Repetition In Their Eyes Were Watching God

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Hurston develops the theme of love and power with repetition. Throughout this novel Janie varies from marriages with men who desire wealth and power. However, eventually Janie finds a true love in Tea Cake. The most pervasive theme in Their Eyes Were Watching God is the search for love. Zora Hurston develops this theme through the repetition of relationships. In this novel, Janie marries three times. The first relationship occurs when Nanny Crawford forces Janie to marry Logan Killicks for power, wealth, and security. However, Killicks viciously treats Janie: "Janie!" Logan called harshly. "Come help me move dis manure pile befo’ de sun gits hot. You don’t take a bit of interest in dis place. ‘Tain’t

Eventually Jody dies, and Janie continues to search for true love. Thus, Hurston develops the themes of love and power through two similar relationships Janie’s last relationship occurs with Tea Cake. Again Hurston develops the theme of love with another relationship. At first, Janie displays a critical attitude to Tea Cake. Janie previous experiences with marriage build insecurity, “So he didn’t come that night and she laid in bed and pretended to think scornfully of him. “Bet he’s hangin’ round some jook or ’nother.” Finally, Janie realizes Tea Cake is a first love. In the relationship Tea Cake treats Janie with love and does not attempt to change Janie. Instead, he treats her with respect and genuine love, “But to kill her through Tea Cake was too much to bear. Tea Cake, the son of Evening Sun, had to die for loving her.” Although, Tea Cake reveals true affection to Janie, he eventually reveals a desire for power. This craving occurs when Tea Cake beats Janie to reveal power: “Ah knows dat. All of us knows it. But Ah don’t give uh damn how nice she is, Ah got tuh have some place tuh set down and eat. Sop ain’t gointuh bluff me, neither. Let ’im fight lak a man. Take yo’ hands off me, Tea