Their Eyes Were Watching God

Set in central and southern Florida in the early 1900s, "Their Eyes Were Watching God" tells the story of Janie Crawford, an African-American woman who struggles to find herself and her identity in a world that seeks to confine and pigeonhole her. The novel explores the themes of gender roles, societal expectations, and racism through the lens of Janie's relationships with the men in her life - from her first husband, who sought to dominate and control her, to her second husband, who offered her material comfort but little else, to her third and final husband, Tea Cake, who allowed her to fully blossom and claim her own agency. Hurston's lyrical prose captures the beauty and complexity of African-American vernacular language and folklore, and Janie's journey towards self-realization and self-love is a timeless and inspiring tale that continues to resonate with readers today.

literature & fiction ꞏ mentors ꞏ folklore ꞏ unconventional women ꞏ fiction ꞏ identity ꞏ historical fiction ꞏ coming of age ꞏ florida ꞏ zora neale hurston ꞏ love story ꞏ southern literature ꞏ self-discovery ꞏ romantic fiction ꞏ critically acclaimed ꞏ janie crawford ꞏ bildungsroman ꞏ african american literature ꞏ relationships ꞏ female protagonist ꞏ harlem renaissance