AP En g l i s h : Li t e r a t u r e a n d Co m p o s i t i o n Nam e s _____________________________________

Ma jor W or k s Da t a S h e e t

Bio graph ic al in fo rm at io n abo u t t h e au t h o r:

Tit le : _________Th eir Ey es W ere W a tch in g God _______
Hurston was born in Eatonville, Florida, to John Hurston,
Au t h o r: ____________Zor a Nea le Hu r s t on ___________ a carpenter and Baptist preacher, and Lucy Ann Potts
Hurston, a former country school teacher. In 1918 she
Dat e o f Pu blic at io n : ___________1 9 3 7 ______________ graduated from Morgan Academy and entered Howard
University. Hurston's first short story was published in
Ge n re : ___________n ovel___________________________ Stylus, Howard University's literary magazine. She was an
____________________________________________________ active participant in the Harlem Renaissance, associating
His t o ric al in fo rm at io n abo u t t h e pe rio d o f with such writers as W. E. B. DuBois, Langston Hughes,
pu blic at io n : Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay. She received a
The decade of the "roaring twenties," a pivotal and turbulent one scholarship to Barnard College where she majored in
in American history, was also a period of unprecedented anthropology. From 1927 to 1931 with the financial
flowering of Black culture, encompassing literature, the visual
and plastic arts, as well as the performing arts. Harlem, an area
assistance of Charlotte Osgood Mason, Hurston traveled
in upper Manhattan where the Black community had been throughout the South collecting African American
residing since the beginning of the century, became the epicenter folklore. In 1934 her first novel Jonah's Gourd Vine, was
of Black cultural life. Life a magnet, Harlem's fame also drew published. In 1936 and 1938 Hurston received
aspiring Black writers from all over the United States and the Guggenheim Fellow-ships to collect folklore. Throughout
West Indies into its precincts. For almost two decades (1917- her writing career she held a variety of jobs: teaching,
1935), they supplied art to the world. Many southern rural Black writing for a newspaper, and housekeeping. In 1960
Americans came to Harlem in search of economic opportunity Hurston died in poverty and was buried in a segregated
and a haven from racial oppression. They brought with them the cemetery in Fort Pierce, Florida. In 1973, Alice Walker
wealth of oral tradition, regional speech patterns, and rhythms,
had a tombstone erected on her grave. Source:
including the blues and jazz. Black magazines Opportunity and
Crisis provided the stimulus for literary competitions. www.smeadowsishandsome.org/aZoraBorealis
___________________________________________
Bu t t h e gr ea t es t s t im u lu s wa s t h e ext r a or d in a r y
wea lt h of t a len t com p r es s ed in t o a s m a ll s ect ion of Ch arac t e ris t ic s o f t h e ge n re :
t h e b ig cit y. S ou rce:
Fiction
w w w .d a rth eth erin gton .com / Ha rlem Ren a is s a n ce.h tm l

Plo t S u m m ary :

Their Eyes Were Watching God is the story of Janie Crawford, a black woman in Florida, as she searches for love and
contentment. The novel is a frame-tale; Janie tells her friend Pheoby what has happened to her and tells Pheoby to pass the story on
to others in Eatonville, Florida, where Janie is living.
Janie was raised by her grandmother Nanny after Leafy, her mother (and Nanny's daughter by her slaveowner) was raped by the
schoolteacher and left town. They live with a white family, the Washburns, and help care for the family and the house. When Janie
is sixteen, Nanny sees her kissing Johnny Taylor and decides that it is time for Janie to marry. She arranges it with Logan Killicks, a
thirty-year-old man in town, who owns property, a mule, and an organ. A former slave, Nanny does not want Janie to live a life of
poverty. Logan, however, treats Janie like a servant.
Janie meets Joe (also called Jody) one day near the house and decides to leave Logan and go with Joe. Joe and Janie marry and
travel to Eatonville, a new black town, and there Joe buys land and builds the town's general store. For all his promises for the
future, Joe treats Janie like a servant as well, assigning her to work in the store and not allowing her to participate in the
conversations that take place on the porch. He also tells her to cover her hair so that other men will not have the chance to admire it.
Joe wants Janie to behave as "the mayor's wife" and be above the daily comings and goings in the town. The marriage becomes a
shell, and Janie learns to keep important feelings and thoughts inside. After twenty years of marriage, Joe dies.
A man named Vergible (Tea Cake) Woods arrives in town one day. Younger than Janie by more than ten years, Tea Cake's
playful and irreverent attitude appeals to Janie. He teaches her to play checkers, fish, and shoot. She decides to leave Eatonville and
go with him to the Florida Everglades where they will work on the muck, planting and picking beans. They spend two happy years
there.
A hurricane passes through the Everglades, and Janie and Tea Cake try to outrun it. In trying to protect Janie during their escape,
Tea Cake is bitten by a rabid dog and develops rabies. The illness makes him mean and irrational. He tries to shoot her, and she
kills him in self-defense. She is tried for murder and acquitted. She decides to return to Eatonville and tell her story to Pheoby. She
does.

