Their Eyes Were Watching God

Rating:
Summary: Ambivalent feelings.
Review: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is probably an overlooked classic, but that is understandable. The plot isn't as strong as I had hoped for, and the hurricane isn't much of a focal point; I did not get a rich sense of history. At times, I struggled through reading the African-American vernacular, and I didn't get the hang of it until more than halfway. I never stopped pitying Janie and her hard times, and I was unhappy with her ending. I can't say I'll walk away with anything from reading this book. I "sorta" recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful language, memorable characters, amazing story
Review: This book was originally published in 1937 and brought back into print because of an article in MS Magazine written by Alice Walker in 1975. It is considered a classic now, and is often required reading in South Florida high schools, and elsewhere I suspect, as well as being the book selected for Read Together Palm Beach County and for Read Together, Florida, a statewide reading project in 2004. Hurston was a member of the Harlem Renaissance movement, but was abhorred by Richard Wright who criticized her severely. Nonetheless, this book was an alternate pick of the Book of the Month Club when originally published. A short time later, some very ugly charges were leveled against Hurston; she eventually cleared her name but she never really got over it. Her books went out of print and she died, penniless, and was buried in an unmarked grave. Alice Walker found what was presumably Hurston's grave and erected a monument that reads, in addition to her name and dates, "Genius of the South."

Their Eyes Were Watching God has quite a bit of Hurston's life, and more importantly, her beliefs invested in the main character of Janie Crawford. The novel is framed by Janie's return to Eatonville, the first all black incorporated city in the United States. Everyone in town is gossiping about her, and Janie tells her story to Pheoby, her best friend, and asks her to tell the townsfolk. Janie was raised by grandmother, Nanny, a former slave, who marries her off to an older farmer, Logan Killicks, when she's 16. She's not happy in that marriage and she leaves and marries Joe Starkes, who takes her to the new town of Eatonville. He becomes mayor there, and builds a store that becomes the center of town life. Twenty years later he dies, and she hooks up with the love of her life, Tea Cake, who is much younger than she is. He takes her to the Everglades where they survive the hurricane of 1928 that wiped out the 'Glades, but Tea Cake gets bitten by a rabid dog in the process. After his death, Janie returns to Eatonville, completing the frame.

This is the story of a strong black woman's search for happiness and independence in a time when neither of those things was easily attainable. It is written in dialect, and is not an easy read. I listened to the beginning of the book on CD, produced by Recorded Books and read by Michele-Denise Woods, which it made it much easier to read on my own. It is also available on audiocassette read by Ruby Dee. Reading it aloud also helps - hearing the dialect makes it much easier to read. It's a terrific story and the language is incredibly beautiful, making the life of Janie Crawford a memorable one.

Rating:
Summary: English
Review: In Z.N.H Their Eyes Were Watching God, she exemplified how far a woman would go to find self- satisfaction. When Janie was a mere child, her Nanny instilled in her that the materialistic ideas she needed to be complete. With the next two men to come into her life, Janie was constantly at battle with what she had dreamed of in a marriage, and the reality that her husbands set for her. Being that she was a free soul, trapped in an unhappy life, she could never take her apron off or let her hair flow. Janie's long braided hair was symbolic of her freedom. If she was able to let it down, she was free. When Janie finally met her soul mate, she was happy. She finally wanted to do things for her man because she wanted to not because she had to.
Throughout the story, it is a constant theme how Janie was always looking for some type of fulfillment. It seems like she thought the only way to be happy was to be with a man. After all of the men she went through, Janie was finally able to find the self satisfaction within herself. She dealt with her first husband demanding her work in the fields, her second husband treating her an inferior and her third cheating on her, stealing from her then trying to kill her. It seems like each time Janie fell in love, that love only grew worse.
I think that Their Eyes Were Watching God, was a true example of a woman searching for her soul. This is a woman's book because it is about the power of a woman and how men can have such an effect on our lives. Janie learned something from each man she was with. She learned to have strength, never to let a man belittle you, and not to put up with infidelity. Janie may have been weak when it came to choosing the right man but she was strong when it came to standing up for herself.
What is truly intriguing in the book is that although the man is put into a stereotypical position, the female character puts a twist on the scenario. While all of the male figures were indeed the bread makers and the rulers of the house, Janie supported herself after her husband died. She had the power to move on and not be in fear of what the local towns people would think. In the era that the book was written this was very unlikely.
Hurston puts together a story of full of love and hate, and the search for true self satisfaction. All and all the book was truly enjoyable and will be one that will be around for even more decades to come.

