Gender Stereotypes In Their Eyes Were Watching God

Salma Chraibi
2/7/23
F ~ Block Seed Paper
In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, we observe the impact of gender and racial roles on the main character Janie. Furthermore, thoughout the story we notice a prominent gender stereotype that men are more powerful than women, and Janie is expected to conform to this standard. We see this in the strained relationship between Janie and Logan Killicks, we see that Logan asserts his authority over Janie causing Janie to be affected mentally and physically. As we see the conflict rise between the two, Janie does not stay silent against the mistreatment she faces. Instead, she runs away with a new acquaintance named Jody even against her grandmother's wishes. In her second marriage to Jody Starks, Janie is stuck in the same loop oppressed again. Her husband Jody seeks to control every aspect of her life, from the way she dresses to the people she associates

“So de white man throw down de load and tell the {Black} man tuh pick it up. He pick it up because he have to, but he don’t tote it. He hand it to his womenfolks.” This quote speaks to both gender norms and the unequal power dynamic between Black men and women during these times. In the quote, her grandmother discusses her experience living in both slavery and post-slavery eras. She specifically talks about how relationships between black men and women were during these times. This quote helps to highlight that during these times black men were expected to carry the burden of slavery anditss aftermath, but women were expected to support them and take care of their needs. Also, it speaks to the theme of gender roles and the ways in which gender and race intersect to shape the lives of Black people in America in the 20th century. This is the reasoning that leads to why Nanny wanted Janie to marry Logan all in hopes of creating a stable future for