Examples Of Misogyny In Their Eyes Were Watching God

A Woman’s Journey Through Misogyny

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the stereotypical roles of women were to tend to the house and to their children. They had little to no freedoms, and their husbands controlled practically every aspect of their lives. These stereotypes created a patriarchal society where men were superior to women. This was the social standard of the time period, but this would not be the case for long. Countless women felt that this system was unfair to all concerned, and that change was needed. Many modernist writers aimed at breaking free from the societal standards of the time, destroying the patriarchal society altogether. There were countless struggles involved in overcoming the dominant male forces. Despite this,

Zora Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God utilizes Janie’s journey through the novel to highlight the struggles in the woman’s quest of gaining freedom and dignity in a patriarchal society.

To start off the novel, Zora Hurston gives a glimpse into Janie’s life by highlighting her difficult and strenuous upbringing. Hurston's reveals quite early on in the story that Janie “ain’t never seen [her] papa… [her] mama neither” (Eyes 42). In turn, Hurston reveals that Janie is raised by her Nanny. This sets a path for struggles and difficulties to come. The absence of birth parents, in this case, is used as a symbol for lack of stability, and greatly affects Janie’s future. Hurston reveals that Janie “didn’t know [she] wuzn’t white till [she] was round six years old” (Eyes 43). From such a young age, Janie is around people of both races. The fact that Janie doesn’t realize she is black until she sees a picture of herself is absurd. This highlights Janie’s innocence and lack of identity, showing how age plays an important role in Janie’s journey. During Janie’s teen

Jody appears in the novel shortly after the death of her Nanny. Jody seems to be the perfect man for her, sweet talking her and telling her “a pretty dollbaby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock” (Eyes 66). This illustrates that Jody sees a love for Janie that Logan never once saw. He gives Janie something that Logan is not able to provide, love and affection. The story notes that when Janie finally escapes Logan’s ‘prison’, “a feeling of sudden newness and change came over” her (Eyes 70). This illustrates that once she was away from Logan’s rule, she felt her power and freedom flourish. She finally is free to do and think as she pleases, and she can finally settle down and have real love. It is the picture perfect lifestyle she dreamed of years back, or so she thinks. Soon after arriving in Eatonville, Janie slowly begins to see the darker side of Jody. When one of the townsman called for Janie to give a quick speech, Jody quickly shut it down by saying “mah wife don’t know nothin’ ‘bout no speech makin’... She’s uh woman and her place is in de home” (Eyes 83). This subtly implies that Jody is very controlling as a husband. He is looking down on Janie for being a woman, and he is limiting her in her actions and her freedoms. As Jennifer Jordan puts it, “ultimately Jody reduces Janie to an enviable possession that advertises his superior status” (Jordan 6). This