Introduction

   

Hello….

     Welcome to Group B’s Introduction to Literature Blog, on the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston. On the right of the page there is a small paragraph noting who has contributed to this website, (Kristina Richart, Kelsi Stephenson, Madeline Griwac, and myself Hannah Melton). Below that paragraph on the right there is a table of contents where you can see all of the posts that are included in this blog, and you can simply click on whichever you wish to read at that time. Feel free to leave comments and please enjoy the content we have placed here to share with you.

Literary Critic Review Article (Hannah Melton)

Literary Critic Review Article

By: Hannah Melton

            I am going to use the Biographical school of criticism to review the novel, Their Eyes were Watching God. The theme of, “speech and silence” was shown through the novel in many aspects.  The book is most often celebrated for the author’s Zora Hurston’s unique use of language, particularly her mastery of rural Southern black dialect. Throughout the novel, she utilizes an interesting narrative structure, splitting the presentation of the story between high literary narration and idiomatic discourse. Hurston’s use of language parallels Janie’s quest to find her voice. After Janie discovers her ability to define herself by her speech interactions with others, she learns that silence too can be a source of empowerment. The primary conflict was both of Janie’s sacred notions of love are desecrated when she is forced into one loveless marriage, and falls into a second. Zora Hurston had difficulties with marriage as well. Back then it was difficult for women to speak without being criticized, especially black women at the time.

Her hair, the horizon and pear tree are three symbols that dominant the book. Janie’s hair symbolized her power, unconventional identity, her strength and individuality. The horizon and pear tree represent Janie’s idealized views of nature.  In the bees’ interaction with the pear tree flowers, Janie witnesses a perfect moment in nature, full of boundless energy, passionate interaction, and blissful harmony. The horizon represents the far-off mystery of the natural world, with which she longs to connect. Just like Zora Hurston who is strong willed and able to take care of herself. She looks at nature the same way Janie does and has tenacity to get what she wants without others getting in her way.

Janie and the author Zora Neale Hurston are extremely similar in many ways. Janie defines categorization; she is black but flaunts her Caucasian like straight hair. She is a woman but defines gender stereotypes by insisting on her independence and wearing overalls. Behind her defiance are a curiosity and confidence that drive her to experience the world and become conscious of her relation to it. Zora Neale Hurston’s personality has the same aspects. She also had straight hair and she loved it. It is interesting when the author uses parts of their real life experiences and personalities and puts them into their books.

            

Symbol Evaluation (Kristina Richart)

Symbol Evaluation

By: Kristina Richart 

Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurtson contains many forms of symbolism that aids to the plot of the novel and gives a deeper meaning to the characters and events of the story. There are five major symbols used by Hurtson to convey ideas. Janie’s hair, the horizon, the pear tree, guns/shooting, and the hurricane are all examples of symbolism used in Their Eyes Were Watching God.

In the first chapter of the story, Janie is described as having long hair hanging down her back. From this point on Janie’s hair is used to symbolize her independence or lack of independence. Janie’s hair displays her power and identity. The symbol of hair recurs many times throughout the novel to help the readers comprehend what is really going on in Janie’s heart. When Janie’s hair is back or covers, it means she is feeling unhappy, overpowered, and restricted.   When Janie’s hair is down, we see that she is happy and independent. Janie’s hair is covered up while she was married to Jody, but after he died and throughout the rest of the story her hair was down. Janie’s hair is the most significant symbol used in the novel, for it is mentioned in almost every chapter and ties back to the plot line.

The second example of symbolism used is the pear tree. The pear tree is used to represent Janie’s life and also symbolizes the start of her quest for identity. In the beginning of the novel Janie is found sitting under a pear tree in complete serenity with nature. It is there that she decides to chase harmony, passion, and her dreams. This example of symbolism is very creative because it puts the reader under the pear tree with Janie and makes them feel what she feels. It is significant because this is where Janie has an epiphany and decides what direction she wants her life to go.  

A third example is the horizon. To Janie, the horizon is a symbol of her dreams and the natural mysteries of the world. Janie realizes she wants to get to her horizon after sitting under the pear tree. From that moment on, Janie chases her horizon throughout the story. At the very end of the story she is finally able to reach it and feels very content. This symbol is also important to the plot of the story because it describes what Janie is striving for. I would argue that this is a very creative symbol because it pushes the readers to think out of the box.

