Zora Neale Hurston's Struggles In Their Eyes Were...

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel by Zora Neale Hurston that exemplifies the hardships of females during the 1900’s. These hardships are shown through the life of Janie Crawford as she struggles in a patriarchal society and evolves into a resilient, independent woman. Janie’s grandmother is a prominent patriarchal woman. It is not her fault, but the society that she has lived in has ruined any ideas of happiness and love. Accordingly, Janie’s grandmother chooses to “protect” her the best way she knows how: marrying Janie off to a well-off and “decent” man, mister Logan Killicks. Women are dependent on men, to protect and provide for them. Without a man, a woman is nothing. Logan Killicks is a hardworking farmer that owns around 60 …show more content…
He was kind but one could see that Janie was slowly taking the back burner. Immediately arriving at Eatonville, Janie is objectified. Hicks says, “Ah’m uh son of a Comunction if Ah don’t go tuh Georgy and git me one just like her” about Janie, as if one could just go to a shop and purchase a wife (Hurston 42). It is comparable to when Logan Killicks goes off into town to buy a new mule, lowering women down to the same position of animals. Joe rises to the top of this town and becomes major of Eatonville, this, and only this, is what “makes uh big woman outa [Janie]” according to Joe (Hurston 55). This new position only makes Janie feel smaller because she is known as the mayor’s wife and not as herself. When the lighting of the towns first light post comes around, Joe makes it a huge event and gives a very enthusiastic speech. When he is done the townspeople ask Janie to make a speech as the mayor’s wife; however, Joe cuts Janie off saying that “[Janie] don’t know nothin’ ‘bout no speech-makin.” (Hurston 51). This hurts Janie because, even though she may be horrible at giving speeches, she would not know because he never even gave her the chance to try. All Janie wanted was a chance, and Joe just snatches it from her, silencing her. Joe goes on to say, “She’s uh woman and her place is in de home,” enforcing traditional gender roles into their

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Zora Neale Hurston's Struggles In Their Eyes Were Watching God