Their Eyes Were Watching God Janie's Identity

In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie, the female protagonist, evolves as a woman throughout her marriages with three men– Logan Killicks, Joe/Jody Starks, then Tea Cake Woods. Living up in the South during the Jim Crow period, Janie struggles not only with her racial identity but also with her identity as a woman. During her marriages to Logan and Joe, Janie is dissatisfied because she is constantly dismissed, silenced, belittled, and abused; however, by taking away her power, these men only make Janie stronger. Throughout her marriage to Joe Starks, which was the longest of her three unions, Janie experiences significant growth within two decades as she learns about her own desires and finds her worth. When Joe and

It clearly bothers her, but she cannot seem to find the strength to speak up for herself. Early in their marriage, Joe talks about his promises for Janie in the marriage. He says, “Ah told you in the very first beginnin’ dat Ah aimed tuh be uh big voice. You oughta be glad, ‘cause that makes uh big woman outa you.” (46). Joe believes that he is doing Janie a favor by providing her with the life he thinks she wants, and this causes her to feel isolated. Although she is still unsure of herself, she knows that her vague idea of the life she expects does not align with Joe’s vision. Despite their conflicting viewpoints, she chooses to suffer in silence because of her fear and reliance on Joe for financial security. Janie allows him to create an uneven power dynamic in which she becomes simply a part of Joe’s image for the public eye. Later on, Joe emphasizes that Janie is his property by controlling the appearance of her hair. When Janie is working in the store one day, Joe catches Walter gently brushing Janie’s hair. Joe is shocked as anger and jealousy fill his body. Later that night, Joe asserts his authority and control by “order[ing] Janie to tie her hair around the store… She was there in the store for him to look at, not those others” (55). The uneven power dynamic is emphasized through Joe’s control on his wife’s appearance and her continued