A fourth example of symbolism used in Their Eyes Were Watching God is shooting and the use of guns. The guns are a symbol of masculinity, power, and destruction. In chapter 14 Tea Cake teaches Janie how to shoot, which she quickly become good at; even better than Tea Cake. This symbolizes that she is becoming more independent and is finding her own identity; men are no longer superior to her. This symbol is not as important as the other three examples of symbolism listed above. It is used to support the fact that Janie is developing, but is only referenced in a few chapters. I would not rank this symbol as highly creative.

The last example of symbolism is the hurricane. The hurricane represents the destruction of nature and the power of God. This symbol directly contrasts the symbol of the peace that the pear tree had. The hurricane brings in fear, doubt, confusion, and death. The hurricane messes with Janie’s dreams of a happy, content-filled life. When the hurricane comes it has so much power the characters fear for their lives and question what their place in the universe is. It also makes them question God. They were all watching God to see what He would do with his power; they watched to see if He would use his power to take their lives. After the hurricane is over its symbol of death carries on as Tea Cake is refused to bury the dead, and not to long after that, he himself is buried as a result of the hurricane. I found this symbol to be very creative. It was very effective in engaging the readers in the story and providing a conflict in Janie’s life. I would argue that this symbol hold greater importance than the symbol of the gun because it had such an impact on Janie’s life and the course of the novel.

These five examples of symbolism used in Their Eyes Were Watching God do a great job in offering a deeper meaning to the text. They also keep the readers engaged and help to point out in an interesting way what is really going o in Janie’s life. The evaluations of these symbols help the reader to further understand the meaning of the objects and events used by Hurtson in the novel.

Cast of Characters (Kristina Richart)

Cast of Characters 

By: Kristina Richart 

• Janie Mae Crawford- Janie is the main character of Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel focuses on Janie’s quest to find her own voice and sense of independence.  Throughout the novel she thinks that marriage will give her the love and satisfaction she desires, but after marrying Logan and then Jody, she learns this is not the case. Once Janie marries Tea Cake, she finds herself happy again as he helps her to develop her identity.
• Tea Cake- Tea Cake is Janie’s third husband and the only man she’s ever truly loved. Tea Cake plays a large role in helping Janie develop. Before Janie ever met Tea Cake she had already started developing her own voice when she stood up to Jody, then when she met Jody, she became even more bold and vocal. Tea Cake allows Janie to reach the horizon she had been reaching for.
• Jody Starks- Jody is Janie’s second husband. Janie runs from her first husband to marry Jody. Jody is a man of power. He is dominating in everything he does, including in his relationship with Janie. Jody limits Janie from finding her identity, the opposite of Tea Cake.
•  Logan Killicks- Logan was Janie’s first husband. Janie married him even though she did not love him because her grandmother wanted her to, so Janie obeyed. Logan makes Janie feel alone and unloved, so she leaves him. 
• Pheoby Watson- Pheoby is Janie’s best friend. Pheoby is a caring character and is the audience as Janie tells her life story.
• Nanny Crawford- Nanny is Janie’s grandmother who raised her after her mother became an alcoholic. Nanny pushed Janie to marry quickly so she could be well cared for and respected; but this went against Janie’s wishes for independence.
• Mrs. Turner- Mrs. Turner is a restaurant owner in the everglades who is a very outspoken woman. She likes Janie because of her Caucasian features but does not get along with Tea Cake. She tries to set up Janie with her brother, creating conflict between Janie and Tea Cake.
• Motor Boat- Motor Boat is Janie and Tea Cake’s friend who survives the hurricane.
• Dr. Simmons- Dr. Simmons is a well-liked doctor who diagnoses Tea Cake and testifies for Janie in court.
• Hezekiah Potts- Hezekiah works with Janie at the store in Eatonville, and after Jody’s death he acts as Janie’s protector.
• Nunkie- Nunkie is a girl who flirts with Tea Cake making Janie jealous.
• Johnny Taylor- Johnny is the first boy Janie kisses. This concerns Nanny which leads her to arrange Janie’s marriage with Logan.

Novel Soundtrack (Kelsi Stephenson)

Novel Soundtrack

By: Kelsi Stephenson

1. Poison and Wine – The Civil Wars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfzRlcnq_c0

[Male]: You only know what I want you to

[Female]: I know everything you don't want me to

[Male]: Oh your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine

[Female]: You think your dreams are the same as mine

 [Together]: Oh I don't love you but I always will

Oh I don't love you but I always will

Oh I don't love you but I always will

I always will

[Female]: I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back

[Male]: The less I give the more I get back

[Female]: Oh your hands can heal, your hands can bruise

[Male]: I don't have a choice but I'd still choose you

[Together]: Oh I don't love you but I always will [x7]

I always will [x5]

This song really shows the type of marriage that Janie experienced with her first two marriages, especially with Jody. Their dreams didn’t line up, Janie continued to give while Joe only took. Joe could heal her when he wanted, but often he was only abusive, mostly verbally. By the end they were just stuck in a loveless marriage.

