White Hair and Internalized Racism Their Eyes Were Watching God takes place in the south in the early twentieth century, not far from the grasps of slavery. Although not mentioned extensively in the book, racism and discrimination were prevalent during the time period. Janie, the mixed-race protagonist and granddaughter of a slave, is fortunate to have hair typical of white people. Hurston describes the effects that Janie’s special hair has on her life. In her relationships, for example, Janie attracts her husbands because of her white physical features. Overall, Janie’s hair shows how whiteness is idolized within the black community, inadvertently perpetuating racism. In Janie’s relationships, her black husbands adore her white hair. Her husbands, and in particular Jody, are all attracted to her hair. When Jody is wooing her, for example, he mentions that her hair is beautiful. “‘Kiss me and shake yo’ head. When you do dat, yo’ plentiful hair breaks lak day’” (35). Jody’s comment implies that because her hair can part, it is unique and special. Jody’s attraction to Janie’s …show more content…
Turner. Throughout Janie’s time in the Everglades, it becomes clear that Mrs. Turner is very racist. She scolds Janie for marrying Tea Cake, who is quite dark, and holds white people in high regard. At one point, Hurston directly states that Mrs. Turner likes Janie because of her white features. “Janie’s coffee-and-cream complexion and her luxurious hair made Mrs. Turner forgive her for wearing overalls like the other women who worked in the fields (164).” Hurston’s description shows that Mrs. Turner thought that Janie’s whiteness made up for her unkemptness. She thought that because Janie had white features, it did not matter if she dressed well, implying a double standard between white and black people. Mrs. Turner’s admiration of whiteness shows how internalized racism afflicted the black community in the early twentieth