Zora Neale Hurston crafted her seminal novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, over the course of seven weeks in 1937 while in Haiti under a Guggenheim fellowship. Her days were filled with anthropological studies, yet her evenings were dedicated to the rich development of protagonist Janie Crawford Killicks Starks Woods. Hurston poured her personal experiences and emotions into the novel, particularly the turmoil of a love affair with Albert Price III, which fueled her creative process and deepened the introspective journey of Janie.

The Story of Janie Crawford

The narrative unfolds through Janie's recounting of her life story to her best friend, Pheoby, creating a personal yet universal tale. Although a third-person narrator eventually takes over, the narrative remains deeply intertwined with Janie's voice, reflecting her quest for self-discovery. Her journey begins in her grandmother’s backyard, a place where she first tastes the sweetness of love, only to be quickly thrust into a marriage with Logan Killicks. Under her grandmother's guidance, Janie learns the harsh world order where Black women bear the brunt of societal burdens, leading to her realization that love is absent in her marital life with Killicks. This insight propels Janie to leave him without a trace of regret.

Encounter with Joe Starks

Janie's departure from Killicks leads her to Joe Starks, a charismatic man intent on creating a new life in the Black-founded town of Eatonville, Florida. Initially captivated by Joe's ambitions, Janie soon finds herself silenced and placed on a pedestal, distanced from the community and her own voice. Over time, Janie's awareness of her internal "jewel" grows, as she learns to see through Joe's ambitions and recognizes her own desires. Joe's eventual death liberates Janie, freeing her from societal expectations and affording her the space to explore life on her own terms.

Life with Tea Cake Woods

Resisting the community's attempts to remarry her, Janie encounters Tea Cake Woods, a vibrant and youthful spirit who rekindles her sense of joy and adventure. Together, they move to the Everglades, where they are both tested by the socio-cultural dynamics of their surroundings and the raw power of nature. A hurricane strikes, and in the chaos, Tea Cake is bitten by a rabid dog, leading to a tragic turn when Janie must take his life in self-defense. Her subsequent trial and acquittal mark a pivotal point in her journey.

Return to Eatonville

Janie's return to Eatonville signifies the completion of her journey, her experiences woven into her identity like a protective fishnet. Having traversed love, loss, and self-realization, she stands independent, her life story a testament to the resilience and complexity of the human spirit.

In "Their Eyes Were Watching God," the notion of setting transcends mere geography and becomes a reflection of social, cultural, and personal transformations. Against the backdrop of early 20th-century Florida, the narrative explores Janie Crawford's quest for identity and fulfillment within the constraints of racially segregated communities. Each locale she inhabits, from West Florida to Eatonville and finally to "de muck," serves as a pivotal stage in her journey of self-discovery and liberation.

West Florida

Janie's journey begins in West Florida, a place marked by family history and the shelter of her grandmother, Nanny. Raised by Nanny after her mother's disappearance, Janie spends her formative years in the care of the Washburn family, who help Nanny establish a stable environment for her. This setting is not just a physical space but a symbol of Nanny's protective dream for Janie's future—a dream shaped by the traumas of slavery and the desire for security. However, Janie's experience under the pear tree, where she encounters the awakening of her sexuality, acts as a catalyst for her rebellion against a life solely dictated by Nanny's fears.

Nanny's decision to arrange Janie's marriage to Logan Killicks represents a turning point. Killicks, an older man with property, embodies the safety and stability Nanny desires for her granddaughter. Yet, for Janie, this marriage becomes a symbol of confinement. Her eventual meeting with Joe Starks, a charismatic traveler, presents a new horizon, one that promises adventure and autonomy. Thus, Janie's departure from West Florida signifies a rejection of a life devoid of personal dreams.

Eatonville

Eatonville, a historically significant all-Black town, becomes the setting for Janie's next chapter. Accompanied by Joe Starks, Janie arrives in Eatonville with hopes of building a life together. Joe, however, is disillusioned by the town's condition and takes it upon himself to transform Eatonville into a prosperous community. Under his leadership, the town flourishes, yet Janie's personal aspirations remain unfulfilled.

