Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time.” (Hurston, 1)
In Their Eyes were Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurston located in Eatonville, Florida in 1937. The author tells a southern love story about a powerful woman who is fiercely independent and refuses to live in a sorrow, bitterness and foolish romantic dream. The story is told in the voice of Janie Crawford who is trying to evolve in herself through three marriages. The first married is with Logan Killicks, by the sound of his last name this character killed Janie’s hopes and dreams. The second marriage is with Jody Starks who at first treats Janie with love and respect but later on treats her more like an object, or a trophy wife rather than a person. The third marriage with Tea Cake, Janie was able to love and live fully. Throughout the novel the author Hurston displays a lot of trials that Janie has to go through in order to find herself and understand that true love does exist.
Janie’s first married is with Logan Killicks. Initially, Nanny arranges Janie to marry Logan Killicks because she thought financial security and respectability was better than love. Janie didn’t want to marry Logan and she didn’t love him either, but she was doing as her nanny said because she respected her wishes. When Janie married Logan, he made her feel special and would buy her nice things for a while. Later, Logan decides that he wanted Janie to help with the farming work and that led to Janie feeling used and unloved. Wanting to escape this married that’s where she meets Joe Starks. Janie leaves Logan Killicks for Joe Starks and they run off to Eatonville to get married.
Next, Janie marries Joe Starks in Eatonville, Florida which is a town run by all black people. Janie and Joe Starks relationship goes well at first then it turns sour. When Janie meet Joe for the first time, she thought that maybe he could be the one to fill the void of loneliness and love. Joe was a well-dressed, smooth-talking Casanova who could be a strong minded individual for Janie. Janie believed that Joe was a special person and could take her and buy her anything she wanted. When Janie and Joe began their life in Eatonville and Joe started making big moves for the small town and was eventually elected mayor, Joe started treating Janie more like a trophy wife and also was treating her not as equal to him. Joe wouldn’t let her speak in front of the townspeople, told her she couldn’t play checkers with the rest of the town people and also, he wouldn’t let her participate in events or let her gossip on the porch. When Janie soon notices the change in Jody and how he wants her to put her hair up and also wants her more seen then heard. Janie realizes that she cannot be open with Jody and that he is not the same man she ran off with to marry. When Jody dies Janie feels free again. She begins to live her life the way she wanted too for so long. When she soon meets Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods, she relieves that even though he may be younger than her she can live and be happy with him.
Finally, Janie meets Mr. Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods who is the final man/husband that she runs off with to have a great life in the everglades. By being with Tea Cake Janie learns to love and what it feels like to be love by a man who fully supports her and cherishes her all throughout their relationship. Tea Cake made Janie feel special in many ways weather it was teaching her fishing or showing her how to shoot. Taking her out on the town by going dancing and also gardening with her. By being with Tea Cake, Janie for the first time is enjoying her life. Soon after, Tea Cake eventually dies from a rabid dog bite during a storm in the everglades and Janie returns to Eatonville.
In conclusion, Janie has evolved as a woman throughout her three marriages. Logan Killicks was a forced marriage that was not filled with love and attraction. Joe Starks gave her what she thought was love but soon realize that everything glitter is not gold. And a person’s looks may seem good on the outside but its what’s on the inside that counts. Also, that Joe Starks death gave Janie a new chance at a promising life of being on her own. Tea Cake showed Janie what love really looks like and how it supposed to feel. He believed in Janie’s hopes and dreams and supported her their whole relationship.