2. Broken Crown – Mumford and Sons

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXzDu071RdQ

Touch my mouth and hold my tongue

I'll never be your chosen one

I'll be home safe and tucked away

Well You can't tempt me if I don't see the day

The pull on my flesh was just too strong

Stifled the choice and the air in my lungs

Better not to breathe than to breathe a lie

'Cause when I opened my body I breathe in a lie

I will not speak of your sin

There was a way out for Him

The mirror shows not

Your values are all shot

But oh my heart, was flawed I knew my weakness

So hold my hand consign me not to darkness

So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down

I'll never wear your broken crown

I took the road and I f****d it all away

Now in this twilight, how dare you speak of grace

So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down

I'll never wear your broken crown

I can take the road and I can f**k it all away

But in this twilight, our choices seal our fate

This song, interpretively, can be seen as Janie’s fight for independence from the worldview and expectations she had from her grandmother and everyone around her. She didn’t want to wear the “broken crown” her grandmother placed on her head of the womanly role, or of the mayor’s wife that Joe placed on her. She had her own type of Christian-ish worldview, but she denied the one she knew. She saw the hypocrisy and wanted to find a road of her own, with her own choices.

3. All Signs Point to Lauderdale – A Day to Remember

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XePylYnGeoM

I hate this town, it's so washed up

And all my friends don't give a f**k

They'll tell me that it's just bad luck

When will I find where I fit in?

2, 3, 4!

Remember when I tried?

I never strayed too far from you

Forever by your side

No matter what I was going through

But now I never know the things to say to you

That help me prove that I'm still on your side

I never show just what you do to me

Guess I'm what's always wrong

I hate this town, it's so washed up

And all my friends don't give a f**k

They'll tell me that it's just bad luck

When will I find where I fit in?

I hate this town

Cause no one can understand

I just can't be tied down

Nothing comes between me and my plans

So now I never know the things to say to you

That help me prove that I'm still on your side

I never show just what you do to me

Guess I'm what's always wrong

I hate this town, it's so washed up

And all my friends don't give a f**k

They'll tell me that it's just bad luck

When will I find where I fit in?

And don't believe a word they're telling to you

Don't believe a word they're telling to you

They let me down

When will I find where I fit in?

I hate this town

Won't let a world gone mad ever bring me down

Gave everything I had to turn it back around

Cause our time's worth something bigger than both you and me

I can't live my life always backing down

I gotta do this right, then they can't make a sound

Cause I'm not here for nothing, least I can say

I stand for something

You and me, we stand for something

This song totally relates to Janie’s life before Tea Cake. I don’t know if she hated Eatonville, but she definitely didn’t have the life she wanted there. Her free spirit couldn’t be contained or tied down, she couldn’t quite fit in with the crowd there. No matter what, she couldn’t be brought down. She stuck by Jody despite what he did to her and how he didn’t believe her.

4. Luck be a Lady  – Frank Sinatra

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJpGHR6ofustra

They call you lady luck

But there is room for doubt

At times you have a very un-lady-like way

Of running out

Your on this date with me

The pickin's have been lush

And yet before the evening is over

You might give me the brush

You might forget your manners

You might refuse to stay

And so the best that I can do is pray

Luck be lady tonight

Luck be lady tonight

Luck if you've been a lady to begin with

Luck be a lady tonight

Luck let a gentleman see

Just how nice a dame you can be

I know the way you've treated other guys you've been with

Luck be a lady with me

A lady never leaves her escort

It isn't fair, it isn't nice

A lady doesn't wander all over the room

And blow on some other guys dice

Lets keep this party polite

Never get out of my sight

Stick with me baby, I'm the guy that you came in with

Luck be lady tonight

A lady never flirts with strangers

She'd have a heart, she'd be nice

A lady doesn't wander all over the room

And blow on some other guys dice

Lets keep this party polite

Never get out of my sight

Stick with me baby, I'm the guy that you came in with

Luck be lady tonight

This song basically just relates to the gambling that goes on with Tea Cake and the town. Luck is sometimes on their side, and other times, she’s not so helpful.

5. Painless – Mae

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OiJhfc-5WI

The sun was barely coming up,

my heart was all but slowing down.

but I could barely make out the sound.

It was my personal symphony.

Striking the chords for only me.

There was a coursing all through my veins.

Another chance to get away, oh.