Despite living in a town that represents self-governance and racial autonomy, Janie finds herself alienated, restricted by Joe's dominance and her role as a woman in a patriarchal society. Her identity is stifled, symbolized by Joe's insistence on her keeping her hair tied up and the public humiliations she endures. Joe's death becomes a moment of liberation for Janie, yet her sense of belonging in Eatonville remains tenuous. Her encounter with Vergible "Tea Cake" Woods offers an escape from this oppressive environment, leading her to Jacksonville and beyond.

De Muck

The journey culminates in "de muck," a vibrant, earthy setting in the Everglades, where Janie finally embraces her independence. In this fertile land, Janie and Tea Cake find joy and camaraderie among migrant workers, living a life untethered by societal conventions. "De muck" represents Janie's horizon, a place where she can truly be herself and experience love without compromise.

However, this idyllic existence is marred by a hurricane that devastates the region. In a tragic turn of events, Janie is forced to kill Tea Cake in self-defense, an act that leads to her trial and subsequent acquittal. Despite the tragedy, Janie emerges stronger and more self-aware, having lived on her own terms. Her return to Eatonville marks not a retreat but a conscious choice to carry forward the lessons learned from her journey.

Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God is a groundbreaking novel that intricately weaves together narrative voice and the richness of Black folklore. The novel employs a distinctive storytelling method that melds the protagonist Janie's journey with a collective narrative tradition. It deftly integrates elements of the Harlem Renaissance, celebrating Black culture through language and storytelling practices that diverged from conventional literary norms.

Narrative Voice and Perspective

While the novel begins with Janie recounting her life to her friend Pheoby, it does not adhere to a first-person narrative. Instead, an omniscient narrator relates most of the story, sparking discussion about the identity of this narrative voice. According to Claire Crabtree in the Southern Literary Journal, this narrator remains "close to but not identical with Janie’s consciousness," skillfully conveying Janie's thoughts through free indirect speech. This technique implies a deep alignment with Janie's experiences while retaining an omniscient perspective. In contrast, Henry Louis Gates Jr., in his work The Signifying Monkey, suggests that the narrator draws from the Black vernacular tradition, representing a collective community voice. As the story progresses, this narrative voice increasingly mirrors the patterns of Black vernacular speech, creating a tapestry of voices that includes Nanny’s and the community’s stories, alongside Janie’s own tale.

Folklore and Literary Techniques

Hurston's novel is notable for its seamless integration of folklore into its narrative structure. Drawing from her background as an anthropologist, Hurston utilized literary devices from Black rural oral traditions. This influence is evident in the use of repetition, such as Janie's three marriages, echoing the folkloric pattern of events occurring in threes. As Crabtree highlights, Janie's journey reflects the archetypal folktale path of a young person leaving home, facing trials, and returning enriched and wiser. Upon her return, Janie's readiness to share her story with Pheoby underscores the intention for her experiences to be retold as a folktale, perpetuating oral tradition.

Influence of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of immense cultural and intellectual growth among Black Americans, aiming initially to challenge pervasive racial stereotypes. Early Harlem Renaissance writers often mimicked mainstream styles to prove intellectual parity. However, authors like Hurston argued for a celebration of authentic Black experiences, using vernacular language to reflect true cultural narratives. While her use of dialect in Their Eyes Were Watching God initially sparked controversy, modern scholars recognize it as a vital contribution to Black American literature. Hurston’s work not only highlighted the unique speech patterns of Black communities but also underscored the importance of preserving and honoring their traditions.

The novel launches with a profound statement about the essence of desires: dreams are akin to ships at sea, with destinies that vary for men and women. Men wait for their dreams like ships on the horizon, sometimes never reaching them, whereas women selectively remember their truths and act upon them. This gender-based distinction in aspirations and actions forms the crux of the narrative.

The Journey of Dreams

As the central character, Janie's journey represents the pursuit of dreams, despite false starts. Her life unfolds through a series of relationships that depict different responses to dreams and reality. By the novel’s conclusion, Janie has embraced her memories and offers them to her community, highlighting the importance of storytelling.

Metaphors and Meanings

The horizon emerges as a recurring metaphor symbolizing dreams. Janie's grandmother, Nanny Crawford, embodies a dream of safety and security, which Janie eventually perceives as restrictive. Nanny's vision, focused on material protection, becomes a metaphorical noose, stifling Janie's personal aspirations.

Materialism vs. Folk Culture

Contrasting with Nanny’s dream, characters like Logan Killicks and Joe Starks epitomize materialist views. Logan is the pragmatist whose dreams are realized with the arrival of his ship. Similarly, Joe Starks encourages a focus on business over leisure, representing a masculine vision Janie eventually rejects. Nonetheless, Starks' wealth inadvertently supports Janie's later endeavors.

