THEY'RE EYES WERE WATCHING GOD

In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston makes an interesting commentary on the lives of black women. Through her main character Janie Crawford, Hurston creates a realistic portrayal of the life events of a mulatto black woman growing up in the south in the early 20th century. Throughout the story, Janie’s life experiences give great insight into how black women were treated and the differences between women and men during those times. Hurston also uses Janie to make a comment on how she thought those same women should have been treated and the freedom that they deserved. In Their Eyes Janie Crawford’s life is used to relate to the lives and relationships of many black women. In this paper I will attempt to contrast the differences between what actually happened and what Hurston thought of as ideal relationships between men and women. This point will be best made by outlining some of the events of Janie’s life, the goals and dreams she has for herself ...