Until this empty place is filled, I’ll keep pretending.

Hey! Wait! Knock me down and I'll get up again.

Oh! Pain! A remedy that can erase your sting.

I'll keep holding, and I'll keep trying.

I feel this fight, it is slowly dying now but I feel painless...

These days and night blend into one,

but one more night is all I need.

Another chord from the symphony.

To float above the world for now,

to lose control is bliss somehow.

And wring the color from the grey,

another chance to get away, oh.

Until this empty place is filled, I’ll keep pretending.

Hey! Wait! Knock me down and I'll get up again.

Oh! Pain! A remedy that can erase your sting.

I'll keep holding, and I'll keep trying.

I feel this fight, it is slowly dying now but I feel painless...

All these reckless nights, have left me spinning out of control.

Is there not a cure for sorrow?

All these faded lights, have made me search for something more.

Will there be a new, tomorrow.

Until this empty place is filled, I’ll keep pretending.

Hey! Wait! Knock me down and I'll get up again.

Oh! Pain! A remedy that can erase your sting.

I’ll keep holding, and I’ll keep trying tonight.

Hey! Wait! Knock me down and I'll get up again.

Oh! Pain! A remedy that can erase your sting.

I'll keep holding, and I'll keep trying.

I feel this fight, it is slowly dying now but I feel painless...

“Painless” gives a portrayal of someone who is searching for something more as they look for an escape for their soul. Janie often was wandering to a place in her head far from reality. It was almost as if her soul was disconnected from her body, that she would travel to a place where her soul was and be painless. And “until that empty place is filled,” she “kept pretending.

6. Emerald Lake, AB – Said the Whale

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PfwGwQic1c

Left arms burnt, we head for the lake

A bit more sun than we could take

I'll push the Jimmy, if you push the Dave

Then we could sink down to the bottom and say

What a fine life we are living

And I think you'll agree

That the train tracks are complimentary

To squishing pennies and kissing girls

We scratched our names all in a row

Into a tree, in hopes it would grow

Into the tallest tree the forest ever would know

We'd climb up to the top and shout to below

What a fine life we are living

This is an upbeat song that really shows the life of those who aren’t well off financially, the freedom they have. It’s a similar portrayal to the life Janie took with Tea Cake, both in Eatonville and especially when they went to the everglades. The irony is in how they call it a fine life that they’re living, when to “high society” it looks “trashy,” and the opposite of “fine.”

7. Inevitable – Anberlin

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuA3mDHEbTk

Do you remember when we were just kids

And cardboard boxes took us miles from what we would miss

Schoolyard conversations taken to heart

And laughter took the place of everything we knew we were not

I wanna break every clock

The hands of time could never move again

We could stay in this moment (stay in this moment)

For the rest of our lives

Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now

I wanna be your last, first kiss

That you'll ever have

I wanna be your last, first kiss

Amazing how life turns out the way that it does

We end up hurting the worst, the only ones we really love

I wanna break every clock

The hands of time could never move again

We could stay in this moment (stay in this moment)

For the rest of our lives

Is it over now hey, hey,

I wanna be your last, first kiss

That you'll ever have (that you'll ever have)

I wanna be your last, first love (that you'll ever have)

Till you're lying here beside me with arms and eyes open wide

I wanna be your last, first kiss for all time is it over now

To me, this is just a beautifully simple portrayal of love – the kind of love Janie and Tea Cake had. It shows the development of lives and relationships, from childhood throughout. There are times they wanted to just live in the moment, there are times when they hurt each other, even though they loved each other so much. But they wanted to stay together forever, and they did. 

8. I’d Be Lying – Greg Laswell

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otEQa35OFZI

Won't you let me give you a hand

I have an extra I'm not using

Won't you let me lighten your load

I mean after all your legs are shaking

And I can understand

All I need is your hand

Oh won't you take the fall

It is me after all

Won't you let me match your stride

I can slow down if you want to

We can handle it side by side

What do you say girl don't you want to

And I can understand

All I need is your hand

Oh won't you take the fall

It is me after all

I'd be lying

If I ran away

I'd be lying

If I ran another way

And so I'll stay

But won't you let me be your man

I'm strong enough you know that I can

Be the one to ease your mind

Ease your mind

And I can understand

All I need is your hand

Oh won't you take the fall

It is is me after all

I'd be lying

If I ran another way

I'd be lying

If I ran another way

And so I'll stay

There's not much that you can do

To get me to run away from you

            This song reflects the fear of Janie that Tea Cake was going to leave. Tea Cake needed to convince Janie that he was not about to leave, that he could and would be there for her. He needed to gain her trust.

