuasion could convince anyone that he was a force to be reckoned with. Teacake had the confidence of DMX, the devotion of Forrest Gump, and the unconditional love of Jack Dawson. Who couldn't love a man like that??? Definitely not Janie, furthermore me, myself. Richard Wright, renowned author of the African American classics Black Boy and Native Son stated that "Their Eyes Were Watching GOD" was a work with " no theme, no message, no thought". I like to think Ms. Hurston was just an author ahead of her time. The themes, messages, and thoughts presented in this book were surpressed in her day, but are now welcomed in ours. People were so busy being oppressed back then, they didn't focus on how happy a Teacake could have made them. But now all of us are looking for a Teacake, and there aren't enough of them to go around. GOD BLESS, Tamara
Rating:
Summary: Amazing, beautiful
Review: This is an amazing, beautiful book. I started reading and couldn't put it down. Janie, the main character, finds out about FUN! She finds out about love and fun and herself in a wonderful story that takes place on many different levels.
Rating: 
Summary: Waste of Time
Review: It's been a while since I read this book, but there's nothing really special about it- it's not particularly deep, and the story doesnt really have all that much to say. Two thumbs down!
Rating:
Summary: Ships at a distance
Review: This book is not really a love story. This book is not really a story about Florida and Eatonville (which really does exist and Hurston really did live there). This is a book about a journey. Janie goes on a journey that takes her all over Florida and into the arms of three different men, but that's not what this book is about, either. This book is about Janie's journey to find herself and to discover that the only thing that is truly important is to find out what life is for yourself. This is a beautiful, life-afirming book. If you don't like this book, you probably read it in a high school class. I didn't like most of what I read in high school, either, just out of principle.
Rating:
Summary: more than a love story
Review: This book was awesome. it was a nice mixture of everything a book should have. not too much description, but enough to be interesting. not too much love, but enough to be interesting. not too much death, that would be depressing, but enough to be realistic. the best part of this book was that the main character was a partially black women, but the theme of the novel was not about her struggles as a black women, instead the book was about her life as a women. i think that zora neal hurston is an incredible women. if you like this book i also recoment "Dusttracks" her autobiography/play. it was really interesting and it helped relate this story to her life. it was a great book, and a great story too. i enjoyed reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Didn't really care for it
Review: I thought this book was slow moving at first, then it finally picks up towards the end. I did think that the male characters were interesting, and it was entertaining to see how many different personalities one woman can fall in love with. I recommend reading something else.
Rating:
Summary: Their Eyes Were Watching God Review
Review: Their Eyes Were Watching God was truly an inspirational novel. The novel showed the opression from racism, and also the hardships from sexism at the same time. Janie, an African American woman post Civil War, spent the first thirty years of her life within the boundaries her society had set for her. She was made to live below whites and men. She submitted to live a sheltered, confined existance, which brought her no happiness until love set her free. Tea Cake, a man many years younger than Janie, saw beyond what she was supposed to be. He saw into her soul and not only allowed her to live, but loved her for it. Tea Cake and Janie had a rare and pure love that people live their entire lives to find. They rebuked what was expected from them and followed their hearts. The couple made the best with what they had, and what they lacked they made up for with love. Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel that people of all ages and races can relate to. The humanity portrayed in this book is so simple that it is touching, showing Hurston's genius insight. The characters have many dimensions and are very realistic. The storyline has so many interesting conflicts that it captivates the reader throughout the book. This novel has so many messages and deals with many social issues that are still important today.
Rating:
Summary: It's not Dickens but it's almost as good
Review: When my AP English teacher announced we would be reading Their Eyes Were Watching God in place of A Tale of Two Cities, I was livid. I am a huge Dicken's fan and was looking forward to getting an easy A on a book I had already read twice. Then she said that we were reading the book not because it was particularly good but because it was written by a black woman and the AP test often asked questions about women or black authors. I was raging. In fact, I don't think I have ever been that mad in my entire life. I hate political correctness. But this is not a political discussion it is a book review. If you haven't guessed when I started reading this book I was less than excited. Luckily, I was pleasently suprised. The book is not bad in fact it is really good. The ending ALMOST made me cry (in case you were wondering I never cry, not even at my Grnadpa's funeral) You can't help but feel for the charachter's plight in this story and the ending is astounding. It is one of those books that just leaves you sitting their saying wow. This is one of those books that you keep thinking about for days after you finished it. I loved it even though it is not Dickens and I was determined to hate. So just think how much you will enjoy this book. Splurge a little, buy it because you will want to read it again and again
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