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Literary Context and Conversation
THEIR
EYES WERE WATCHING GOD
In
the article Discerning Nostalgia in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were
Watching God, Maureen McKnight states that the novel did not receive critical
acclaim at the time it was written, because it was considered by critics too
sentimental, nostalgic, and did not address the issues and politics of the
times for African Americans. Instead, it was looked upon as Hurston exploiting
their lives during that time, and they were looked upon with pity by superior
races. Another factor was that Hurston resisted the Harlem Renaissance, and the
argument “that “Negro Art” should advance the situation of African Americans
during the "Jim Crow era”, and that her writing portrayed them as simple people.
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As
she analyzes the novel and the author in this article, McKnight’s views are
that she does not see Hurston’s nostalgia as regressive, rather, believes that
looking back at slavery and the reconstruction in America can allow the vision
of a more balanced and just future. She discusses the pear tree in the book,
and Janie’s sexual awakening as a black woman who is searching for love and more
in life that what Nanny had wanted for her.
I
think the book shows a black woman who has deep feelings and wants more from
life as much as any other woman. She becomes strong through the journey of her
experiences of her relationships with her husbands, and especially with the
love she has for Tea Cake. She is able to cope with his death, and return to
Eatonville as a strong woman and be her own independent person, and not care
what the townspeople think. There is a strong correlation with nature throughout
the book with the pear tree, the mule and the hurricane. These are forces in
life that Janie was able to learn from, and be able to have her own voice about
her future.
The
analysis in Spark Notes of the novel Their
Eyes Were Watching God, seemed to be discussed in simpler terms than in the
research article by McKnight. The main issues and highlights of each chapter
were described in great detail, and describes that the book is Janie’s quest to
find her voice and in turn, self-empowerment. I felt this is the journey of
Janie finding herself, and she has to experience some terrible things with
Jody, and that made her a stronger person. Her love for Tea Cake allows her to
overlook some of his selfish behaviors, and the way he manipulates her for his
own needs, yet he loves her deeply.
The
theme that was common in both the article by McKnight and the Spark Notes is
the courage Janie has dealing with the death of Tea Cake and facing the trial
she must go through to prove her innocence in being responsible for his death.
Once she is found innocent, she can go forward with her life and be independent.
She returns to Eatonville, not worried about what the gossips think, and is finally
ready to be her own person on her own terms.
Discerning Nostalgia in Zora Neale Hurston's
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Great article Anita! Like we had discussed in class, I do not believe that this novel exploits the lives of African Americans. I looked at the novel as a love story that could occur between people of any race. I also do not understand how it can be seen as exploitation. No one should consider Janie's situation and lifestyle similar to other African Americans'; we should not assume that this occurs with everyone of that race, or any race for that matter.
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