Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston

Hurston: Confident, talented Rejected by father Grew up in all African American town of Eatonville Attended Howard and Barnard Universities

Joined the Harlem Renaissance 1925 Was criticized by male peers, considered eccentric

Between the characters: Reparté- The oral tradition of verbal dueling, showing skill with language

Feminists criticized the book Claimed Janie loses her voice—especially when she does not speak up Hurston asserted that it is inner growth that is valuable, not words

Set in late 1800s -1930s Covers Janie’s life from age 16 to 40+ Mostly takes place in all African American town, Eatonville (South) Some in the Everglades in Florida

It’s a Bildungsroman genre of the novel which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood Follows Janie’s first love, then marriages and self-discovery

It is a “frame” story Starts as Janie returns home; then she flashes back to the start of her story, framed by telling Phoebe why she has returned home alone

Symbolism About the town “Mule”. . .

Janie’s Hair How does what we do with our hair reveal our inner selves?

Motifs (repeated images/ symbols) Plants, trees, flowers, buds, bees