In contrast, the "folk" characters embody a different philosophy, rooted in Hurston’s anthropological insights. These characters thrive on "signifying," engaging in playful verbal exchanges that blend truth and fiction. Despite societal disdain, the folk possess a cultural richness that challenges materialism.

Janie's Evolution as a Storyteller

Janie’s evolution is intertwined with her storytelling prowess. Initially silenced by Nanny and Logan, and later by Joe Starks, she is relegated to a passive role. Starks, in particular, confines her to a silent symbol of his achievements, stifling her voice. It is only with Tea Cake, who values mutual dialogue, that Janie finds her voice. His appreciation for the audience’s role in storytelling fosters Janie's growth into an adept storyteller. Through her experiences with Tea Cake and the community on the muck, Janie gains the confidence to narrate her story. Upon her return to Eatonville, her friend Pheoby notes the transformation, having herself grown from hearing Janie's tale.

• Their Eyes Were Watching God (Abridged Audio Recording, 1991) - Recorded by Caedmon, performed by Ruby Dee. Available on cassette.
• Their Eyes Were Watching God (Unabridged Audio Recording, 1994) - Produced by Recorded Books, read by Michele-Denise Woods. Available on sound cassette.
• Their Eyes Were Watching God (Television Film, 2005) - Directed by Darnell Martin. Production involved Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey. The movie rights are owned by Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey. Available as a made-for-television film.

• Claire Crabtree, “The Confluence of Folklore, Feminism and Black Self-Determination in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Southern Literary Journal, Vol. 17, No. 2, Spring, 1985, pp. 54–66.
• Henry Louis Gates Jr., The Signifying Monkey, Oxford, 1988.
• Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Harper & Row, New York, 1937.
• Jennifer Jordon, “Feminist Fantasies: Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, Vol. 7, Spring, 1988, pp. 105–17.
• Alain Locke, review in Opportunity, June 1, 1938, reprinted in Zora Neale Hurston: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and K. A. Appiah, Amistad, 1993, p. 18.
• Lucille Tompkins, review in New York Times Book Review, September 26, 1937, reprinted in Zora Neale Hurston: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and K. A. Appiah, Amistad, 1993, pp. 18–19.
• Alice Walker, “Looking for Zora,” in In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983, pp. 93–116.
• Alice Walker, “Zora Neale Hurston: A Cautionary Tale and a Partisan View,” in In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983, pp. 83–92. An essay which discusses Walker’s discovery of Hurston’s work.
• Cheryl Wall, “Zora Neale Hurston Changing Her Own Words,” in Zora Neale Hurston: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and K. A. Appiah, Amistad, 1993, pp. 78–97.
• Mary Helen Washington, “ ‘I Love the Way Janie Crawford Left Her Husbands:’ Emergent Female Hero,” in Zora Neale Hurston: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and K. A. Appiah, Amistad, 1993, pp. 98–109.
• Gay Wilentz, “Defeating the False God: Janie’s Self-Determination in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God,” in Faith of a (Woman) Writer, edited by Alice Kessler-Harris and William McBrien, Greenwood Press, 1988, pp. 285–91.
• Richard Wright, review in New Masses, October 5, 1937, reprinted in Zora Neale Hurston: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and K. A. Appiah, Amistad, 1993, pp. 16–17.
• Sharon Davie, “Free Mules, Talking Buzzards, and Cracked Plates: The Politics of Dislocation in Their Eyes Were Watching God,” PMLA, May, 1993, pp. 446–459. Scholarly article which examines the relationships among control, reason, and language in the novel.
• Robert E. Hemenway, Zora Neale Hurston, University of Illinois Press, Illinois, 1977. A popular biography of the writer which includes a good discussion of her work and its relationship to her life.
• Karla F. C. Holloway, Moorings & Metaphors: Figures of Culture and Gender in Black Women’s Literature, Rutgers University Press, 1992. A book-length study which considers the work of several Black women writers and several of Hurston’s works in addition to Their Eyes Were Watching God.
• Pearlie Peters, “Women and Assertive Voice in Hurston’s Fiction and Folklore,” The Literary Griot, Spring/Fall, 1992, pp. 100–10. An article which discusses the Black American oral tradition and its social significance.
• Priscilla Wald, “Becoming ‘Colored’: The Self-Authorized Language of Difference in Zora Neale Hurston,” American Literary History, Spring, 1990, pp. 79–100. Scholarly article which discusses Hurston’s ability to be both the observer and the observed and which compares her fiction to her studies of folklore.