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. 1937. New York: Quality Paperback Books, 1990.
Majo r Wo rk s Dat a S h e e t Page 2
Memorable Quotation Significance

"She was a rut in the road. Plenty of life beneath This quotation (from the narrator) explains Janie’s
the surface but it was kept beaten down by the nature in her first marriage. She is symbolized as,
wheels" (72). literally, being in a rut.

"To my thinkin' mourning oughtn't tuh last no Here, Janie reflects on her lack of sadness about the
longer'n grief" (89). death of Mr. Starks, who was her dead husband, but
not someone she mourned. She stops acting sad
because she does not feel it.

"Janie looked down on him and felt a self- This explanation of Janie’s feelings for Tea Cake
crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its show that she is willing to risk herself for him –
hiding place" (122). growth for her and a new sensation to her (that she
can feel such utter devotion).

"They sat in company with the others in other This quotation explains the title of the book. While
shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls the quotation itself is from the hurricane (when Janie
and their souls asking if He meant to measure and Tea Cake and the others are watching it blow), it
their puny might against His. They seemed to be also reflects the theme of the book – individuals are
staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching more than just people staring into the dark. When
God" (151). they find love and are truly themselves, they can see
God.

"Love ain't somethin' lak uh grindstone dat's de Here, Janie explains what she thinks love is. She
same thing everywhere and do de same thing thinks it is unique each time it is felt.
tuh everything it touch. Love is lak de sea. It's uh
movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape
from de shore it meets, and it's different with
every shore" (182).

"It's uh known fact, Pheoby, you got tuh go there In this quotation, Janie explains the steps individuals
tuh know there..Two things everybody's got tuh must take to become self-actualized – to find God and
do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and to live life a bit and get some experience as
they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" individuals.
(183).

“She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. The final quotation shows Janie at peace. She “calls
Pulled it from around the waist of the world and in her soul” to come and reflect on her life, full like a
draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its net, as she begins her new life after Tea Cake. We
meshes! She called in her soul to come and see” know as readers that she will be okay.
(184).

