Arianna Zimny
English 10 Honors
Dr. McCleary
March 23rd, 2023
In “ The Beginnings of Self-Realization” the critic, Micheal G. Cooke correctly uncovers Janie reaching self actualization through her ideal horizon image throughout the novel. At the end of the novel,” Their Eyes Were Watching God”, Hurston touches on the overall concept that Janie has reached her own ideal picture of self actualization, which is known as the symbol of the horizon. Janie is proudly able to look back on all her accomplishments, and all the denial that she had faced Nanny, Logan, Joe, and her final love, Tea Cake. Cooke validates Hurston’s idea that Janie reaches her self- actualization,“ To say that Janie has reached a state of accomplished solitude is to recognize
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A denial is a refusal to accept or believe the truth. Connotatively, In the novel Janie appears to show her denial differently. In many relationships Janie had developed through the novel, failed. Her self-worth was put down, and she was controlled by others. Janie thought the best thing to do when she wasn’t happy was to stay calm, but run off to a new relationship that she could better herself in. She never expressed her feelings, instead she hid them pretending nothing was wrong. She didn’t admit that she wanted a change, and she refused to talk about the issues in her relationships, as she stayed silent. Throughout Micheal G. Cooke's article, he uncovers multiple aspects of Janie reaching the fulfillment of self actualization. Furthermore, the more that Janie had been deprived by others, the more self-sufficient she became. For Janie, her grandmother had the desire to see her “safe in life”, which meant planning Janie’s life so that Janie could have what she couldn’t. Janie and Logan Killicks marriage made Janie crave for love, which neither Logan nor her second husband, Joe could provide her with. Her last love, Tea Cake gave her the fulfillment of her long life search for happiness. All of the accomplishments and denials Janie had