Miscellany

Mark S
Monday, December 05, 2005
Mr. Harry – Freshman Magnet English
Third Period

Critics Analysis Paragraph
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Rough Draft


In Zora Neale Hurston’s controversial novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the author geniusly uses motifs and dialog to effectively convey the themes of roles of men versus women and the search for Janie’s voice and need for tender loving care, while also incorporating interracial confrontations.  Similar to most new authors and books, Hurston received much ridicule from her fellow Harlem Renaissance philosophers. Richard Wright, a renowned African American author in the early to mid-twentieth century, ridiculed Hurston by saying her works carried “no theme, no message” (circa 1937). Their Eyes includes at least three instances of theme and/or moral. From the beginning of the book, Hurston defines the roles of men and women and how they differentiate in their actions and “dreams” (1). In brief, Hurston describes men as having dreams that “sail on the horizon forever … never landing.” (1), as opposed to women who “forget all those things” (1) and live with a down-to-earth mentality. The author develops this fundamental theme into a motif which later helps to convey more themes and the underlying plot to this book. Throughout the book, the main character, Janie, is searching for her voice to be independent, seek love, and set a precedent rather than being emotionally and physically abused by her husband like the other women of Eatonville, Florida.  Janie’s first husband is Logan Killicks. Janie marries Logan out of pure pressure from Nanny (Janie’s grandmother), who enjoyed Logan’s financial status. For the first year, Logan spoils Janie and follows her every request though he then starts to require Janie to work on the farm and their relationship deteriorates. Janie meets Joe Starks who is ecstatic when he hears Janie had to work on a farm, exclaiming “You behind a plow! You ain’t got no mo’ business wid duh plow…” (29). Joe “Jody” Starks becomes Janie’s second husband and claims to be “uh man with principles” (29) who would treat Janie “lak a lady” (29). Janie concludes that this is not the case, he treats her like an object and she eventually divorces him. Janie continues the search, again for a new husband, eventually meeting “Tea Cake” and moving to the Everglades; for once Janie seems to be happy, but unfortunate events strike that relationship down aswell.  Alain Locke was another renowned philosopher of the Black Renaissance whom criticized Hurston’s book. In 1938, Alain Locke criticized Hurston’s ‘avoidance of interracial confrontations’.