Janie's Character inTheir Eyes Were Watching God Essay

The Transformation

In Zora Neale Hurstons, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the character of Janie is mostly developed through her various marriages. Readers watch as her character transforms under the pressures of whats expected opposed to true love. Throughout the book, Janie struggles to find what shes been looking for since her awakening under the pear tree; true love. A love that can satisfy the very depths of her nature and comfort her for the rest of her life. Janies first marriage to Logan Killicks teaches her that you can not settle and expect to find love. Janies marriage to Joe Starks shows her that being independent and being herself will get her farther in life than any marriage ever could. Finally, Janie meets and marries TeaCake and we see her character fully blossom.

Janies character in the book begins to develop during her difficult and demanding marriage to Logan Killicks. When Janie is sixteen she has a physical and emotional awakening wile lying beneath a pear blossom tree in her yard, She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arched to meet the love embraceso this was marriage!(11). In this moment, Janie begins searching for a man who can supply her with a boundless and unending true love. However, when Janie is asked to marry Logan Killicks, she becomes fearful that she will never discover the love she so badly yearns for. Janies character becomes submissive during the course of the marriage and she becomes merely tolerant of her husband. In the text, Long before the year was up, Janie noticed her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her. He had ceased to wonder her long, black hair and finger it (26), Janie keeps quiet around her husband and simply works at her many, repetitive tasks. Through the submissive behavior displayed by Janie, one can see that Janies love of life and freedom must prevail before it disappears along with her hope of true love. When Janie finally takes a stand against Logan, a transformation occurs. One can feel Janies character make a vital change when she says to her husband, If you can stand not to chop and tote wood Ah reckon you can stand not to git no dinner (26). By standing up to her husband, Janie experiences a change within herself. Janie feels a newfound hope she hasnt felt since her awakening under the pear blossom tree.

Janies second husband, Joe Starks, lures her into a very long and seemingly successful marriage, It was a citified, stylish dressed man with his hat set at an angle that didnt belong in these parts (27). From the very beginning, everything about Joe Starks causes Janie to experience a whirlwind of emotions she had never felt with Logan Killicks. The shift in character that Janie experiences is clearly felt when we see Joe from Janies point of view, Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw (34). Janie feels pride in her new husband because he is valued by other people. Joe Starks makes Janie feel special in ways that Logan Killicks never did. This causes her character to evolve into something that feels cherished and taken care of. For awhile Janie is free-spirited and happy, but eventually her marriage turns into a relationship with tight boundaries. She must always wear her hair up, she must always run the store well, she must be polite and always playing her role as mayors wife or Joe disapproved. After Joe becomes mayor of Eatonville, Janie realizes the negative effects of being the Mayors wife has on her. Janie soon began to feel the impact of awe and envy against her sensibilities. The wife of the mayor was not just another woman as she has supposed (46). This revelation reveals Janies feelings on her newfound power and position as Mayors wife. Janie realizes that she can not blend in with the crowd of Eatonville so long as she is a woman of power. This realization becomes detrimental to Janie and Jodys marriage because Janies free spirit is hidden deep within her. She can no longer become close with the women of the town or enjoy her. Joe and Janies marriage becomes repetitive and tiring, So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush. The spirit of the marriage left the bedroom and took to living in the parlor (71). After the death of Joe Starks, Janies character evolves into something much stronger and much more independent than before, The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore off the handkerchief from her headthe weight, the length, the glory was there (87). By letting down her hair and taking a good look at herself in the mirror again, Janie once more becomes a free and hopeful woman.

Janies third marriage to Vergible Woods, or TeaCake, causes the purest transformation to Janies character, as well as the most powerful. TeaCake is different from Janies previous husbands in that he jokes around with her. He is the first one that allows Janie to be herself. For example, TeaCake will poke fun at Janie, De lady cant throw!could yuh lemme have uh pound uh knuckle puddin till Saturday? (98). TeaCake also takes Janie out to do things shes never done before like playing checkers, fishing, and hunting. By allowing Janie to do these things, one can see that TeaCake treats her as an equal. This differs from her previous two husbands and makes her character more relaxed. The transformation that occurs is Janie becomes more comfortable and confident than she has ever felt in her whole life, Jody classed me off. Ah didntAh wants to utilize myself all over (112). Janies character has a new and fiery hunger for life as well as a renewal of the hope that she will find true love in TeaCake.

Throughout Zora Neale Hurstons novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janies three marriages help to shape and develop her complex character. Janies forced and strained marriage to Logan Killicks changed Janie into a more outspoken, independent woman in the long run, while her marriage to Joe Starks made her a confident and carefree woman in the end. Finally, Janie finds the true love shes been searching for in Teacake, her third husband. Teacake allows Janie to be who she wants to be; a carefree and happy woman. Janies emotional and physical awakening under the pear blossom tree was finally fulfilled with Teacake. In addition, Janies character fully blossoms and develops within the arms of Teacake.