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 Their Eyes Were Watching God

Conflict and Romance. These two sisters often appear side by side in most of the old tales. Their Eyes Were Watching God is no exception. A treasure trove for the thorough reader, Zora Neale Hurston presents an immense array of colorful characters, historical references,  and literary devices. This website aims to help a reader reach a deeper understanding of the concepts and characters that the book portrays, provide tools to support an active reading experience, and give some background into the stories truths that lie behind the fiction.

Novel Synopsis

By: H. Neibert 

               This novel is set in Florida during the early 1900’s. Although the story begins in Eatonville, FL, the End to Flashback pattern of arrangement brings the reader from west Florida, to Eatonville, to Jacksonville, to the Everglades, and then back to Eatonville. In the beginning the main character, Janie, is just returning to town after a long period away. Upon returning she retells her life story to her friend, Pheoby, and the readers. Her intriguing life story is the content of the novel.
                The content of this novel circulates around the protagonist, Janie, and the three husbands that she has over the course of her tale. The husbands are named: Logan, Joe, and Tea Cake respectively. Before these husbands come into her life, Janie begins to question life and love. What do these things mean and how can they be experienced? With each husband that Janie marries, she learns a little bit more about love and life. However, the things she learns are not always pleasant.  
                The two primary conflicts are Person Vs. Person and Person Vs. God/fate. Much of the conflict comes from Janie’s husbands as they do not allow her to be herself or speak her voice. However, another form of conflict, Person Vs. God/fate, comes into play as Janie watches God or waits on God to change her circumstances.
              The story becomes very exciting when Janie becomes the wife of a mayor. As her relationship with the mayor becomes abrasive much of her life is altered. When Janie remarries, she becomes content and happy working side by side with the young love of her life. But hurricanes and rabid dogs take Tea Cake and her blissful love away.
               With her third husband dead, Janie has nothing to do but return to the town where she was the wife of the mayor. When she gets there the townspeople have spread creative rumors and false witness about what has happened to her life. Janie tells the whole story to her friend, Pheoby, because Phoeby wants to know, and not because she wants to defend herself. Janie is satisfied as she explains to Phoeby the lessons she’s learned of love and life.

Click on this student-made Commercial for a brief dramatic overview of the novel.
(Commercial made by Cherilyn Jorgensen)