Their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston summary

Their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston summary

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Table of Contents

  • Video Summaries of Their Eyes Were Watching God
  • 1-Page Summary of Their Eyes Were Watching God
    • Chapters 1–2

Video Summaries of Their Eyes Were Watching God

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Janie Crawford is an attractive, confident and middle-aged black woman who returns to Eatonville after a long absence. People in the town gossip about her and wonder what happened to her husband, Tea Cake. They think she’s aloof but Pheoby Watson sticks up for Janie by visiting her and asking what has happened.

The following passage is from Chapter 1 of “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee:

Janie’s grandmother raised her after her mother ran off. She loves Janie and wants what’s best for her, but she doesn’t know how to show it. Her life as a slave has made her bitter about the world, so she pushes Janie into marrying a much older farmer named Logan Killicks because that will bring social status and security to the family.

Janie moves in with Logan and is unhappy. He treats her like a mule, which makes her feel worthless. One day, Joe Starks comes along and flirts with Janie for a couple of weeks before she leaves to marry him.

Janie and Jody travel to a black town where Jody hopes to have a big voice. He becomes mayor, postmaster, storekeeper, and the biggest landlord in Eatonville. However Janie wants more than just a man with a big voice. She wants to be able to socialize but he doesn’t allow her too because he sees her as an ornament for his wealth and power.

Their eyes were watching god by zora neale hurston summary

After years of abuse, Janie finally stands up to her husband. When he insults her appearance, she lets him have it in front of the townspeople and tells them how ugly and impotent he is. In retaliation, Jody beats her savagely and their marriage falls apart. He becomes very ill but refuses to see Janie for months until she visits him on his deathbed. As she berates him, he dies from his illness.

After Jody’s funeral, Janie feels free for the first time in years. She rebuffs various suitors because she loves her newfound independence. But then a young man named Tea Cake enters her life and they begin dating. Despite gossip from townspeople, Janie marries Tea Cake nine months after Jody’s death and sells his store to move with him to Jacksonville.

During the first week of their marriage, Tea Cake and Janie had a rough time. He stole her money and left her alone one night, making her think that he married her only for her money. But he returned, explaining that he never meant to leave her and that his theft occurred in a moment of weakness. They promised to share all their experiences from then on out with each other so they could both learn new things about life together. They moved to the Everglades where they worked during harvest season but socialized during summer off-season when there was little work available. Tea Cake’s quick wit made him popular among people who came by their shack so it became the center for entertainment and social life in the area.

A terrible hurricane hit the Everglades two years after Janie and Tea Cake were wed. As they fled to safety, a rabid dog bit Tea Cake. Three weeks later, he fell ill with rabies and was convinced that Janie was cheating on him. During his madness, he started firing a gun at her which she had to kill him because she didn’t want him killing her. She went back home where people assumed that Tea Cake left her and took all of their money so they gossiped about it but Janie felt like everything worked out for the best in the end.

Chapters 1–2

Chapter 1

As the sun sets on a southern town, a mysterious woman walks down the main road. She is known by the locals and they are happy to see her return. They comment on how muddy she looks and that it’s clear she has been through hard times. People talk about Janie Starks’ hair because it’s long, straight, and beautiful—they’re envious of her beauty. The people speculate about what happened to Tea Cake since he left with Janie Starks; they assume he took all of her money and left for another woman who is younger than him.

When did Hurston write their eyes were watching God?

by: Zora Neale Hurston. Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel by Zora Neale Hurston that was first published in 1937. Get a copy of Their Eyes Were Watching God at BN.COM. Buy Now. Summary. Read a Plot Overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter Summary and Analysis.

What is the book their eyes were watching God about?

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a 1937 novel and the best known work by African-American writer Zora Neale Hurston. The novel narrates main character Janie Crawford's "ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny.".

Is their eyes were watching God an unfinished work?

William M. Ramsey, in his article "The compelling ambivalence of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God," posits that the novel stands as an unfinished and unrealized work. He backs this claim by noting the short amount of time Hurston spent writing as well as statements made by Hurston in her autobiography.

Who are the characters in their eyes were watching God?

See a complete list of the characters in Their Eyes Were Watching God and in-depth analyses of Janie Mae Crawford, Tea Cake, Jody Starks, Nanny Crawford, and Mrs. Turner. Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Their Eyes Were Watching God, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.

What is the summary of Their Eyes Were Watching God?

The epic tale of Janie Crawford, whose quest for identity takes her on a journey during which she learns what love is, experiences life's joys and sorrows, and come home to herself in peace.

What is the main message of the book Their Eyes Were Watching God?

The most prevalent themes in Their Eyes Were Watching God involve Janie's search for unconditional, true, and fulfilling love.

How does Their Eyes Were Watching God book end?

Their Eyes Were Watching God concludes with Janie's self-actualization and hope for her own future. Janie finishes recounting her story to Pheoby—just as she promised she would do in the beginning—before settling into her bedroom and reflecting on Tea Cake's death.

What lesson does Their Eyes Were Watching God teach?

In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the protagonist Janie learns and grows from each of her relationships. Her life lessons are woven into the themes of love and 'mislove,' power and domination, and inequality and discrimination throughout the novel.