- Zora Neale Hurston, born January 7th, 1891, was an African-American author, widely known for her classic novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Being raised in Eatonville, Florida, the first black township of the United States, Hurston was indulged in black culture at a very early age. Zora was described to have a fiery, yet bubbly spirit, befriending very influential people, one being American poet, Langston Hughes. With heavy influence from her hometown, along with the achievement of the black women around her, an abundance of motivation came when Hurston wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel promotes black power, all while rejecting the stereotypes held against women. b) Key Characters 1. Janie Crawford • Janie Crawford, the main character of the book, is a woman of both black and white ancestry, a woman with long hair, and most importantly, a woman with a lot of relationship experience. Janie first is with Logan Killicks, a man that her …show more content…
Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods • Tea Cake has a vital role in the novel, being the first of the men Janie has been with to show her true love. Vergible acts the complete opposite of Joe, in which he allows Janie to embrace her true self, her roots, and most importantly, her culture. Tea Cake is very adventurous, and Janie enjoys herself with him on his spontaneous trips and events. He loves Janie, and even saves her from a dog during the flood, but, unfortunately is bitten, and infected with rabies. Tea Cake allowed Janie to feel secure about herself, and learn to love life, and enjoy inner peace. 4. Nanny • Although she is not in the book for long, readers meet Janie’s grandmother, Nanny, early in the novel. Janie has grown up with this lady, after her mom left her at a young age. Nanny wants Janie to marry into wealth, which is why she motivates Janie into marrying Logan Killicks. Marrying into wealth leaves Janie unhappy, and after her experience with Logan and Jody, Janie realizes that it is not about the