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. 1937. New York: Quality Paperback Books, 1990.
Majo r Wo rk s Dat a S h e e t Page 3
Characters
Nam e Ro le in t h e s t o ry S ign ific an c e Adje c t iv e s
J a n ie Ma e th e p r ota gon is t --th is n ovel is th e s tor y Sh e p r oves th a t goa ls a r e ob ta in a b le, if in d ep en d en t, s elf-
Cr a wfor d of h er life a n d h er loves ; th e s tor yteller you p u t you r m in d to a ch ievin g th a t con fid en t,
Killick s Sta r k s of h er life; goa l; J a n ie tea ch es u s th a t on e ca n n ot a ggr es s ive,
Wood s b e con tr olled b y oth er s ; on e m u s t extr over t, p r ou d ,
con tr ol th eir own a ction s a n d b e fr ee of h a r d wor k in g,
r es tr iction b y oth er s to b e h a p p y. Sh e a d m ir a b le,
tea ch es u s th a t life is a s tr u ggle a n d on e d ejected , s tr on g,
m u s t lea r n fr om it a ll. Sh e is s ign ifica n t wis e, u n iqu e,
b eca u s e s h e r ep r es en ts on ly h er s elf: in s a tia b le,
s h e ca n n ot b e a s ym b ol for ever y b la ck
wom a n .
Ph oeb y Wils on J a n ie's fr ien d a n d con fid a n te in lets th e r ea d er ga in J a n ie's p er s p ective fr ien d ly, op en -
E a ton ville a n d fea r s a b ou t h er d ecis ion -m a k in g m in d ed
p r oces s ; s h e ca u tion s a n d wa r n s J a n ie;
s h e d em on s tr a tes s ociety's id ea lized
wom a n --ca r in g ob ed ien tly for h er
fa m ily--
Na n n y J a n ie's gr a n d m oth er wh o r a is es J a n ie. Sh e u n wittin gly s p oils J a n ie's h op es for ca r in g, s tr on g-
Cr a wfor d h a p p in es s wh en s h e a r r a n ges h er willed , b a tter ed
m a r r ia ge to Loga n
J oh n n y Ta ylor k is s ed you n g J a n ie over th e fen ce J a n ie's fir s t feelin gs of lu s t; Na n n y's cu e "s h iftles s "; you th ;
th a t it is tim e for J a n ie to m a r r y; s er ves in n ocen ce
a s a ca t a lys t for J a n ie's em er gin g (exp er ien ced ?)
s exu a lity
Loga n Killick s J a n ie's fir s t h u s b a n d ; r ich ; u n a ttr a ctive h elp s J a n ie d is cer n lu xu r y fr om lon gin g over b ea r in g,
u n a ttr a ctive,
lovin g
Lea fy J a n ie's m oth er wh o a b a n d on ed J a n ie Lea fy's s tor y m a d e J a n ie ta k e a d va n ta ge d ep r es s ed ,
wh en J a n ie wa s you n g. Sh e wa s r a p ed of life, a n d n ot th r ow it a wa y on a lcoh ol a b u s ed , lon ely,
b y th e s ch ooltea ch er . a n d m en . Rep r es en ts wh a t Na n n y is u n for tu n a te,
tr yin g to s a ve J a n ie fr om a n d wh a t n a ive, u s ed
J a n ie s tr ives to a void .

J oe Sta r k s J a n ie's s econ d h u s b a n d wh os e Ma k es J a n ie s en s itive to th e tr ick e r y of d r ea m in g,

a s p ir a tion s a r e in s p ir a tion a l en ou gh to h er own m in d ; r es tr icts J a n ie's p h ys ica l u n fu lfilled , s ca r ed
J a n ie for h er to lea ve h er fir s t h u s b a n d ; a n d m en ta l b ea u ty b y r ea s on s of
b ecom es th e m a yor of E a ton ville, th e jea lou s y a n d "d u ty"; lea ves J a n ie
town h e h elp ed to b u ild yea r n in g for u n fetter ed , tr u e
exp er ien ce; a fa ls e p r op h et of tr u e love;
Ver gib le (Tea la s t a n d m os t b eloved of J a n ie's By lovin g a n d b ein g loved b y Tea Ca k e, wa n d er er , lovin g,
Ca k e) Wood s h u sban ds J a n ie lea r n s wh a t h a p p in es s is ; a n d b y in n ocen t, wa r m ,
h is d ea th s h e lea r n s tor tu ou s p a in , yet u n d er s ta n d in g,
even tu a l tr iu m p h . J a n ie's s ou l m a te. m es m er izin g
Th e on e s ociety d is a p p r oves , b u t th e
on e with wh om s h e fin d s h a p p in es s .
Nu n k ie a flir ta tiou s fr ien d of Tea Ca k e's in th e h elp s J a n ie r ea lize h er d is cover y th a t flir ta tiou s ,
E ver gla d es s h e h a s fou n d love th r ou gh h er s ch em in g
jea lou s y, a n d th a t th r ou gh h er love s h e
h a s fou n d th a t s h e is fu lfilled
Mr s . Tu r n er A la d y th a t b efr ien d s J a n ie in th e m u ck ; Rep r es en ts r a cia l p r eju d ice with in a p r ou d , r u d e,
wa n ts J a n ie to m eet h er b r oth er . Sh e r a ce. Sh e fa vor s ligh t -s k in n ed b la ck s . m is led , wh ite
own s a r es ta u r a n t on th e fla t; s ou r ce of An exa m p le of wh a t h a p p en s to a a ctin g.
con flict; foil to J a n ie a n d Tea Ca k e p er s on 's m in d s et wh en on e's r a ce is
h eld to b e in fer ior to a n oth er .

