Character Analysis Of Janie In 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie is a character that posses “that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions”. Throughout the novel, she is searching for a “pear tree love”, and her many experiences help her come to understand the true meaning and feelings that it creates. Due to Janie’s lack of exposure to a healthy and passionate relationship, she is never sure how “love” is created. When entering her first relationship with Logan, despite his age, she is left believing that the action of marriage while bring her the feeling of love. This action represents conformity, because despite her disgust with him, the idea of experiencing the “pear tree love” out-shadowed it. Throughout this marriage though, Janie inwardly questions many of Logan’s reasoning's and behaviors.

While he is much more appealing and romantic than Logan, Janie still realizes that he cannot offer her the “pear tree love” that she has been searching for. During this marriage, Janie begins to ask herself many new questions. It is during Joe’s inauguration as mayor that the climax of their relationship is reached; when he refuses to let her speak for herself, Janie comes to the realization that having the option to make her own decisions is something that she has never really had. This awareness gives her a new perspective of love, which leads to Janie’s inward resentment of Joe. While she wishes to join in the checker games and conversations on the porch, she conforms to his commands by avoiding them. Even when Joe’s jealously forces her to wear a head rag, Janie refuses to rebel against his rule. Her conformity is representative of her distaste for dissension, which seems to outweigh her unhappiness with their relationship. Even after Joe’s death, she conforms to the townspeople’s ideas of wearing mourning black, despite the lack of love and desire she had for