their eyes were watching god

"their eyes were watching god" is an intense, feministic, coming-of-age book. I relate so much to Janie and her journey of self-discovery through many different relationships; besides her grandma and Pheoby, I think Janie's three marriages had profoundly impacted the road she traveled to find herself. Some may view the idea that Janie needed these men to find herself as sexist-it is showing the world that women need a man if they want to become something. But I disagree; I think Hurston just proves what I already know, that everyone needs close, passionate relationships with lovers in order to grow and evolve into your own. It is in these personal relationships that people see themselves through the eyes of someone else-you notice your reactions, responses, what you like and dislike, your level of patience and tolerance, and what you're willing to put up with and what you're not.

It is arguable that Janie's reaction, or lack thereof, to Teacake's abuse is inviting further oppression of women. I certainly don't condone Teacake's behavior or that of the towns-people afterword, "It aroused a sort of envy in both men and women. The way he petted and pampered her as if those two or three face slaps had nearly killed her made the women see visions and the helpless way she hung on him made men dream dreams" (Hurston, 147). It's not just offensive, it's repulsive and immoral. But I think there is an alternate interpretation to be recognized here, if you were to focus solely on Janie's feelings and lack of response, and compare them to the same incidences in her other marriages. And also pay attention to Teacake's reason for hitting her, keeping in mind the era this was written. When the other men make their jealously of Teacake's power over Janie known, Teacake explains why he felt forced to hit her, "Ah wouldn't be knockin' her around. Ah didn't wants whup her. . .Ah didn't whup Janie 'cause she done nothin'. Ah beat her to show dem Turners who is boss" (Hurston, 148). The narrator also explains that his jealously wasn't justified by any kind of behavior from Janie, it just reassured him and removed the fear of losing her.

However, Janie was nowhere near submissive and quiet when Jody became verbally and physically abuse. After Jody insulted Janie's looks in the store, in front of everyone, she vengefully retaliated with a sharp tongue, much the same way I would've, "Naw, Ah ain't no young gal no mo' but den Ah ain't no old woman either. Ah reckon Ah looks mah age too. But Ah'm uh woman every inch of me, and Ah know it. Dat's uh whole lot more'n you kin say. You big-bellies round here and put out a lot of brag, but 'tain't nothin' to it but yo' big voice. Humph! Talkin' 'bout me lookin' old! When you pull down yo' britches, you look lak de change uh life" (Hurston, 79). This utterly destroyed Jody and, therefore, is my favorite part of the book. Janie does become quiet after a while, but of her own choosing-she isn't afraid of Jody, just empty of any feeling at all towards him, which is the complete opposite of what happened in her relationship with Teacake. After Jody slapped her, "She stood there until something fell off the shelf inside her. Then she went inside there to see what it was. It was her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over" (Hurston, 72).

I think you could argue that the book doesn't force the idea that women need men to find their identity. The difference in Janie's response to each man's abuse is the difference of the man, himself, and also herself; each man meant something different to her and also had an influence on her quest to find her own voice. As I've already mentioned, these relationships helped Janie realize her likes and dislikes, her ideals, goals, aspirations and eventually who she was to become. Had she not experienced these alternate relationships and their opposing power dynamics, she would not have grown emotionally or found her "horizon" as Hurston puts it. Our encounters, associations and relationships with others is the foundation on which we build our character and personality-it is what makes us grow as individuals, as women.