Rating:
Summary: One Big Step For Women's Independence
Review: "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is a must-read for all women. This book was written back in the 1930's when women were not recognized or appreciated for who they were. Slavery was still an issue in areas of the world. Janie was raised by her grandmother who always wanted the best for her, even if it wasn't what Janie wanted. I was inspired by Janie's will and grace. This story was about her journey through life as she strived for happiness and contentment. All she ever wanted was to feel and know love. She spent her whole life doing what everyone else thought was right for her. She finally decided that in order to be happy, she must make some decisions on her own. She learned to follow her heart and in doing so, she found the love and happiness that she had always wanted. Love found her when she least expected it. Janie did not care what everyone thought about her new relationship. She was happy and that is all that mattered. She set an example for many women in the world. They did not have to live in homes where they were not appreciated or did not feel loved. Overall, this book will give readers a better understanding of life during these times. Also, it will make you realize how fortunate we are to live in today's world where women are equal. Men do not have to worry about the color of their skin. We all have an opportunity to live our lives to the fullest and make our own decisions. Avid readers and historians alike will get something from this book. This will put your emotions on edge. The author made me feel like I was experiencing her life first-hand. Janie was a very strong woman. This story just goes to show that we can overcome any obstacle as long as we look to God for guidance.

Rating:
Summary: Their Eyes Were Watching God
Review: I had a hard time deciding between writing about Their Eyes Were Watching God and Malcom X. Both books drew many feelings out of me. However, the main character Janie brought something out of me that inspired me to write. I found myself relating to her in so many ways and wishing that she would one day have the life that she truly deserved.

When the book first started, I felt sorry for Janie. She was the gossip of the town and had only one true friend. The sad thing was that people mainly disliked Janie because of her beauty, not because of her character. Many were simply jealous. Deep down I could never imagine what is would be like to be raised by any one other than my parents. True enough, she had the love of her grandmother, but never knowing your parents seems unbearable. Once I read on, I came to think...how could she ever really know herself without meeting her parents? Having my parents as a vital role within my life helps complete me. I'm blessed to know both of them inside and out and through them, I find my identity, my history, and most importantly myself. There must have been a deep hole that could never be filled for Janie since she did not have the same opportunity with her parents (or even one parent for that matter). Perhaps she expected men to fill this hole. I know personally I could never be whole without my parents. Then on top of that, she only had stories to go off of to learn what her mom was really like.

Janie's first marriage to Logan did not go as expected. However she trusted the words of her grandmother and hoped that one day she could ignore the love she didn't have for him to focus on his wealth and be thankful. Those words sound so familiar. My mom has told me on more than one occasion that you marry for finance not romance (but she claims that with my father she was lucky to receive both :) ). Nanny's words sounded like a replica of my mother's. I sympathized with Janie because how could you marry and stay with someone that you didn't love. It seems impossible. I always thought that love was more important than the wealth and possessions of a man.

Throughout the novel, Janie seems to search for this ideal horizon of how she wants her life to be. As a reader, this kept me interested because the author creates this sense of hope for Janie within the novel. This leaves the reader wanting the best for Janie and hoping that by the conclusion of the novel, her happiness will be attained. Isn't everyone on a quest in life? Don't we all have this ideal image of how we want our purpose of life to be served? One of the saddest things for me to imagine is for someone to go through life unhappy. You only have one life. Why shouldn't it be the best that it could possibly be? I believe with all my heart that happiness is something that we all deserve. Through Janie's ups and downs, I remained hopeful that her character would find that something to fill the hole in her heart. I hoped that one day she could be complete and find the happiness that everyone deserved.

I believe that this book speaks to women. This is my opinion. I would find it hard to believe that a woman would not be able to identify with some aspect of this book. I could personally relate to so many! This book touched me in regards to the absence of her parents in her life and also within her quest to find her horizon that would grant her the happiness that she never had. However, I found the main themes to center around identity and happiness. I felt that this book also lets women know how they should be treated. If you know who you are and you are happy with who you are, you will know exactly what you deserve in life and you will come to realize that settling is not an option.

I hope that future readers enjoy this book as much as I did, especially women readers. Within this book, there are so many things that women can relate to. Happy reading!!!

