ipl-logo

Their Eyes Were Watching God Figurative Language

808 Words4 Pages

In the bildungsroman Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, it depicts the story of Janie Starks, an African American woman living in rural Florida during the early 20th century. As a teen, Janie established both a clear idea of what love and marriage should be and a sense of self-worth that allowed her to go through her life knowing her standards for relationships. However, through Janie’s search for passionate love and independence, she falls victim to many voices that oppress her. Language is a tool that is used to both oppress and empower Janie on her path to finding her own voice and gaining her independence. Janie is silenced by her first two husbands, Logan Killicks and Joe Starks, which causes her to lose her identity …show more content…

However, Joe eventually uses his big voice to oppress and silence Janie’s voice. After Joe is elected mayor of Eatonville, the citizens want Janie to make a speech, but Joe states, “Thank yuh fuh yo’ compliments, but mah wife don’t know nothin’ ‘bout no speech-makin’... She’s uh woman and her place is in de home” (Hurston 43). Even though Janie is fully capable and confident in making a speech, Joe quickly silences her and establishes to the town that Janie is just an extension of him and that she does not have anything else to offer. This was the beginning of Joe’s oppression towards Janie. In addition, Janie’s hair is a symbol of her beauty and overall identity, but Joe forces her to tie it up in a rag because he is afraid that other men will be attracted to her beauty. This further oppresses Janie as it conceals the way Janie expresses her identity …show more content…

From the time they met, Tea Cake treats Janie like a regular person, not like how the rest of Eatonville treats Janie as being “better than” the rest of them. Janie loves being around Tea Cake because she can have fun and do “regular” things. Through his words and actions, Tea Cake gives Janie the freedom to be herself and make her own decisions, which was something she had never encountered from a man before. She is finally happy in her life. After getting married, Tea Cake and Janie move to the Everglades, a large natural environment where Janie experiences many new things, such as new cultures and work experiences. Tea Cake allows Janie to work with him in the Muk, which brings them closer together through their shared experiences. Tea Cake treats Janie as his equal, which finally allows her to be confident in herself and her voice. When talking about Tea Cake, Janie states, “He could be a bee to a blossom—a pear tree blossom in the spring… He was a glance from God” (Hurston 106). Janie has finally found the kind of passionate and true love she had desired as a teen while sitting under the pear tree. Tea Cake and Janie’s love was a big and natural love which was directly reflective of the environment they were

Show More
Related
976 Words | 4 Pages

1. Unlike Janie’s previous husbands, Tea Cake treats Janie with compassion and respect. In addition, he loves Janie for her personality instead of her looks and her role as a woman (housewife). 2. The speech characteristic that Tea Cake encourages Janie with is truth.

Read More
918 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout Janie's life, she was told what to pertaining to her body and decisions. People around her in Eatonville criticized many of her choices, especially her deciding to live with Tea Cake. This decision, caused a whirlwind of events that start with Janie realizing that she could make her own choices, and that her life didn't belong to anyone else. She journeys from being an object to a respected person, and it all begins--and ends-- in Eatonville.

Read More
403 Words | 2 Pages

Figurative language is a technique used commonly among authors in literature, yet still something readers have a difficult time figuring out due to the deeper meaning that is hidden in the piece of work. In Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, a minor yet significant character named Mrs. Turner is compared to a pious worshipper, portraying her as someone who is obsessed of one race over another, showing her want of power in society. This ultimately suggests the invisible power in a race and how the color of one’s skin can make differences. Mrs. Turner is an interesting character in this novel. Mrs. Turner is compared to “believers [who] had built an altar to the unattainable -- Caucasian characteristics for all” (Hurston

Read More
968 Words | 4 Pages

He strolls into Janie’s shop after Joe’s death to begin his courtship, however, Janie doesn’t believe he is being sincere and brushes off his advances. This all changes after Tea Cake does something no one ever considered for Janie, he teaches her to play checkers. With this he planted the first seed of love in Janie’s heart without her recognizing it. Tea Cake and Janie eventually fall for each other and decide to move to the Muck where Janie begins to work alongside Tea Cake. This provides an excellent example on the true love Janie holds for Tea Cake because she refused to work in the fields with Logan Killicks, her first husband, for even a day.

Read More
1277 Words | 6 Pages

As Joe introduces himself to Janie, his dominant personality and confidence overtake her, which causes her to believe that she is in love with him; when in reality, it is just naivety. In fact, she ignored her standards for love in order to create a life with Joe, as the text states, “Janie pulled back a long time because he did not represent sun-up and pollen and blooming trees, but he spoke for a far horizon”(29). It is clear that Joe is not exactly what Janie is looking for in a relationship; however, the fact that he is confident in everything he says, as well as the fact that he initially treats Janie with respect, causes Janie to look up to Joe. Additionally, the way that everyone around Janie esteems Joe upon meeting him further proves to be an excuse for her to stay married to him. Although Joe saw great things in the future for himself and the community that he built, he does not show true love for Janie; but rather uses her as a trophy.

