Chelsey Nwadike

April 1, 2016
Truitt
Independent Study

Their Eyes Were Watching God

In this novel, Zora Neale Hurston, depicts the many endeavors of Ms. Janie Mae
Crawford in the Deep South after the Civil War. Different occasions come about where she is
gossiped about throughout the entire community for being different or immodest for her
decision that corrupts the status quo. She also must face mixed racial opinions since she is part
white. The cultural aspect of the book affects the protagonist and her life encounters. Many of
the cultural traits, found in the novel, are still relatable to modern times of society.
Janie Mae Crawford was beautiful, young, privileged, and a target for discussion. In the
beginning of the novel, she is described as to having firm buttocks; the great rope of black
hair ; her pugnacious breast (Hurston, 1990, p.2). Even in todays time, a beautiful
women, such as Janie, is the topic of gossip. Women or porch sitters in the novel did not want the
men chasing her or found her life to be undignified to them as she lived comfortably while others
worked hard from youth. Her freedom and lack of responsibility was the envy of them and the
generator of gossip. The men in her life only wanted to please her, yet they also wanted very
much to control her.

- Why cant she stay in her class?-(Hurston, 1990, p. 1). Women in many cultures are
submissive under a male dominated rule. In Igbo culture, I have personally experienced the
traditional opinions of where my place was as a young women just like Janie. She is repeatedly
subjected to ridicule for not being the women everyone wants her to be. Many women in this
southern culture had their identity through their husband.
Janies first dream was dead, so she became a women. (Hurston, 1990, p.25) Women
are not allowed to be thinkers or visionaries. The female figure or wife is looked upon as a
trophy figure. They were to be seen and not heard. In the novel, this situation is presented often
during her marriage to Jody Starks. Starks makes it his job to do all the thinking in their
relationship. In chapter five, he says, Thank yuh fuh yo compliments but mah wife dint know
nothing bout speech makin. (Hurston, 1990, p. 43). When Starks died, his essence still
controlled Janie because her husband was dead, so this meant her own life was figuratively over.
She had to mourn his lost with black or white clothing. Janie grandmother even said De nigger
woman is de mule of the world so far as I can see.
The men make it their duties to provide for their families. A man was not considered a
real man unless he could provide for his wife and family. For instance, Igbo men must prove
their stability by paying a bride price. The better qualities of the bride the higher, her bride price
would be more expensive. Logan Killicks, Janies first husband, was a simple farmer who
provided heavily for Janie. Jody Starks had a plan and built a fortune and a town which offered
financial security for Janie. He also made Janie tie up her long; flowing hair in order to control
the attention she received from other men and Janie herself. Verigible Woods or Tea Cake did
not actually have a job, yet he still provided for Janie. The men provided for their wife, but
beating them showed control. Stark beats Janie to show his dominance to Janie. Tea Cake beat

her to show others that he had control. Killick threatened to kill Janie, but she ran off before he
could. Men ruled with an iron hand, and they were obligated to show power.
The time period of the novel takes place after the slavery. The African American
population is still poor and hard working. The book does reflect on how even being poor and
hard laborers did not kill the joy for them. Who dont love tuh laugh and play?(Hurston, 1990,
p. 63). The novel has different occasions of comical moments. It brings relief to the novel. It also
shows how through hard times and poverty there was still time for laughter. When Janie and
Jodie are in Eatonville, the characters are hysterical.
Serious matters always had a trace of foolery. For instance, chapter six deals greatly with
a rambunctious mule. It is quite a serious matter among the men, but it also brightens up the
mood of the novel when discussing its mischievous adventures. The men always discuss love in
a playful manner with the pretty women of Eatonville as well. In chapter eighteen, before a
hurricane, Tea Cake is strumming his guitar at a gathering while his companion, Muck Boy,
sings about a mothers drawers. Their low standard of living does not affect their daily
happiness.
There were some oppositions that dealt on how much joking and laughter when about the
like of black laborers, but it did not stop the enjoyment. The laughter did not mean laziness. It
displayed a factor of how people got through a long day. Gathering amongst the community
occurred for special occasions whether good or bad.
Today, people will cook and gather for deaths, sickness, birthday, graduation, engagement
etc. As a Nigerian American, parties and gatherings happen very often. It is part of our customs,
and it bring togetherness of our people as portrayed in the novel.