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. 1937. New York: Quality Paperback Books, 1990.
Majo r Wo rk s Dat a S h e e t Page 4

Setting Symbols
Th e n ovel s ta r ts with J a n ie's r etu r n to E a ton ville a fter Tea J a n ie's h a ir - J a n ie's exp r es s ion of fr eed om ; wh en h er h a ir
Ca k e's d ea th . E a ton ville is s ign ifica n t b eca u s e it is a n a ll- wa s d own , s h e wa s fr ee, b ea u tifu l, a n d r ela xed ; b u t wh en
b la ck town th a t J a n ie's s econ d h u s b a n d J oe Sta r k s wa s J oe m a k es h er wea r it u p , it is a s ym b ol of h er
th e m a yor of b efor e h is d ea th . In fla s h b a ck , th e n ovel tells im p r is on m en t a n d op p r es s ion ; h er you th a n d h er h id d en
a b ou t J a n ie's ch ild h ood in Wes t Flor id a , wh er e s h e gr ew u p s en s u a lity
with wh ite ch ild r en on th e Wa s h b u r n 's p la n ta tion . Th en p ea r tr ee b los s om - s ym b olizes J a n ie's life a n d h er h op e
J a n ie a n d h er gr a n d m a m oved to th eir own h ou s e. After a n d fer tility, fr es h n es s , on en es s with n a tu r e; th e
J a n ie's fir s t m a r r ia ge to Loga n Killick s , s h e m oved to h is p ollin a tion r ep r es en ts th e s en s u a l "m a r r ia ge" wh ich
s ixty-a cr e fa r m . J a n ie wa s n 't h a p p y d es p ite h er s ecu r ity, con fu s es J a n ie; b ecom es J a n ie's tr ee of k n owled ge; J a n ie's
s o s h e left Loga n for J oe Sta r k s , h er s econ d h u s b a n d . b los s om in g wom a n h ood a n d fer tility
J a n ie a n d J oe tr a veled fr om Wes t Flor id a to E a ton ville, a n s tr eetligh t - J oe's b elief th a t ever y p r ob lem h a s a s im p le fix
a ll-b la ck town wh er e J oe wa s elected m a yor , a n d J a n ie h a d ga r d en s eed th a t Tea Ca k e lea ves b eh in d is th e on ly th in g
to wor k in th e gen er a l s tor e th a t J oe own ed . After J oe's th a t J a n ie s a ves . Th e s eed s r ep r es en t th e fu tu r e of J a n ie
d ea th , J a n ie left E a t on ville with Tea Ca k e Wood s , a n d th ey a n d Tea Ca k e's love.
wer e m a r r ied in J a ck s on ville, Flor id a wh er e h e h a d a job la m p p os t - Bib lica l a llu s ion to "let th er e b e ligh t"; a n d J oe's
with a r a ilr oa d s h op . Th ey tr a veled togeth er d own to th e d es ir e to h a ve con tr ol a n d a h igh s ta n d in g a m on gs t th e
Flor id a E ver gla d es , "d own on th e m u ck " u n til a h u r r ica n e town s p eop le
d r ove th em to Pa lm Bea ch tem p or a r ily. Th ey we n t b a ck to Ma tt Bon n er 's m u le - Na n n y s u gges t th a t th e Bla ck wom a n
th e E ver gla d es a fter th e s tor m h a d p a s s ed , a n d a fter Tea is th e m u le of th e wor ld ; Ma tt u s es it a s a b ea s t of b u r d en
Ca k e's d ea th fr om r a b ies , J a n ie r etu r n ed a lon e to a s Loga n h a d u s ed J a n ie. J oe b u ys th e m u le s im p ly s o h e
E a ton ville to live in th e h ou s e s h e h a d s h a r ed with J oe m a y look good in th e eyes of h is com m u n ity a n d s o th a t h e
Sta r k s . m a y p os s es s it. He d id th e s a m e with J a n ie wh en h e
m a r r ied h er .
vu ltu r es - s ym b olize th e in h a b ita n ts of E a ton ville wh o ta k e
a p a r t J a n ie in a figu r a tive s in ce th e s a m e wa y th e vu ltu r es
liter a lly ta k e a p a r t th e m u le.
