How Does Janie Overcome Stereotypes In Their Eyes Were Watching God

How does a woman living in the 20th century achieve independence and freedom despite living in a patriarchal society? In her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston gives us an answer to this question. Janie Crawford was born in Florida and raised by her grandmother, who was formerly enslaved. When Janie becomes a teenager, she is forced to marry Logan Killicks for financial security. After a number of months, Jannie decides to leave him for a man named Joe Starks, who promises better treatment. The two got married, and after a number of years, she grew tired of him. Near her tipping point, he died. She then found a young and new love interest named Teacake. She liked Teacake for his kindness. She and Teacake moved to the Everglades, where their relationship ended. Teacake contracted

The first way Janie overcomes stereotypes is when she decides to work in the house rather than her husband. Zora writes, “Janie fussed around the shack making a home while Tea Cake planted beans” (130). Janie was doing a traditional man’s job, while her boyfriend was doing a more traditionally feminine job. By not working a job set for her, Janie is overcoming anti-woman stereotypes. A second example of how Janie overcomes stereotypes through her work is when she decides to pick beans. Zora writes, “Janie fussed around the shack making a home while Tea Cake planted beans. “ (130). This piece of evidence defies anti-women stereotypes because she was working in the field, which is a man’s job. Women were thought to be workers at home and in the kitchen, and Janie defies that statement. A third example of how Janie overcomes anti-woman stereotypes about where she works is when she gets a full-time job at a store. Zora writes, “So Janie had another day. And every day had a store in it, except Sunday” (51). Women were supposed to tend to the home, whereas Janie had a full-time job at a