Zora Neale Hurston published her book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, in 1937. During this time period, African Americans were declared separate but equal despite the fact that they were given their freedom. African American males freely exercised their right to vote, whereas African American women were not given the right to enfranchisement until the 1960s. Hurston wrote her book in a largely male dominant historical era. The historical background results to Janie, the protagonist, feeling suppressed in her community. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie lives in a male dominant society where feminine identity is repressed and a woman’s social status is inferior to men’s. Hurston places Janie in a society where males have strong authority.
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Across the novel, Janie’s switch between the use of third person and first person narration enables her to assert her personal authority in the town. Unable to fully express her emotions to society, Janie better conveys her feelings to the reader through third person narration. When Janie’s dialogue increases, so does her confidence to discuss her person feelings with Pheoby. According to Judi Berridge, “Janie Crawford undergoes physical and psychological changes that enable her to become self sustaining” (Berridge 3). The four stages of Janie’s life show her changing character, her early adolescent years, her marriage to Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake. To define Janie’s newfound personality, Hurston uses symbolism once again. Janie’s hair symbolized of her womanly strength and beauty (Al-Masaeed and Few 5). When Jody commands Janie to tie her hair up, he conceals her strong womanly character (Hurston 49). Janie resonates with the pear tree that symbolically represents the classic idea of marriage that Janie has created for herself (Al-Masaeed and Few 3). Until she marries Tea Cake, Janie is given this perfect relationship between her and a man. Janie’s struggles help women in today’s society to address topics relevant to today’s society and empower themselves (Berridge 2). The use of allegorical literary techniques and symbolic relationships contribute to Janie finding her true
Across the novel, Janie’s switch between the use of third person and first person narration enables her to assert her personal authority in the town. Unable to fully express her emotions to society, Janie better conveys her feelings to the reader through third person narration. When Janie’s dialogue increases, so does her confidence to discuss her person feelings with Pheoby. According to Judi Berridge, “Janie Crawford undergoes physical and psychological changes that enable her to become self sustaining” (Berridge 3). The four stages of Janie’s life show her changing character, her early adolescent years, her marriage to Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake. To define Janie’s newfound personality, Hurston uses symbolism once again. Janie’s hair symbolized of her womanly strength and beauty (Al-Masaeed and Few 5). When Jody commands Janie to tie her hair up, he conceals her strong womanly character (Hurston 49). Janie resonates with the pear tree that symbolically represents the classic idea of marriage that Janie has created for herself (Al-Masaeed and Few 3). Until she marries Tea Cake, Janie is given this perfect relationship between her and a man. Janie’s struggles help women in today’s society to address topics relevant to today’s society and empower themselves (Berridge 2). The use of allegorical literary techniques and symbolic relationships contribute to Janie finding her true