Nirvan Pandya Mr. Farnsworth English 11 Honors February 9th, 2023 The Progression and Fight for Feminism in Their Eyes Were Watching God In American literature, works of the 20th century are likely to be based on the progression of rights and freedom for minorities. Their Eyes Were Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurston, is a feminist novel analyzed by many critics, depicting the development of the protagonist, Janie May Crawford. Janie is a biracial woman who spent most of her life subdued by towering masculinity up until her third marriage. As the story progresses, Janie starts out lacking the independent and powerful characteristics of a feminist, but later gains the missing independence from her male companions. In Janie’s second …show more content…
One example of this criticism comes from Lynn Domina’s essay Novels for Students. Domina is an author and instructor at Hofstra University and analyzes Janie’s progression of feminism throughout Hurston’s novel. Domina says, “Silence, then, is sometimes used as a tool of oppression and at other times as a tool of power” (Domina 312). The duality of Domina’s quote shows both the limiting power of silence and the self-expression that comes with it. Silence is used to control and deny the use of women’s power to speak out and be recognized as an equal part of society. On the other hand, silence is used as a demonstration of individualism and expressiveness. This especially allows women of the 20th century to regain control and autonomy. The perspective that Domina presents allows the reader to find a feminist viewpoint of patriarchal events. Furthermore, critics, such as Claire Crabtree, dive deeper into the realm of the impact of feminism that is brought out by Hurston’s novel. Crabtree says, “The three marriages and the three communities in which Janie moves represent increasingly wide circles of experience and opportunities for expression of personal choice” (Crabtree 315). Janie takes a progressive, personal approach to growth and self-expression. She moves through her three marriages as they increase in opportunity and