How can an African-American woman think for herself? In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, which took place in the southern parts of the United States in the late 1800s. The author, Zora Neale Hurston wrote of a woman named, Janie, that fought against three men that she married for her independence. She was victorious in this endeavor of becoming independent but at the cost of emotional and physical pain. Janie can be characterized as the evolving heroine of this story. Janie Crawford is the main character that this novel is revolves around. This makes her the protagonist of this story as she walks down a journey of independence from her three marriages. Throughout her life she faces dynamic changes from an oppressed character with restraints …show more content…
Janie marries at a young age to Logan Killicks, a fair man much older than her. Logan was a good man but at the fact of being forced to marry, Janie felt bonded down to her situation as she beggs to her grandmaother "Please don't make me marry Mr. Killicks". (pg.15) Since Janie has not fulfilled her role as a housewife Logan forces her to work in the fields with him, "Looka heah, LilBit, help me out some". (pg.26) This was an unusual thing for Janie to do because she has never worked before let alone labor work. This suppression of feelings creates an rebellious side of Janie which shows it's self predominantly as she runs off with Joe …show more content…
Once at Eatonville and Joe becomes mayor things started to change for the better of the town and worst for Janie. From the beginning Joe Starks was looking to create a life exactly how he wanted it that included an submissive wife. Janie was again thrown into the shackles of oppression as Joe makes her work at a store. In addition Janie was seen as an beautiful woman and often enjoyed herself with social activities at the store. Joe was jealous at the fact that she was getting closer to other people and disliked the idea that him and her was at the social class of commoners. In order to solve the problem of social class, Joe orders Janie to stop associating with the commoners stating "But you ain't goin' off in all dat mess uh commonness" (pg.60). Then it is meant that Joe commands her to wear a head rag to hide her hair. "Her hair was NOT going to show in the store" (pg.55) Janie gives into his strict demands and for twenty years Joe dominated over Janie until his death. His death freed Janie once again from control and she made this known as she took off the head rag which was her first sign of independence in this