Eyes Were Watching God

During the formation of my essay on Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God", I will examine the foundation on which the novel explores the representation of sex of an individual. Some questions kept in thought during the progression of the novel were why Hurston portrayed the representation of women in such an under mining way. Though she herself could not be taken as a sexist person rather a writer connecting her characters to a time when women weren't considered as self-dependent or dominant. The representation of gender in a part of the novel comes back to the idea that men are the superior breed and women should just follow their dominance and not voice their opinions. The representation of gender in the novel represents how the cultural antics were back in those days, it was custom for a woman to marry, bear children and take care of the house, while the man was out providing for his family "bringing home the bacon". The history of slavery however shows how far Joe had come for him to be able to buy the land and become mayor of a town as a black man. The novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is a guide through a woman's perspective of right and wrong and how much women had to endure and deal with to survive the gruesome time.

The representation of gender, male being the dominant figure, in the novel is clearly demonstrated from the beginning of the novel when Janie Starks' grandmother, Nanny, sells Janie to Logan Killicks. Her actions are meant to be beneficial for Janie it is not because there is no chemistry between the too. Grandma Nanny's actions demonstrate how the younger woman in the environment was not able to make her own decisions but is to follow the lead of her superior at the time, Nanny. She is traded off to this middle aged man because he is considered, by Nanny's standards, well-off. He could provide a safe and stable home for the young Janie. This also demonstrates how woman are thought of as dependent, fragile, and weak. It is never stated that Nanny asked Janie if she wanted to marry Logan or if she was even attracted to him. During those times that's not what mattered. Even when Janie expresses her disapproval of the union to her grandmother she still will not hear of the child's feelings.

One of the worst ways that the dominant male figure existed was the selling of slaves from one white master to the next. Once they bought you these people could do anything they wanted and treat you anyway they pleased. We find out that Nanny was raped by her master resulting in her bearing a child, Leafy. To add insult to injury the master's wife blames Nanny and tries to cruelly and unfairly punish her. Luckily Nanny is able to escape the fate. Unfortunately she is not able to protect her daughter Leafy from being raped by her school teacher. This situation results in the birthing of Leafy's daughter, Janie. Neither of the two women, Nanny or Leafy could do anything about their rapes. Nanny was a slave her master had the right. It is almost as they thought of woman as dirt or worthless.

Not only seen in Hurston's novel. Known across the human race in most cultures is that the male figure is dominant. For years young women were taught as children that they are to marry, bear children, and take care of the house. Also young men were taught to be strong, be a provider, protector and settle down with a nice girl. It just goes back to the historical teachings or "wrong and right". Terms like "man's work" or "men jobs" keep the teachings alive from generation to generation. However fortunately we have strong independent women and men that defied the traditional ways of their ancestors. They fought for freedom of speech, self-respect, and fair treatment for not only women but men also.

A supporting source may include Robert Staples's "Journal of Marriage and Family", in the novel Staples exhausts an accurate argument that marriage is very important to African Americans. So important that black Americans will go to incredible lengths to follow in the traditional way. Staples's argues that especially woman are desperate to have a ring on that special finger. However marriage doesn't just stop with the quench to satisfy black Americans wants, not needs, it goes deeper. It comes back to the traditional experience of the ideal American family, where there is a husband and a wife. That is the way it has been done since way back. However times are evolving and people are not marrying their true love rather their true lust or settling for their last pick.

Robert Staples' argument would relate to the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by relating to Janie's