Religion a key component of a life in the South. Christianity is the main practice.
Throughout the novel, there are numerous bible references and mentions are in the text and
dialogue between the characters. For example, Janies nanny calls on Jesus to calm her soul after
being terrified of Janie getting kissed by Johnny Taylor, in chapter two. Another occasion is
when Starks becomes mayor and installs the first streetlight. There is prayer and worship to God
for the lighting ceremony. Even the song corresponded to the newly mounted light in the small
town of Eatonville. Separation from the church was controversy. When in chapter twelve there is
talk of Tea Cake removing Janie from the church.
Hurstons father was a preacher which can parallel with the numerous times of religious
presence. According to Legacy of slavery in Maryland, slaves were taken to church and took the
context of the Bible into everyday life ( Legacy of Slavery in Maryland: Essays on Slave
Communities). Most beliefs are raised with newer generations, so most of the characters in the
novel have a Christian upbringing. Therefore, religious traditions such as the blessing of a new
house, sending off ceremony, or a christening are still carrying on in this modern period. Most
African American churches in the South were Methodist and later transitioned to being
predominately Baptist. (African American Christianity, Pt. II: From the Civil War to the Great
Migration) It was not only humor that was an ease to pain in the south as a black citizen, but it
was faith as well.
The war was over, but racism was not. Hurston still involves realistic situations of racism
in the novel. In chapter two, Janies nanny describes the birth of her daughter, Janies mother.
The madam of the how is infuriated to see that one of her slaves has a child with Caucasian
characteristics. Her nanny is slapped repeated and appointed to receive a whipping. There is even
internal discrimination among the race like Mrs. Turner. She was a mixed women herself. She

had one child and six pregnancies. Her features were not as prominent as Janies. She did not
approve of black people. She referred to them niggers as if she was a slave master herself. She
even goes as far to describing how ugly a black baby in to her on page 141. Throughout the
entire chapter sixteen, she grows an admiration for Janies whiteness. She disrespects Tea Cake
repeatedly for being fully black and advises Janie to become friendly with her brother who
strongly opposes Booker T. Washington. She sees it as them being able to class off. (Hurston,
1990, p. 141). She wants to be white as badly as a caged animal wants to be free.
Unfortunately, the African American culture has not fully abandoned the beliefs of Mrs.
Turner. In the twenty first century, you would see an African American females on social media
posting picture and comments such Lightskins do it better, or Lightskins are always the
pretty black girls. These statement are just like Mrs. Turners after the Civil War. There is still a
large percentage of black people who admire the lighter skin tone over a darker skinned African
American.
The novels vernacular reflects the common language of the south in those times. Most
of the characters are uneducated or have poor schooling. The common talk used in the novel
normally consists of missing letter sounds, poor grammatical structure of sentences, misuse of
personal pronouns, and southern pronunciation. Jody Starks always says the phrase I, god on
many occasions when he tries to use the expression My god. The characters say uh for the
word a and ah for the word I. Hurston gives the reader the authentic sound of the blacks
in the south. In some places in Nigeria, there are different accents, dialects and ways of saying
something, yet it all has the same origin language. The southern lingo has not actually changed;
it just was polished.

The book connects greatly to southern of blacks then and now, especially for women. As
a female from a male dominated culture relating to Janies. Her determination to never lose her
freedom even if it went against the accepted standard showed the act of modification in culture. I
was raised in my beliefs of my parents which reflects greatly on me. Even though values are
important, like Janie, I seek happiness whether it cost my acceptance of others or makes the topic
of someone elses gossip.
Ultimately, Their Eyes Were Watching God does depict cultural life for African American
after the antebellum period. The custom of blacks, in the south, have not really differentiated
from the past. Janies profile in the novel closely corresponds to a mixed woman in the south
during the twenty-first century. Hurston uses her life events to influence the plot giving it a
genuine touch.

Bibliography
African American Christianity, Pt. II: From the Civil War to the Great Migration, 1865-1920, The
Nineteenth Century, Divining America: Religion in American History, TeacherServe, National
Humanities Center
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/aarcwgm.html
Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Perennial Library, 1990.
Print.
Legacy of Slavery in Maryland: Essays on Slave Communities
http://slavery.msa.maryland.gov/html/antebellum/essay4.html
Their Eyes Were Watching God
http://www.neabigread.orp/books/theireyes/readers-guide/historical-context/
The Official Website of Zora
http://zoranealehurston.com/about/timeline/