Janie, in the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, is an example of a person on a quest. Even though they cannot come close to understanding what Janie has been through, all of the women in the town judge Janie for her looks, actions, and life choices. They believe that Janie thinks she is much better than all the rest of them. The women tell Phoebe, Janie’s best friend, “Don’t keer what it was, she could stop and say a few words with us” (Hurston 3). As Janie tells her life story to Phoebe, to satisfy the minds of the gossiping women, she seems to be reassuring herself too. By recalling all her memories and past events in her life, Janie can see all of the mistakes she has made that led her to realize the importance of her life quest, her fight for freedom, love, happiness, and self-revelation. …show more content…
Janie has been through hard times, even as a young girl. She lived with her grandmother who took care of her because her mother ran off when she was young. It is because of her grandmother, who wants to be in control of Janie’s life and wants the best for her, that Janie ends up marrying a rich man and getting a good education. However, this is not what Janie really wants. Janie is more interested in happiness and love than being rich, high class, and educated. Her grandmother wants Janie to live the life that she herself could not live. Janie’s grandmother says, “Ah been waitin’ a long time, Janie, but nothin’ Ah been through ain’t too much if you just take a stand on high ground lak Ah dreamed” (Hurston 16). This is only the beginning of Janie’s journey. By listening to her grandmother’s advice, Janie is able to realize what she truly wants out of life and continues her quest to find