Their Eyes Were Watching God Thesis

Oprah Winfrey made “Their Eyes Were Watching God” new by changing Zora Neale Hurston’s masterpiece. She altered the relationships and gave characters new strengths. Oprah distorted the moral fiber that Zora Neale Hurston gave the audience. She deceived readers with false purity. Oprah Winfrey misrepresented what made the book motivating. Zora made Janie and Nanny’s bond dear, Oprah took that relationship away by giving Janie power in the movie that she did not have in the book. Disrespect to an elder, such as Nanny, would not occur in the 1900s because lack of respect resulted in a slap to the face. “...she defies the censorious old Nanny...”(Heffernan). Which gave Janie a greater power in ruling over other people. She knew that Nanny cared

The complication of their relationship in writing made Janie stronger. It gave her rights to fight for what she wanted. “...Janie stubbornly believes that she deserves to be rich, happy and sexually satisfied”(Heffernan). Her passion to stand up for herself gave her power that she did not contain in literature. What Oprah presented gave the imitation of purity. “Her third marriage, however, is fulfilling…With charisma and charm Tea Cake shows Janie love from a different angle and allows her to be herself””(Kikaya). Which made “Their Eyes Were Watching God” a love story. The novel showed Tea Cake claiming his possession, Janie, by hitting her. While in the movie Tea Cake did not care what she did, wore, or said. “...Tea Cake, a carefree man twelve years her junior”(Ceptus). Them sharing an innocent relationship gave Janie her power. Winfrey took Janie’s journey to find herself and combined it with Tea

Oprah made Pheoby and Janie’s relationship impure by allowing Janie a voice over Pheoby and other people. “...upset that Janie was made out to be downtrodden at the start of the film”(Kikaya). Morally, she ruined the only honest friendship that Janie had throughout the book. In the novel Pheoby became sad because Janie had left and she had missed her. “‘...G’wan! You must think Ah brought yuh somthein’. When Ah ain’t brought home a thing but muhself’ ‘Dat’s a gracious plenty. Yo’ friends wouldn’t want nothin’ better’”(Hurston 4). Even though Janie left, Pheoby still considered her a friend. Janie had power over men and women throughout the movie. Completely changing the way that readers interpreted Janie. Janie did not have this strength when it came to Zora. Hurston made Janie very vulnerable and had her respect those in command over her. Morally, Zora gave Janie this weakness so that Janie could find herself. Oprah provided the moral of a strong woman finding love; Zora provided the moral of a vulnerable woman finding