Significance of opening scene Significance of ending/closing scene
Th e n ovel is a n a r r a tive of on e wom a n 's s elf-a ctu a lizin g
Th e op en in g ch a p ter em p h a s izes th e d iffer en ces b etween jou r n ey, a n d th e s tr u ggles s h e en d u r ed for gin g (con s ciou s ly
th e "p or ch -s itter s " of E a ton ville, wh o ju s t s it a n d ta lk a n d s u b con s ciou s ly) th is p ilgr im a ge. Th u s it s er ves b es t
with ou t a ccom p lis h in g a n yth in g a n d J a n ie, wh o h a s lived for th e en d in g to cir cle b a ck to th e b egin n in g, to th e p oin t
h er life to th e fu ll. Th es e s itter s wa tch ed J a n ie fr o m a wh er e a ll con flicts a r e s olved , a n d h ea lin g ca n b egin . As
d is ta n ce a n d ju d ged h er . Th ey cr u elly cu t h er d own b eh in d J a n ie clos es h er con ver s a tion with Ph oeb y, a n d th e r ea d er ,
h er b a ck . In s h a r p con tr a s t, J a n ie s p ea k s p lea s a n tly a n d we a ll com e to ter m s with J a n ie's p a in a n d h er tr iu m p h .
with ou t m a lice. Sh e d oes n ot s top to wa s te tim e on th e Th e th r ee wor d s "Her e wa s p ea ce," s u m s u p th e en tir e
p or ch , b u t goes to h er own h ou s e. Wh en Ph eob y s p ea k s to jou r n ey, a d d in g a wa r m , s in cer e fin a lity to th e n ovel.
J a n ie, th ey la u gh p lea s a n tly with ou t th e u n d er cu r r en t of J a n ie fin is h es tellin g Ph oeb y h er jou r n ey a n d wa s h es h er
m a lice p r es en t with th e "s itter s ." Fr om th e op en in g ch a p ter feet--s ign ifyin g th e en d of a jou r n ey a fter lea r n in g a gr ea t
th e r ea d er lea r n s th a t J a n ie, d u r in g h er m ys ter iou s d ea l. As s h e a s cen d s th e s ta ir s th e la m p s h e h old s is h er
jou r n ey, h a s ga in ed th e com p os u r e, h u m ility, a n d own in ter n a l ligh t th a t s h in es b eca u s e s h e is fr ee fr om th e
k n owled ge th a t th e s itter s s till la ck . Th is s p a r k s ou r th in gs th a t h a ve op p r es s ed h er a ll h er life. After
in ter es t to k n ow wh a t s h e h a s lea r n ed . con clu d in g h er s tor y, h er loya l fr ien d Ph oeb y is en cou r a ged
a n d we s ee th e s t a r k con tr a s t b etween wh a t J a n ie u s ed to
b e (Ph oeb y) a n d J a n ie a fter h er life of m a n y exp er ien ces
a n d th e d is cover y of fr eed om .
Themes

Love is b lin d to s u ch ca r n a l qu a lities a s a ge, s ocia l s ta n d in gs , a n d econ om ic s ta tu r e.

Un cover in g d is illu s ion s in life p r ovid es m ea n s for gr owin g a n d u n d er s ta n d in g love a n d on e's s elf.
Kn owled ge of life ca n n ot b e ta u gh t; it m u s t b e lea r n ed fir s t h a n d th r ou gh exp er ien ce.
In d ivid u a ls m u s t d is cover wh o th ey a r e for th em s elves .
Society will in evita b ly tr y to m old in d ivid u a l clon es , b u t th e tr u es t a n d m os t com p lete life is th e on e th a t lea d s to s elf-
a ctu a liza tion .
Love is n ot n eces s a r ily a cqu ir ed th r ou gh m a r r ia ge. Love is a p u r e a n d h on es t feelin g th a t com es with tr u s t a n d equ a lity.
On e ca n p er s ever e a n d ga in a tr u e s en s e of s elf if on e u s es h is p a s t fa ilu r es to p la n for a m or e p os itive fu tu r e.

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. 1937. New York: Quality Paperback Books, 1990.