Rating:
Summary: english 230
Review: I thought that "Their Eyes were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston was an extraordinary novel. I believe that it's not only a feminist novel, but any person that is fascinated and touched by the power of love will definitely be attracted to this novel. It conveys the struggles this young African American woman went through to find her life companion, soul mate and lover. What really attracted me to the character Janie was how she tended to get back up on her feet despite her numerous falls. Moreover, the construction of the novel and the slang that was used made me, as the reader, feel as if I personally knew her and felt every sorrow and happiness that she went through. Janie conveys a determined and strong character. Throughout her beginning life, she felt the lack of affection and emotional love. Her being forced to think that love is revealed after marriage was really a myth that her grandmother embedded in her mind. Her grandmother's downfalls in life taught her that poverty is the main necessity for a fulfiller and happier marriage. The failing of her first marriage causes her to realize that poverty it not the basis of love. Poverty was just a way that her grandmother thought would protect her. I think that when Janie followed and lived with this myth, she just ended up wasting her time. When she finally does find her ideal love, it made me feel her happiness and overwhelming passion that was tucked away for so long. She ultimately found and brought to light passions that were hidden in her. It's hard to believe how she can still reveal love and affection even though she was never able to show it. Her suffered and bruised heart was healed with the power of love. Her last marriage is what she always dreamed of. The ending of the novel is surprising and it will shock you. I recommend this novel to every reader so that they can be moved by it as I was!

Rating:
Summary: English 230
Review: Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is a wonderful piece of fiction that keeps you interested and guessing all the way. The novel constits of many characters that help inspire the novel in many ways. The main character, Janie, is an African- American woman that struggles her whole life to find " true love" in her marriages. Being victims of rape, her mother and grandmother have placed an image for love of men different from her feelings of what love should be. Another factor that stood in her way of being happy was the fact that she was an African American woman at that time. At her time, the African American woman had to struggle with the world around her. Most women at that time were not respected or treated the way a woman should be. So it revels the hardships that many African American women went through at that time. Unfortunately for Janie she had to go through two marriages before she finds "true love." I found this very saddening because being a woman I could relate to the lost feelings she yearned for. Love is a wonderful feeling and comes in many different forms. For example, the love you have towards a child is different from the love a wife would have for her husband. As you read through the hard times Janie yearns for love from a companion, you sort of feel what she is feeling. It's as if you can feel the sadness she is feeling. Then when she does find love with her third husband, you feel the sparks and love they have for one another. The best part of the story was the ending. It is a definite shocker and will touch your heart. This was an excellent novel that keeps you guessing. It's very romantic, sad, dramatic and brings feelings of anger as you read. I would encourage everyone to read it!

Rating:
Summary: Strength and beauty
Review: Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God is a beautiful text, which shows strength in the face of hardship. The main character, Janie, takes the reader on a journey through her life. She recalls her first love, her three marriages, and her eventual return to the place where she was raised.

Janie is a strong and determined character. She longs to see the beauty in life and hopes to experience all she can. She imagines her first love, and dreams of being in his arms, saying, "[I] saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight" (11).

However, as Janie is dreaming of the beauty life has to offer, her grandmother is facing the harsh reality. Nanny worries for Janie's safety, and knowing she will soon die, strives to marry Janie off into comfort. Nanny has experienced first hand the struggles life offers, and hopes for a better life for her granddaughter.

Janie is married to Logan Killicks, the choice of Nanny, but he is far from the ideal Janie has imagined for herself. She wanted a fairy tale romance, but instead sacrificed that for a monetary relationship with him. Far from being his wife, as she would have hoped, she is instead treated as a daughter and a worker.

Janie leaves Logan, only to fall for another man, Joe Starks. He too is financially stable, and offers Janie an easier lifestyle as the Mayor's wife. He dresses her up, and parades her around, but she has no voice in the relationship. Joe is unable to emotionally sustain her, and even resorts to violence against her, verbally attacking her for miniscule mistakes. She longs to be part of the group outside, talking and joking, but is unable to be herself when she is around Joe. Her thoughts flash back to the love she once dreamed about underneath the pear tree.

Janie eventually finds this love with Tea Cake, her third husband. The two work side by side in the Everglades picking beans, and live in a shack much different from the comfortable home Janie was used to. However, the daily toil was well worth it to the couple, which enjoyed every second they shared together.

When a hurricane threatens to wipe out the hope where the two were living, Janie and Tea Cake set off for higher ground. While Tea Cake finally falls asleep from exhaustion, Janie looks for something to cover him with. She grabs a piece of roofing, and ends up falling into the rising waters. Screaming for Tea Cake, Janie is floating face to face with a rabid dog. Tea Cake rushes to rescue her, but before killing the dog, he is bit on the face.

