Their Eyes Were Watching God

Themes (and a list of symbols)

Speech in this novel is transcribed phonetically to capture the spirit of the black vernacular; the poetic and metaphoric aspect of the dialect emerges most strongly in forms like tall tales, songs, and prayers. This style of writing in which words are written to directly represent sound is called Eye Dialect. (Correct writing is often abstract such as words like aisle, gauge, laugh, lime etc) By incorporating eye dialect, Hurston brings to the forefront the oral tradition and associated folklore of her characters Folk: Group - Lore: Traditional Culture

Language and Meaning

The dialectic effect is juxtaposed with the standard english used by the narrator.

Speech in this novel is transcribed phonetically to capture the spirit of the black vernacular; the poetic and metaphoric aspect of the dialect emerges most strongly in forms like tall tales, songs, and prayers. This style of writing in which words are written to directly represent sound is called Eye Dialect.

Language and Meaning

HMT- Dialect The formalised and stifled speach represents a dialect in the dystopia of Gilead. One could suggest, that in the same way that memories of the past were being lost, so was the experience of unencumbered speech.

(Correct writing is often abstract such as words like aisle, gauge, laugh, lime etc) By incorporating eye dialect, Hurston brings to the forefront the oral tradition and associated folklore of her characters Folk: Group - Lore: Traditional Culture The dialectic effect is juxtaposed with the standard english used by the narrator.

The protagonist is especially concerned with the sincerity behind words and considers the ultimate virtue truth in language. The novel also explores the ways men and women use language differently; essentially, men dominate conversations, making demands and issuing orders, while women are cowed into submissive silence. For the most part, however, language has the most power when there is truth behind it.

The protagonist is especially concerned with the sincerity behind words and considers the ultimate virtue truth in language. The novel also explores the ways men and women use language differently; essentially, men dominate conversations, making demands and issuing orders, while women are cowed into submissive silence. For the most part, however, language has the most power when there is truth behind it.

HMT- Language and Power

We see a similar connection between language and male power. Commander: Can I have a water he seemed to say to the air.

In many ways the story can be interpreted as a story about a character learning to find her voice. The journey is explored not only through the events which empower us, but those which work to stifle us. Several characters work to stifle Janies voice. Interestingly, it not just those who are overt, but those who unintentionally have the same effect such as the grandmother.

Janie not only learns how to use her voice, she also learns how not using it can also represent empowerment. This is noticeable in the court case. This trait of voice and silence can be seen in the narrator, who at times remains silent about certain events such as when Tea Cate beats her. Thematically, Hurston puts great emphasis on how language, through both speaking and silence, is a source of identity and power.

Search for Self

The search for the self is another major theme in the novel. While Janies journey is in many ways framed through her relationships, Hurston seems to suggest that the self is ultimately found independently of others. Despite this Hurston shows how others effect this journey such as when Stark cuts her off from speaking and thus the choice to chose is negated or oppositely Tea Cake accepting her as an individual

Search for Self

The search for the self is another major theme in the novel. While Janies journey is in many ways framed through her relationships, Hurston seems to suggest that the self is ultimately found independently of others. Despite this Hurston shows how others effect this journey such as when Stark cuts her off from speaking and thus the choice to chose is negated or oppositely Tea Cake excepting her as an individual

HMT While she seems not be, the argument could be made that in many ways she is on a similar journey within the confines of her new prison

Love v Marriage
The protagonist battles against the commonly held view of love as unimportant and frivolous as compared to respectability and material security. The protagonists vision of true love is associated with innocence, openness, understanding, and equality between the lovers. Sex and marriage do not inherently lead to love, though they can be expressions of it.

Love v Marriage
The protagonist battles against the commonly held view of love as unimportant and frivolous as compared to respectability and material security. The protagonists vision of true love is associated with innocence, openness, understanding, and equality between the lovers. Sex and marriage do not inherently lead to love, though they can be expressions of it.
HMT While love seems to be largely lost in the dystopia, the idea of relationships that transcend function are still represented as idyllic

Sex
Sex triggers the protagonists interest in love; she is fascinated by both the bodily pleasure triggered by sex as well as its implications for new life and spiritual union. In stark contrast, many other characters see sex as a source of shame or a form of violence and domination. A woman should protect herself against sex at all costs unless legitimately married. This negative notion of sex is one that the protagonist battles against.

Sex
Sex triggers the protagonists interest in love; she is fascinated by both the bodily pleasure triggered by sex as well as its implications for new life and spiritual union. In stark contrast, many other characters see sex as a source of shame or a form of violence and domination. A woman should protect herself against sex at all costs unless legitimately married. This negative notion of sex is one that the protagonist battles against. HMT This demonization of sex is seen in HMT. People in this community see sex predominantly as an act of procreation. Both books challange conservative notions of sex Similarly, sex is portrayed as either liberating of repressing.

Innocence
Innocence is closely linked to youth, idealism, and to a lesser extent virginity. In this novel, reference to the protagonists innocence almost always evokes nature imagery, specifically the season of spring full of flowers and blossoms. Innocence, then, is considered a "natural" state, the condition in which God first situates humanity. The loss of innocence has as much to do with the destruction of dreams as with loss of virginity. Interestingly, the loss of innocence inevitably leads to the development of the capacity for deception creating an interiority and externality in the character that was not present before.

BE (Apart from the obvious) In the BE we also see Pecolas innocence linked with nature in terms of the daffodils. When she walks into the store considering their beauty, and when she wals out hating them, may be her coming to age?

Appearance
Beauty can be defined both internally and externally. External beauty is comprised only of socially acceptable standards of attractiveness, sexual or otherwise. For the most part, its unclear whether beauty is a curse or a blessing. The gorgeous protagonist gains admiration of social mobility as a result of her attractiveness, but it also tends to isolate her because men jealousy want to possess her and women are bitterly envious.

Appearance
Beauty can be defined both internally and externally. External beauty is comprised only of socially acceptable standards of attractiveness, sexual or otherwise. For the most part, its unclear whether beauty is a curse or a blessing. The gorgeous protagonist gains admiration of social mobility as a result of her attractiveness, but it also tends to isolate her because men jealousy want to possess her and women are bitterly envious.
HMT The Handmaids red oufit seem to work as a surrogate for physical beauty in HMT. Similarly, it is both a curse and blessing, as it grants certain privilege, but likewise isolates her and draws scorn.
BE Beauty and social mobility are again linked, but this time in a very overt way with the introduction of Maureen Peel

Slavery serves as the founding idea on which smaller microcosms of jailer-prisoner power structures are built. In general, women are depicted as prisoners while men are their jailers. The institution of marriage, though often lauded as a womans proper place, often turns out to be a space of confinement for women. For the protagonist, widowhood is a welcome freedom from her first two marriages. Ones social class, too, can be an immobilizing force. Thus, the protagonists social mobility enables her more freedom than a typical individual has.

Freedom and Confinement

Slavery serves as the founding idea on which smaller microcosms of jailer-prisoner power structures are built. In general, women are depicted as prisoners while men are their jailers. The institution of marriage, though often lauded as a womans proper place, often turns out to be a space of confinement for women. For the protagonist, widowhood is a welcome freedom from her first two marriages. Ones social class, too, can be an immobilizing force. Thus, the protagonists social mobility enables her more freedom than a typical individual has.

Freedom and Confinement

BE Slavery of self-image
HMT The prison of society and imagination (Her imagination sets her free but also keeps her trapped) Prison of social class

Motifs

Community Race Mythology

Symbols
The Horizon Sun and Sunset

Hair
The Pear Tree/Flowers

The Hurricane
Guns