Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston | Summary & Analysis

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Professor Kristen Over of Northeastern Illinois University provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, themes, and motifs of Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God.
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Zora Neale Hurston's bildungsroman uses a frame narrative to tell the story of the life of the protagonist, Janie. Janie relates her experiences as a black woman growing up in early 20th century Florida. She does this by describing the events to her best friend, having just returned to her hometown after years away.
Janie’s quest for identity reveals the obstacles that an African American woman faced in the early 20th century. A product of rape, she is raised by her grandmother and is married for the first time at 16. She flees that marriage to be with Joe Starks, an ambitious and controlling man who is establishing the all-black town of Eatonville-Hurston's own hometown.
She stays with him until his death twenty years later. Then she meets the younger Tea Cake, with whom she becomes a migrant worker. Through this relationship, Janie discovers true love and, in the process, finds herself. However, she is forced to kill him when he develops rabies from a dog bite and attacks her in a state of delirium.
At the conclusion of the novel, Janie is alone in her house with her memories of the people, places, and experiences she has had. She realizes that she has found peace at last.
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in 1937. Hurston completed the novel in seven weeks while traveling through Haiti. Hurston herself married three times, and her affair with a younger man inspired the novel's character Tea Cake. She was a respected anthropologist, often weaving African American folklore into her writing.
The novel contains many enduring themes: judgment, as Janie faces the opinions others hold of her based on her appearance and actions; inequality, as the characters struggle to overcome limitations imposed on them by society because of their gender, race, and class; and gender roles as Janie searches for a partner who will treat her as an equal rather than as an object.
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[@exoticnoodles4740]

Admit it, we're all here from english class

[@uchihalimbo2057]

Yessir

[@sufferplenty]

Yup, better than reading the actual book.

[@joshuawood7758]

no I'm here from math

[@MrMan.64]

Why else would we be here

[@emmaatkinson779]

Yes 😭😭😭

[@matteamai]

very helpful for my English class. I didn't read the book, so thanks for the crash course lol

[@Cam-dy9lv]

You still have the summary ?

[@suewoo5]

Read this book its great

[@zahirahdavis2573]

you should actuallly read it

[@ryleagoodson9932]

literally have an essay due about this book in less than 12 hours and this is where I started. THANKS

[@tregun8468]

Bout to take the final test for this book and I haven’t read a single page I’ve only watched the summaries and it’s worked lol

[@itstakeone8933]

THIS IS ME RIGHT NOW LITERALLY RIGHT NOW

[@retrofan-girl6382]

How'd that finally test go for you guys, I'm in a similar boat lol

[@evandow5980]

Taking mine tomorrow cramming right now

[@shotz4you657]

Got my test today and I’m relying on these videos, haven’t read a page

[@stevenlorcher-bond6897]

Same here

[@preeti.a.r]

Great way to tell summary and other motifs. Thanks

[@sweetbeecollections]

Honestly this is good for a crash course but really misses nearly everything that makes this such a great read. I really recommended that if you’re here because you haven’t the time to read, consider listening to the audiobook available up here. It really is a timeless, wonderful book
P.S. I’m here bc I never had to read this for school so I’m wondering what all this extra analysis stuff is 😂

[@ezraweldegabriel9046]

It is a medicore read, it is difficult to understand any of the dialog and I had to listen to audio recordings for the whole thing. I would like it if it wasn't that bad but it is just ridiculous how distorted some words are

[@Eddie-oj7kg]

I fw this

[@tooney_2229]

Very helpful! Thank you so much

[@babitamehra2654]

Ma'am good afternoon...I'm from India n I like your teaching way... Lots of respect n 🌹😄

[@okat5800]

she wants the whole crew shawdy brave

[@aldnt9989]

Ur wild for this😭😭😭😭

[@alayabaker3944]

lmaooo

[@crispybagpipes1548]

this is amazing thank you

[@yuliacanini3482]

Wonderful analysis

[@DarkPrincessOfLight]

I love Course Hero!!

[@user-ds6vh5wy1v]

that is wondaful explanation thank you

[@DilafruzSaydullayeva-kh5bw]

Ops tomorrow it will be my presentation from this topic

[@shiprarai4593]

Good explanation

[@jtmccoy4890]

5:56 minecraft zombie sound

[@kryptex448]

I forgot to read the book test is tomorrow 😂

[@thomisflashinged]

Watches all of these vids and failed my test on this book lol….

[@MiaKalov]

how does long hair = excessive rape

[@kyleg4453]

Jesus is King!

[@crocodilepoet]

Wow, what a terrible book!

[@Post4JM]

Can’t agree more!!! garbage garbage garbage