Who Is Janie Crawford's Growth In Their Eyes Were Watching God By Hurston

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie is a character that posses “that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions”. Throughout the novel, she is searching for a “pear tree love”, and her many experiences help her come to understand the true meaning and feelings that it creates. Due to Janie’s lack of exposure to a healthy and passionate relationship, she is never sure how “love” is created. When entering her first relationship with Logan, despite his age, she is left believing that the action of marriage while bring her the feeling of love. This action represents conformity, because despite her disgust with him, the idea of experiencing the “pear tree love” out-shadowed it.

Eventually, Janie decided to leave Logan for another man she met names Joe Starks, and her quest for love continued with her new marriage. Janie was instantly attracted to Joe’s innate power because he gave her hope that she could reach the “horizon” (page 36). Joe took over as mayor of Eatonville and his influence increased dramatically with his improved confidence. He made decisions for Janie, just as her grandmother had, and forbid her from living like every other townsperson. For example, Janie was not allowed to associate with any customers in the store she helped Joe run, she could not wear her hair down in the store, and she had to dress a particular way because of Joe’s raging jealousy.

Janie Crawford left her grandmother with wide eyes sprinkled in dreams and hopes. Longing for a man to love her to the end of her days, she jumps into an exciting deal with the romantic Joe Starks, who promises her that she’ll live like a queen at his side. However, in the first chapter of Their Eyes Were Watching God, the story began with Janie coming home as a strong, independent old woman with no need for a man to support her, which strongly contrasts with the naïve, submissive young lady she posed as Joe’s wife. How did she transitions to such a character? Janie reaction in the fifth and sixth chapters to Joe’s criticism shows that she is thoughtful and, despite being cowed, she refuses to break.

After hearing her say this about him Joe slaps Janie, which isn’t something a good husband would do. This situation is what causes the marriage to really go downhill, and soonafter Joe gets sick and he dies, while still fighting with Janie and overall being a bad

First he tells Janie that she is the mayor’s wife so she must act like one. And second, Joe ridicules Janie and insults her in front of townspeople. In a way, Joe’s male supremacy is worse than Logan’s in that it plays with Janie

Joe Starks uses the idea of living large to appeal to Janie; the idea of being taken care of, along with the ability to live with more freedoms convinced her to flee her first husband in hopes of finding the true love she yearned for. Starks obtained the title as mayor, displaying his status in the political hierarchy, to which she enjoyed happily; “Quote” accordingly, the theme of utilizing power to persuade a woman is displayed in both

Joe seen Janie as a trophy wife or someone he could show people off to, but Janie was taken by his charms and believed that he would be the one to give her the love she was looking for. She soon realized that it was nothing like that, “And one night he had caught Walter standing behind Janie and brushing the back of his hand back and forth across the loose end of her braid ever so lightly so as to enjoy the feel of it without Janie knowing what he was doing. Joe was at the back of the store and Walter didn’t see him. He felt like rushing forth with the meat knife and chopping off the offending hand. That night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store” (Chapter 5).

After Logan, Janie was just as lost as before. She went on to meet Joe Starks who was really no different. Joe had a

This impacts the plot in such a big way, since Janie can not get any more advice from her Nanny, and does not have to follow her marriage plans. Janie can now leave Logan and become free since she does not have to follow Nanny’s rules and obey her

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie suffers from hardship in two relationships before she can find her true love. Janie explains to her best friend, Pheoby, how she searches for love. Therefore Pheoby wants to hear the true story, rather than listening to the porch sitters. Throughout the book Janie experiences different types of love with three different men; Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Vergible "Tea Cake" Woods. At 16 Janie marries Logan Killicks.

Joe Starks didn’t know the words for all this, but he knew the feeling. So he struck Janie with all his might and drive her from the store” (80). Joe Stark had been humiliated in front of other men which brought down his ego and his masculinity strength. He regained that strength by using toxic masculinity. Joe needed to rebound against Janie’s actions, so he slapped her to remind her of her place.

However, many times in the book, many of the characters have told Joe that Janie is too good for him. That she should leave him and get another man. Which would anger an insecure man, who feels that he needs to have all material things to have a good life. In this quote, “He didn’t really hate Janie, but he wanted her to think so” (81). It shows that he thinks that guilting people into thinking that he’s the victim, that people will start respecting him again.

Hurston describes Janie’s quest to finding love and to recovering herself, though

All of Janie’s marriages started differently, but all ended in the same

Janie didn’t like being controlled, she is portrayed as a strong minded woman, so having a man constantly tell her what to say and do made her unhappy. Jody said “Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don’t think none their selves” (Hurston 110). Joe thought Janie was incompetent so he told her how and what to do every day. Janie hated being controlled.