Their Eyes Were Watching God Movie And Book Comparison

As a teenager, I’ve experienced both love for another individual and personal freedom. So I can attest to the fact that while love is like gravity, in the sense that it naturally pulls you towards your heart’s desire, personal freedom has grounded me until I feel centered and whole within myself. The same is true for Janie in Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, as she has different experiences with love in her 3 marriages. Yet it is when she is finally alone and free that she truly becomes self-sufficient and at peace. Hurston’s most important intention in the novel is to emphasize that freedom is more fulfilling than love. The film adaptation of the novel does not showcase the book’s intention well, considering that Janie

In the novel, personal freedom brings contentment and peace more than love. One pivotal, moving scene in the book is when Tea Cake slaps Janie around just to show that he possessed her after Mrs Turner introduced her mixed race brother to them, proclaiming that he would be a great match for Janie. Tea Cake justifies his actions to his friends, saying, “Janie is wherever ah wants tuh be. Dat’s de kind uh wife she is and ah love her for it. Ah, wouldn’t be knockin’ her around. Ah didn’t want whup her last night, but ol’ Mis’ Turner sent for her brother tuh come tuh bait Janie in and take her way from me,” (Hurston 141). This incident was shocking to the reader, since Tea Cake and Janie’s relationship is painted to be a perfect, almost idealistic romance until this point. Tea Cake’s reasoning for beating Janie was because he felt immensely jealous and emasculated by Mrs Turner’s suggestion. Even though Janie refuses this unsolicited introduction, Tea Cake still took out his anger and jealousy on Janie. Even after this abuse, Janie stays with Tea Cake, believing she will find personal fulfillment in her marriage. Janie chases this innocent fantasy of love, thinking this will bring the peace she yearns

In the film, Janie and Tea Cake get married but the introduction of Mrs Turner does not occur. Omitting her character in the film is pivotal, as Mrs Turner’s role helps us understand Janie is viewed by Tea Cake as a possession, someone to control and an extension of his weak self image. Even though Janie may think that she is in a loving and safe relationship, she is still not truly free and fulfilled. Despite the portrayal of Janie and Tea Cake’s marriage as nearly flawless, it is far from perfect. Their relationship has many problems and experiences many strains. In Justin Chang's review of the film, he believes “By the time Joe dies, some 20 years of bitter tyranny later, Janie is ready for freedom once again. She finds it in the arms of Tea Cake (Michael Ealy), broodingly handsome and 12 years her junior.” This statement is untrue since she moves from Joe’s tyranny to Tea Cake’s control and abuse. Janie ultimately does not find her personal freedom until after Tea Cake’s passing, when she lives independently and is at peace, free from oppressive marriages and