The early 20th century was a transformative era for Black Americans, characterized by cultural awakenings and significant challenges. The Great Migration saw many from the South seek better opportunities in the North, sparking the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement that highlighted Black artistic expression and critique of racial injustices. Meanwhile, the era also gave rise to race colonies, seeking autonomy in a segregated America.

Economic Hardships and Discrimination

The Great Depression, though officially marked by the 1929 stock market crash, had already begun to affect Southern farmers in the 1920s, especially Black farmers. Factors like soil erosion, the destructive boll weevil, and fierce international competition ravaged Southern agriculture. Relief efforts under Roosevelt's New Deal were supposed to alleviate such hardships but often fell short due to racial biases. As one NAACP leader lamented, the relief was "the same raw deal" for Black communities, who received less support than their white counterparts. Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, offers glimpses of this reality, depicting the struggles of Black migrant workers.

The Great Migration and Cultural Renaissance

Post-World War I America did not deliver the freedom Black veterans had hoped for. By 1920, over a million Black individuals had moved from the oppressive South to Northern cities, drawn by industrial opportunities. However, this migration intensified racial tensions, leading to race riots as fears of job displacement grew among white workers. Within this setting, a "New Negro" ideology emerged, championed by leaders like W. E. B. DuBois, who urged Black Americans to demand equality and justice, moving away from the conciliatory approaches of earlier leaders like Booker T. Washington.

Harlem became a beacon of Black cultural renaissance, a hub where artists, musicians, and intellectuals flourished despite the societal challenges. The Harlem Renaissance was not just an artistic movement; it was a critique of systemic racial injustice and a call for recognition and equality. Curiously, the movement's audience was predominantly white, drawn to Harlem's "exotic" allure. Artists like Zora Neale Hurston continued to create significant works during this period, even after the 1929 crash stifled much of Harlem's vibrant activity.

Race Colonies and Community Autonomy

In the wake of post-Civil War racism and segregation, many formerly enslaved individuals sought refuge by establishing all-Black towns across the South. By 1914, around thirty such towns had been established, offering a haven from the oppressive Jim Crow laws. Eatonville, Florida, became the first incorporated Black town to achieve self-governance, presenting a model of autonomy and resilience against systemic discrimination. This environment became the backdrop for much of Hurston's work, including Their Eyes Were Watching God, which depicted a community exercising self-determination.

Zora Neale Hurston's Literary Impact

Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, introduced a groundbreaking narrative with the protagonist Janie Woods, who represented a new kind of Black American woman. By focusing on Janie's quest for self-identity and voice, Hurston challenged the traditional narratives that silenced Black women or molded them after white protagonists. The novel's depiction of Janie as a "questing hero" marked a significant departure in Black American literature, positioning Their Eyes Were Watching God as one of the first feminist novels in the tradition.

Hurston's work provided a model for future Black American writers. Alice Walker noted the profound effect Hurston's masterpiece had on her writing, considering it essential even in a hypothetical desert island scenario. Literary critics see echoes of Hurston in Walker's character Shug from The Color Purple. Beyond Walker, Hurston has inspired a generation of Black women writers, including Gayl Jones, Gloria Naylor, Toni Cade Bambara, and Toni Morrison, who have built upon her legacy of giving voice to Black women.

Challenges and Criticisms

Arriving in New York during the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston found herself in a milieu that celebrated Black culture while confronting racial oppression. Her involvement with Opportunity magazine aligned her with New Negro thought, which rejected Black subordination. However, the era's literary success was often reserved for works addressing race issues, leading to criticism of Hurston's focus on Black humanity without overt social commentary. Her work was labeled "folklore fiction," and her political detachment led to further censure.

Despite these challenges, Hurston's artistic focus was on portraying Black individuals as complex and undiminished human beings. Yet, some contemporaries viewed her lack of political engagement as a betrayal. Although criticized for being "socially unimportant," Hurston's work aimed at telling personal stories, offering a different perspective within the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, influencing generations of writers and continuing to resonate today.