Read More
1134 Words | 5 Pages

“Sometimes he strikes without rattling at all” (Sweat 7). Often men in Zora Neale Hurtston’s stories use their power to abuse their women for what appears to be no reason at all. Hurston wrote two pieces of literature, one being “Sweat '' a short story that follows Delia, who’s marriage is overrun by her abusive husband, Sykes. It takes place in the 1920’s and draws attention to the unfair treatment and discrimination women face. Their Eyes Were Watching God takes place in the early 20th century and looks into the protagonist, Janie's life, and how she found herself through her struggles with love.

Read More
726 Words | 3 Pages

With Tea Cake, she could be herself. He allowed her to be herself because he loved her the way she was and didn’t want to make her change to be something she wasn’t. Tea Cake encouraged Janie to be what she wanted and to follow her dreams and aspirations. Janie finally was able to find the bee to pollinate her pear blossom. She loved him with all her heart.

Read More
543 Words | 3 Pages

Janie explains that she does not regret anything she has or done with Tea Cake. She would not have done anything differently to save her life. This love and marriage has the most impact on

Read More
978 Words | 4 Pages

The novel 's plot is driven by Janie 's series of relationships with different men: a kiss with Johnny Taylor, followed by marriages with Logan Killicks, Jody Starks and finally, Tea Cake. Logan Killicks and Jody Starks see Janie as defined by her relationship with them, and expect her to be obedient, silent and proper. Jody sees her as a kind of ornament that bolsters his social standing and that helps to justify his efforts to assert control over everyone, men and women alike. Tea Cake, in contrast, defines himself not by political power but rather by his physical strength and ability to have fun. Even while Tea Cake treats Janie as an equal, there still exists a certain power struggle in Janie 's relationship with him, as her increasing ability to recognize her needs as an individual throughout the novel emerges in response to Tea Cake 's treatment of her.

Read More
1161 Words | 5 Pages

After Jody dies Janie encounters Tea Cake, a young man that not only lets her assert her voice but encourages her to do so. Janie's feelings are revealed about Tea Cake when she thinks, “He looked like the love thoughts of women. He could be a bee to a blossom-a pear tree blossoms in the spring.” (Hurston 106) Tea Cake’s relationship is different for Janie for he taught her the value of a healthy relationship where “there is no imbalance of power,” they respected “each other’s independence” letting Janie form her ”own decisions without fear of retribution or relation, and share decisions” as proven in the article “What Does a Healthy Relationship Look Like?”

Read More
801 Words | 4 Pages

She meets Tea Cake, falls in love, and later marries him. This marriage is by far the most special and unique marriage Janie has had. Her relationship with Tea Cake is her first true love; which consists of affection, happiness, understanding and everything else that follows. This marriage makes Janie feel like she has a second chance in life to relive her youth. Janie has lots of fun and is truly blessed and happy with Tea Cake.

Read More
1063 Words | 5 Pages

Tea Cake provides Janie with meaningful conversations in which creativity takes precedent, and he brings self-awareness into her perspective: "You let other folks git all de enjoyment out of 'em [her eyes] 'thout takin ' in any of it yo 'self" (144). Janie 's personal growth is showcased in her and Tea Cake 's budding relationship as well as in her self-discovery of her own voice. This newfound voice appears to Janie in the conversations she has with others. Instead of being silent and submissive to Jody Starks ' overbearing, dominant nature or Logan Killicks ' dull, unloving personality, Janie is finally able to seek true fulfillment in a new horizon. Although Tea Cake offers Janie a new sense of "place," a role of partnership and mutual connection, and a new sense of "self," a more positive image of her own nature, his choices raise questions as far as his character is concerned.

Read More
750 Words | 3 Pages

Women were to do what they were told and to marry when they were told to. But when Janie and Teacake moved, things were different. Janie felt a sense of freedom and power because Teacake was not as overbearing as Joe, her previous husband, or her grandmother. Geography is also significant because it started to change Teacake’s attitude towards life and Janie. Janie begins to have some complex questions about Teacake’s character.

Read More
713 Words | 3 Pages

Zora Neale Hurston’s writing in Their Eyes Were Watching God, reflects the Harlem Renaissance through Janie 's individuality, and departs from the Harlem Renaissance with the common recurrence of black woman empowerment. In the novel, Hurston reflects the ideas of the Harlem renaissance with the ways in which Janie rebels and goes against norms for women.

Read More
1012 Words | 5 Pages

In Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the long-lasting effects of slavery have taken a toll on Janie Crawford. Janie’s grandmother was raped by her master and had a child named Leafy. Leafy, although not born into slavery, endured a similar fate, which led her to run away, leaving her mother to raise her child, Janie. Janie’s appearance, showing strong European features, was both praised and shamed by society. This double standard was created by racism and was able to remain present due to segregation.

Read More

More about Their Eyes Were Watching God Figurative Language

Related Topics

Open Document