Katherine Gonzalez

Ap English Literature

Period 1
Their Eyes Were Watching God


In the novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” Zora Neale Hurston uses characterization and setting to emphasize the idea of Janie’s conflict between fate and freedom.Society labels Janie’s fate of love by telling her who to love.However Janie decides to overcome that “Label” given by society and make her own decision of who to love and marry.Throughout her decisions,consequences and judgements come upon her.Which gave her thoughts of her own that juxtaposed society's thoughts.


Zora Neale Hurston characterizes Janie’s first husband's,Logan Killicks and Joe Starks to be “Right” for janie,according society.Yet Janie suffers with their misleading personalities and realizes that they do not deserve her.For example,Janie marries Logan Killicks,thinking he was a nice man until overtime he starts to force her to do things a woman should do based by society which is cleaning,cooking,and helping husbands with work.Janie later decides to run away with Joe Starks,yet leading to the same situation than before.The men treated her as the way society wanted them to treat her,giving her no freedom.


Setting is also used by Zora Neale Hurston,to define the moral’s of Janie’s society.It also illustrates the stereotypes given to the women and the role they have, to please their men.The setting being in West Florida and Etonville also presents the idea of low and high class,segregation of race,and working methods.Yet Janie still desires to be free and express herself,however the duties given to her by society overcome them.


While society’s fate for Janie tried to overcome Janie’s freedom, she still found her own escape.Tea Cake represented the freedom and her own actual fate.Although many judged her by that,Jane learned her lessons,to ignore others and follow her own desires and beliefs.All though one label’s another.One should find a way to escape the custom and find their own way of life,as did Janie.