Janie is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life. In a split second, she is forced to choose between her life and his. Though I cannot give away what happens, I can say the novel does not end bitterly. Janie eventually returns to the life she had left long ago. Amidst the gossip, she reveals the true story of her life to her best friend Phoeby. She tells her, "Love is lak de sea. It's a movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets" (191). Janie says that the love her and Tea Cake shared was like this lake. It was so strong, it was able to sustain them while they were together and while apart.

Throughout the novel, the reader sees the trials and struggles Janie faces while growing up. However, these never keep her down. She faces loss from the opening page through the last, but her strength and willingness to accept and see the good make this novel a beautiful and inspiring work.

Rating:
Summary: Their eyes were watching
Review: This is the story of one woman's struggle to find her personal space in a world dominated by White people and Black men. This is also a love story of one woman who had a vision of what true love would look like. On page 11, Janie describes in such poetic language what a perfect love match is. I tingle in delight. I read this piece over and over. It is beautiful! Read on. As a young girl daydreaming in her grandmother's back yard, she looks to nature to describe what a marriage made of love looks like. On a beautiful spring day, lying relaxed under the pear tree, she watches a "dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!" Janie was honored to behold such a revelation. "She felt pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid". Thus, begins Janie's heart held hope of a love that could match the love mating phenomenon of nature.
I would recommend that every Black woman and man for that matter, read Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes were Watching God. I think men and women will enjoy reading the book because it is a story of relationships between men and women, their attitudes and thoughts during the 1930's. The story is told in first person, but we glimpse the attitudes of the men through Janie's narrative. Women were expected to be obedient and subservient to their men. Men showed their love through their provision for the family, not through a lot of romantic dreaming. That women needed men to take of them was instilled in Janie before her grandmother died. Janie was forced to marry her first husband so that grandmother could die in peace knowing that her granddaughter would be taken care of.
When smooth talking Jody Sparks came along, promising to take her away from such a life, and place on her rightful pedestal, Janie at first hesitated, because Jody did not represent pear blossoming trees of love either. But Jody represented freedom, and hope. She flung off the apron that tied her to Killicks, and ran off and married Jody.
Janie was forced to suppress her selfhood under her husbands' dreams for himself. Janie was not allowed to speak her own thoughts, nor was she able to be what she needed to be. Would Janie be able to hold fast to her dreams of love and marriage despite the seemingly contradictions of her actions in marrying men who could not fulfill her dreams. Janie's character is strong in this story, yet she is considered meek and feminine. Although her marriages were unfulfilling and loveless, Janie does not make a move on her own to end them. She takes action only with the help of fate knocking at her door. When new man Tea Cakes enters Janie's life could he be the "love thoughts" of women? You'll have to read the book to find out if this was Janie's life long dream of love and personal freedom or just another flaw in the line of busted dreams.

Rating:
Summary: their eyes
Review: As you journey through the world of fiction reading, I would suggest the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston for your reading pleasure. This story shows how a women struggles to find her identity and inner happiness despite her lifetime of disappointments. I like this book, because it deals with many issues of woman empowerment. The struggle that Janie experienced then, can very well relate to other situations that occur with the woman of today. As a teen, Janie is forced by her Nanny to marry an older man, Logan Killicks, for protection and stability as a last wish to her aging grandmother. I don't believe that this wish was a fair one for Janie's grandmother to make. Although, Nanny was trying to look out for the well being of her granddaughter, I believe that this demand left a deep scar on Janie's life.
As Janie goes on in life, she is introduced to two more men who soon become her husbands too. In each marriage, Janie struggles with quietly submitting her thoughts fully. To the men in her life, if a sense of talk back or freedom of speech was exercised, a slap to the face was her reward. It is clear to see by the end of the book that Janie was simply looking for love in all the wrong places. This book brings up many questions that I thought about while reading. Does the absence of Janie's mother and father have a lot to do with Janie's long-term struggles? Do you feel that Nanny's dying wish was a fair one? Their Eyes Were Watching God is an intense book. In order to get the full understanding of this book, you have to read it. In my opinion, it left me wanting for more in the end. If you go through emotions like happiness, sadness and nervousness you know then that this book is complex and keeps you on the edge of your seats.
Their Eyes Were Watching God, and award-winning novel.