Zora Neale Hurston's Struggles

Words: 469
Pages: 2

Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God follows the story of Janie Crawford, a defiant colored woman living in Florida in the early 1900s. Throughout her life, Janie experiences various hardships, including abuse in multiple marriages, that help her grow as a person and become more comfortable with herself. Janie’s physical and emotional sacrifices, especially in her relationships with Jody Starks and Tea Cake, allow her to further discover true selfhood. Due to the failure of Janie’s first marriage to Logan Killicks— a much older man who could financially support Janie but demanded too much from her— Janie elopes with Jody Starks to Eatonville. Jody Starks is not only able to financially support Janie, but he is also able to provide