Awakenings Milestones and awakenings have a very important impact on anyone’s life. Whether it could be breaking a record, writing a novel, or losing weight, each milestone prepares that person for a next step in life. In the story, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, the main character, Janie Mae Crawford, experiences multiple awakenings, some of which are caused by herself, others of which are created by the others around her. The concept of “seeing in a different light” directly applies in this story, not only because of the many awakenings, but also because of the awakenings she discovers drive her to become an independant woman. This idea of self-awareness is not one that a reader will just find in stories. It is an important
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The first, and most noteworthy is found in the beginning of the book. It is a quite awkward and ironic realization, but it sets up a majority of the story. The story states, “‘Ah was wid dem white chillun so much till Ah didn’t know Ah wuzn’t white till Ah was round six years old” (8). At this point in the story, Janie Mae is recognizing her younger life as a kid. Ironically, she had no clue she was African-American. This has two possible explanations. Either the kids she was with did not care that she looked different, or she never thought to compare herself to someone else that she had been around with for so long. Using structuralist lens, a reader can compare this situation of race to the Disney movie Tarzan. The character Tarzan is raised by monkeys, and he did not realize he was any different then them until he was a teenager. All animations aside, the theme of “knowing about oneself, but still needing to learn about oneself” applies. Because of this awakening, she gains a new idea of independence. Not only does she look different than the other kids, but this puts an idea of separation from the group. A form of her independence is in being bullied. The story backs this thought up by stating, “‘Dey all useter call me Alphabet ‘cause so many people had done named me different names. Ah looked at de picture a long time and seen it was mah dress and mah hair so Ah said: Aw aw, Ah’m colored!’... Ah thought Ah was just like de rest” …show more content…
When Nanny tells Janie she wants her to marry Logan, “The vision of Logan Killicks was desecrating the pear tree” (14). The pear tree had been her first glimpse of love and how things naturally work. With this in mind, she thought “she would love Logan after they were married...Husbands and wives always loved each other, and that was what marriage meant” (21). She was a young girl, and she had not seen how what love truly meant yet. During her marriage with Logan, she goes to Nanny and says, “ ‘’Cause you told me Ah mus gointer love him, and, and Ah don’t’ ” (23). Janie had thought that love would naturally come with her marriage to Logan but she realizes that it doesn’t, so she goes to Nanny for help. Nanny explains to her that she should be grateful for what he provides for her. Eventually, “Janie noticed that her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her” (26). He had stopped his sweet talking and now needed her to help him work. Janie did not like this and when she protested he said, “Ah’m too honest and hard-workin’ for anybody in yo’ family, dat’s de reason you don’t want me!” (32). Janie realizes that she does not want this kind of life. He is treating her more equal than other men, but he also is not the pear tree love she is looking for. When Jody appears, “She might run off sure enough” (30). She expresses her uneasiness to Logan who disregards it. The next morning she left and “A feeling
The first, and most noteworthy is found in the beginning of the book. It is a quite awkward and ironic realization, but it sets up a majority of the story. The story states, “‘Ah was wid dem white chillun so much till Ah didn’t know Ah wuzn’t white till Ah was round six years old” (8). At this point in the story, Janie Mae is recognizing her younger life as a kid. Ironically, she had no clue she was African-American. This has two possible explanations. Either the kids she was with did not care that she looked different, or she never thought to compare herself to someone else that she had been around with for so long. Using structuralist lens, a reader can compare this situation of race to the Disney movie Tarzan. The character Tarzan is raised by monkeys, and he did not realize he was any different then them until he was a teenager. All animations aside, the theme of “knowing about oneself, but still needing to learn about oneself” applies. Because of this awakening, she gains a new idea of independence. Not only does she look different than the other kids, but this puts an idea of separation from the group. A form of her independence is in being bullied. The story backs this thought up by stating, “‘Dey all useter call me Alphabet ‘cause so many people had done named me different names. Ah looked at de picture a long time and seen it was mah dress and mah hair so Ah said: Aw aw, Ah’m colored!’... Ah thought Ah was just like de rest” …show more content…
When Nanny tells Janie she wants her to marry Logan, “The vision of Logan Killicks was desecrating the pear tree” (14). The pear tree had been her first glimpse of love and how things naturally work. With this in mind, she thought “she would love Logan after they were married...Husbands and wives always loved each other, and that was what marriage meant” (21). She was a young girl, and she had not seen how what love truly meant yet. During her marriage with Logan, she goes to Nanny and says, “ ‘’Cause you told me Ah mus gointer love him, and, and Ah don’t’ ” (23). Janie had thought that love would naturally come with her marriage to Logan but she realizes that it doesn’t, so she goes to Nanny for help. Nanny explains to her that she should be grateful for what he provides for her. Eventually, “Janie noticed that her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her” (26). He had stopped his sweet talking and now needed her to help him work. Janie did not like this and when she protested he said, “Ah’m too honest and hard-workin’ for anybody in yo’ family, dat’s de reason you don’t want me!” (32). Janie realizes that she does not want this kind of life. He is treating her more equal than other men, but he also is not the pear tree love she is looking for. When Jody appears, “She might run off sure enough” (30). She expresses her uneasiness to Logan who disregards it. The next morning she left and “A feeling