Their Eyes Were Watching God Character Development

Throughout Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, she uses Janie's character development to emphasize the importance of developing one's voice. Due to being beaten down and disregarded, she finds it difficult to stand up for herself in her relationships. The detrimental effects of her relationships with Joe Starks, Nanny, and Logan Killicks prevent her from using her voice.
Hurston emphasizes the importance of speaking up when Janie is forced to remain silent in her relationship with Joe. Janie allowed her voice to be controlled by her lust in her relationship with Joe causing her to be unable to express her opinions to him. She let everything he did to her pass, “ no matter what Jody did, she did nothing” (76). She hopes

The fear of the unknown is controlling Janie. She is letting her mind and Joe control her actions. As a result of Joe's control over Janie, she was forced to remain silent throughout their marriage. He never let her talk for herself: “Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home” (43). Immediately in their relationship Joe’s controlling nature was evident to the readers. Joe immediately started to control her actions and words of Janie often speaking for her. He never lets her opinion be shared. Rather he chooses to make sure that she stays in line and follows his wishes. These actions gain the attention of the other residents in Eatonville. The men become jealous of his possession over Janie. This fuels Joe into taking even more control over her. Clearly, Janie was controlled by Joe because of his jealousy and insecurities; he made all her decisions for her. When another man started to touch Janie’s hair, Joe said, “Her hair was not going to show in the store” (55). Joe’s lack of self-confidence and

Nanny’s controlling nature comes from her life experiences of being taken advantage of; she wants Janie to have a different experience. Nanny longs for Janie to have a different experience from her: “She was borned in slavery time when folks, dat is black folks, didn’t sit down anytime dey felt lak it. So sittin’ on porches lak de white madam looked lak uh mighty fine thing tuh her. Dat’s whut she wanted for me—don’t keer whut it cost.” (114). Nanny was born into slavery; often bringing her past issues and experiences onto Janie, guilting her into listening to her. The times are different in Nanny's life than in Janie's. Nanny only wants the best for Janie. She wants her to be able to do things that she was not. Nanny hopes for Janie to live equally to all the white women. Nanny controls Janie’s life because she wants her to do what she was never able to; accomplish what she failed to accomplish. Additionally, Hurston shows no doubt to the readers that Nanny only wants the best for Janie; however, sometimes her obsession with making Janie’s life perfect and flaw free gets in the way of Janie deciding for herself. Nanny wants to make sure that Janie is in a secure relationship, “‘Tain’t Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it’s protection” (15). Nanny is afraid that Janie will not find a man that will provide for her. Before Nanny passes, Nanny wants to