Zora Neale Hurston uses indirect characterization in Their Eyes Were Watching God to emphasize Janie’s self-realization throughout the novel. This characterization shows things that reveal the personality of her character. Hurston uses the method of indirect characterization to focus on Janie’s speech, thoughts, behavior, and looks. The writer shows how she has an affect on others by allowing Janie to relate her life’s story to Pheoby. As Janie comes to realize her true self, she grows from a girl to a woman during the novel, and develops into her full potential. Hurston allows the reader to make the journey with her and experience her joys and pains.
Janie is characterized by her speech throughout the novel. Janie is silenced by her first …show more content…
Hurston describes her appearance by the way others perceive her as Janie relates this to Pheoby. On page 2, she is dressed in overalls but this is not like the other ladies would have been dressed at the time. The men noticed her butt… her hair… breasts in the overalls, but the women judged her for her clothing and appearance (Hurston). The description of her looks shows how Janie perceives herself and others perceive her in the beginning of the novel. Not only does Hurston use her physical description to characterize Janie, but she also uses her behavior as well. The writer describes Janie’s effect on others and how she is affected by them. The central idea of the story seems to be Janie’s ability to feel confident as herself. She has physical features that do not allow her to fit in with either culture. As Janie is trying to find her identity, she tries to define herself through relationships with men. As she tells Pheoby about her past, most of her narration centers around her relationships with men and how men and women respond to her. Early in the novel, she conforms outwardly to whatever her husbands want her to be but questions herself inwardly. But as the novel progresses, so does her confidence as a woman. For instance, Hurston shows Janie’s maturation as a character and how she has learned to respond to others and stand up for herself as she talks to Jody on his deathbed. [Janie]: "... But Ah ain’t goin’ outa here and Ah ain’t gointuh hush. Naw, you gointuh listen tuh me one time befo’ you die" (Hurston 86). Janie makes it clear that she is tired of Jody silencing her. When Janie allows Jody to silence her, she enables Jody to disrupt her thoughts and speech and have direct control over her (Shmoop 7). She realizes this, and her self realizations leads to her final expression of independence as she says farewell to that aspect of her life. Throughout the novel, Hurston uses
Janie is characterized by her speech throughout the novel. Janie is silenced by her first …show more content…
Hurston describes her appearance by the way others perceive her as Janie relates this to Pheoby. On page 2, she is dressed in overalls but this is not like the other ladies would have been dressed at the time. The men noticed her butt… her hair… breasts in the overalls, but the women judged her for her clothing and appearance (Hurston). The description of her looks shows how Janie perceives herself and others perceive her in the beginning of the novel. Not only does Hurston use her physical description to characterize Janie, but she also uses her behavior as well. The writer describes Janie’s effect on others and how she is affected by them. The central idea of the story seems to be Janie’s ability to feel confident as herself. She has physical features that do not allow her to fit in with either culture. As Janie is trying to find her identity, she tries to define herself through relationships with men. As she tells Pheoby about her past, most of her narration centers around her relationships with men and how men and women respond to her. Early in the novel, she conforms outwardly to whatever her husbands want her to be but questions herself inwardly. But as the novel progresses, so does her confidence as a woman. For instance, Hurston shows Janie’s maturation as a character and how she has learned to respond to others and stand up for herself as she talks to Jody on his deathbed. [Janie]: "... But Ah ain’t goin’ outa here and Ah ain’t gointuh hush. Naw, you gointuh listen tuh me one time befo’ you die" (Hurston 86). Janie makes it clear that she is tired of Jody silencing her. When Janie allows Jody to silence her, she enables Jody to disrupt her thoughts and speech and have direct control over her (Shmoop 7). She realizes this, and her self realizations leads to her final expression of independence as she says farewell to that aspect of her life. Throughout the novel, Hurston uses