9. Little Lion Man – Mumford and Sons

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLJf9qJHR3E

Weep for yourself, my man,

You'll never be what is in your heart

Weep Little Lion Man,

You're not as brave as you were at the start

Rate yourself and rake yourself,

Take all the courage you have left

Wasted on fixing all the problems

That you made in your own head

But it was not your fault but mine

And it was your heart on the line

I really f****d it up this time

Didn't I, my dear?

Didn't I, my...

Tremble for yourself, my man,

You know that you have seen this all before

Tremble Little Lion Man,

You'll never settle any of your scores

Your grace is wasted in your face,

Your boldness stands alone among the wreck

Now learn from your mother or else spend your days biting your own neck

But it was not your fault but mine

And it was your heart on the line

I really f****d it up this time

Didn't I, my dear? (x2)

Joe Starks’ rise to power and attempt to be a great, admirable man is shown in “Little Lion Man.” In the end, he could not be the man in his heart that he wanted to be. The verses describe an outsider’s look on him, but then the chorus is similar to what Joe may have been feeling on his death bed when Janie told him all she felt about how he limited her.

10. War – Bob Marley

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XHEPoMNP0I

Until the philosophy which hold one race superior

And another

Inferior

Is finally

And permanently

Discredited

And abandoned -

Everywhere is war -

Me say war.

That until there no longer

First class and second class citizens of any nation

Until the colour of a man's skin

Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes -

Me say war.

That until the basic human rights

Are equally guaranteed to all,

Without regard to race -

Dis a war.

That until that day

The dream of lasting peace,

World citizenship

Rule of international morality

Will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued,

But never attained -

Now everywhere is war - war.

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes

that hold our brothers in Angola,

In Mozambique,

South Africa

Sub-human bondage

Have been toppled,

Utterly destroyed -

Well, everywhere is war -

Me say war.

War in the east,

War in the west,

War up north,

War down south -

War - war -

Rumours of war.

And until that day,

The African continent

Will not know peace,

We Africans will fight - we find it necessary -

And we know we shall win

As we are confident

In the victory

Of good over evil -

Good over evil, yeah!

Obviously, Their Eyes Were Watching God took place in a time when racism was common and acceptable. There was discrimination and segregation, so just for the time period and the events regarding racism in the book (Mrs. Walter’s racism, the dead white people getting caskets when the blacks didn’t after the hurricane, etc.) I think this song fits.

11. Cat and Mouse – Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJZM8SMXgqY

Softly we tremble tonight,

picture perfect fading smiles are all that's left in sight,

I said I'd never leave, you'll never change

I'm not satisfied with where I'm at in life.

Am I supposed to be happy?

With all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.

Am I supposed to be happy?

With all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.

You said, you said that you would die for me...

We made plans to grow old,

believe me there was truth in all those stories that I told.

Lost in a simple game cat and mouse,

Are we the same people as before this came to light?

Am I supposed to be happy?

with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.

Am I supposed to be happy?

with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.

You said, you said that you would die for me...

You must live for me too'...

For me too...yeah, yeah...

You said that you would die for me...

Like “Poison and Wine,” the song reflects the marriage of Janie and Jody. The marriage became selfish, there were empty promises from Joe to Janie. He didn’t ever live for Janie, it was all her. Janie wasn’t happy with where she was and she felt like all the things she wanted had prices she couldn’t pay.

12. Hello Hurricane – Switchfoot

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqxpDZfKHJ4

I've been watching the skies

They've been turning blood red

Not a doubt in my mind anymore

There's a storm up ahead

Hello hurricane

You're not enough

Hello hurricane

You can't silence my love

I've got doors and windows

Boarded up

All your dead end fury is

Not enough

You can't silence my love, my love

Every thing I have I count as loss

Everything I have is stripped away

Before I started building

I counted up these costs

There's nothing left for you to take away

Hello hurricane

You're not enough

Hello hurricane

You can't silence my love

I've got doors and windows

Boarded up

All your dead end fury is

Not enough

You can't silence my love

Yeah my love

I'm on fire fighting for control

I'm a fighter fighting for my soul

Everything inside of me surrenders

You can't silence my love

You can't silence my love

Hello hurricane

You're not enough

Hello hurricane

You can't silence my love

I've got doors and windows

Boarded up

All your dead end fury is

Not enough

You can't silence my love

Yeah I said hello hurricane

This was more of a cheesy pick, mainly because I picked it because there was quite literally a hurricane in the climax of the novel. But it can be interpreted literally and metaphorically, they did survive the hurricane and their love went on through the storms.