Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Edward

This book talks about the life of an African-American woman named Janie Woods while she struggles to make a life in Florida post Civil War. Janie is the first child in her family born free. She is being raised by her grandmother who tries to keep her isolated. Her grandmother is only trying to keep her safe from bad people, but Janie feels trapped in the marriage that her grandmother arranged before her death.

Janie tries to make the marriage work, but when it doesn't she takes matters into her own hands and runs away with a man who promises to treat her like a real woman. The whole book is about Janie longing to become a real woman. Her many bad decisions are based on trying to find out what it means to be a woman. She becomes a woman by facing every obstacle and problem with courage and faith.

Conflict was a constantly part of Janie's journey for a better life. For me the most defining conflict was when Janie and Teacake were trying to escape from the hurricane. It was a classic example of man vs. nature. As the couple were crossing the flooded river, Teacake risks his life to save Janie from a dog. Neither of them knew the dog was rabid when it bit Teacake. Then the conflict becomes man vs man because Teacake got sick from the bite and started abusing Janie, it was too late to save him. Teacake had given his life for Janie, but Janie had to actually end that life by shooting him. That is when the conflict was man vs. self because Janie had to find the strength within herself to do what needed to be done even though it broke her heart.

Because of Teacake Janie had become a real woman. She had finally reach her life's goal. It was a very bittersweet ending. I highly recommend this book.

Cody

The book Their Eyes Are Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurston, is about a lady named Janie and her life in the South. It is interesting following her from the beginning of her life until she is an old woman. Janie goes through quite a bit, and marries often. The reason she can never stay married is that she is never sure of herself or what she wants. Her grandmother wanted her to marry a rich man and be a lady, but Janie finds out that is not the life she wants.

Love finally finds Janie when she meets Teacake. This seems to be the theme of the story to me, finding True Love. Love isn't about comfort, money or power. You shouldn't marry someone because they are rich or classy. Janie learns something from each new lover, but with Teacake she is finally happy and fulfilled.

I am not crazy about this story. The only classic story that comes to mind for me is 'Old Yeller' and I don't think that is a good one to compare this story to. This story is nicely written and the language is rich, but the tale itself is lacking for me. Stories that involve a woman searching for her soul mate seem to be a dime a dozen, especially in today's romantic comedies. I would only recommend it to those who like stories about women searching for love.

Matthew

This book is the life story of a woman named Janie Woods. She was married off to a farmer, named Logan, by her grandmother. He was a good man, but Janie never learned to love him. One day, when Logan went to get a mule, a man named Joe Starks came to their farm. Joe was telling Janie how powerful and rich he was and how beautiful she was. He convinced her to meet him by a tree and run away with him. She went with Joe to new town in Florida, where Joe took charge of things and turned it into Edenville, where he and Janie were Mr. and Mrs. Mayor Joe Starks.

In Edenville, Janie runs Joe's store and is happy with the marriage at first. However, she becomes discouraged because Joe yells at her, goes to parties, and does what he wants, but makes Janie be quiet, cover her hair and stay home. After Joe's death, Janie remains single until a man named Teacake Woods comes into the store. Teacake was a younger man, who flirted with Janie. Eventually, she married him, and went off to the fields in Florida. One day a Hurricane came and the lake flooded. Janie and Teacake had to leave for the town. Along the way Teacake is bitten by a rabid dog, and eventually dies.

Taylor

My group literature book was named Their Eyes Were Watching God. It is about a woman named Janie and her quest to find the one man who loves her and makes her happy. The theme of this book is finding your true soul-mate in life. An example of this theme is that Janie would leave the men she married, until she found the one she truly loved. Logan kept making her work and didn't pay attention to her. That's why she left him. Joe Starks loved the idea of her, until he died of kidney failure. Janie met Virgil Teacake Woods and knew she had found that one person who would love her as much as she loved him. Janie had a very long relationship with Teacake until he was bitten by a dog with rabies and she had to shoot him.

I agreed with the theme of this book, except I wouldn't have had Janie with so many relationships. I would highly recommend this book for people who like tragic, romantic novels.

Sue

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel by Zora Neal Hurston. Ms. Hurston was born on January 7, 1891 in Alabama. She was the fifth of eight children and while she was still a toddler her family moved to Eatonville Florida, the first all black incorporated town in the US. In 1917, Hurston enrolled in Morgan Academy in Baltimore where she completed her High School education in three years. After Graduating, she enrolled at Harvard University and began her writing career.

The novel is affected by the fact that Ms. Hurston lived in a town in Florida, just like the town in her novel. Her characters are loosely based on her life. I sympathize with Janie, the central character, because she finally falls in love, only to have that love die from rabies and a bullet. I think that this novel is still being read because Hurston makes it all come alive. She makes you feel like you were right there. I would recommend this novel to everyone, because it is one of the most amazing stories I have ever read.

Travis

Their Eyes Were Watching God was recently read by my literature group. The author is Zora Neal Hurston. She was born in 1891 and died in 1960. She was a novelist, folklorist and anthropologist who's fictional and factual stories of black heritage are still being read. I think the theme of this story is that love makes you do crazy things. For example, when Teacake saved Janie from the mad dog that was attacking her in the hurricane, while she was holding onto the cow's tail in the river, he ended up getting bit while risking his life. That was really crazy.

Janie changed the most because she started out as an immature little girl and grew into a mature woman by the end. This reminds me of Cinderella. I see Janie as Cinderella and Teacake as the prince. Instead of a slipper, Teacake gave her overalls, which fit her personality better than the fancy dresses she had been wearing.

I disagreed with how the author just killed off Teacake. He was a cool guy and she should have let him live. I learned that if you don't get out of the way of a mad dog, you'll start acting like one yourself. I would recommend this story to older teens and adults, because it has scene that are not suitable for kids. It also has a strong storyline.