Symbolism In Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston

‘Things are easier said than done’ is an extremely cliche term that could not hold more symbolism in the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel follows the journey of Janie through her various struggles and relationships. Janie, although highly obsessed with falling in love, is an individualist who is not afraid of showing the world who she really is. Throughout Their Eyes Are Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston creates an enriched and in depth story of a great, strong woman who is able to find herself while enduring the cruel ridicule of the superior male. The novel is centered around Janie and focuses mainly on her interaction and relationships formed with men. Although this is the case, Janie never seems to achieve her “happily ever …show more content…
With their extreme age difference, those around them harshly criticize the relationship between Janie and Tea Cake, which causes them to move to a new city. Although Tea Cake is a charming, happy young man, he also has faults, especially concerning gambling. Even before moving on further with the relationship Tea Cake steals two hundred dollars from Janie, resulting in their first altercation (Hurston 142). Janie without a doubt is disappointed but continues the relationship despite the pivotal moment. From here, the two seem to live happily together having the occasional up and downs until Tea Cake is bit by a ravenous dog during a hurricane. He slowly starts to go mad and Janie is forced to choose between her first actual “true love” or her life. Again, choosing herself versus her relationship Janie ends up riding herself once again of another man by shooting Tea …show more content…
The main reason being that in order for her to truly fall in love with someone else, she has to first love herself. In all of her relationships, Janie is never fully secure with herself. She is constantly belittled and is always being told how and what to do. From when she was young and was told to carry out her marriage to logan by her Nanny, to being a part of an abusive relationship with Joe, to even having to shoot Tea Cake from defense. Every decision Janie has made throughout her life has been predetermined for her and she never truly has any time to reflect and choose her own path. The first time she is fully able to make a long term decision on her own is when she chooses to go back to her hometown, Eatonville. Although throughout her rollercoaster of a journey Janie was not able to find the love she so longed for, she was finally able to find what she did not even know she needed; herself. When Janie returns back to her hometown, she is dressed in overalls and is comfortable, with her long hair down around her. Even as the others around her commented and murmured as she walked by, Janie continued to walk with her head held high, paying no mind to the whispers of criticism floating behind her. Each man that Janie encountered throughout her journey helped shape her into a strong, confident woman. Logan gave her courage, Joe gave her strength, and Tea Cake