Their Eyes Were Watching God

English 3 AP

6 March 2015

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Tommy Hilfiger once said, “The road to success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion, it’s possible to achieve the American Dream.” The idea that this dream can easily be fulfilled just by following that kind of attitude shows how simple it is to live in America. In the book, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Janie pursues this type of lifestyle when her husband Jody dies and she marries Tea Cake.

At the beginning of the story, while talking to Phoebe, Janie begins to talk about her life after leaving Eatonville. She goes into depth about her younger years and how living with her grandmother, who she calls Nanny, would eventually take effect on her future. Because Nanny had grown up in an earlier time, she was brought up to marry a man that would benefit her future instead of marrying for love. This made her close-minded to the thought of Janie marrying a guy who she saw as an unqualified suitor for her beloved granddaughter. Nanny, in a hasteful manner, arranges a marriages for Janie to a farmer named Logan Killicks.

About a year later, when she realizes she doesn’t love Logan, she meets a man who she quickly takes interest in and decides to run away and get married to him. This man is named Joe Starks, or Jody for short. At first it seems like they’re living the perfect life, but Jody soon becomes obsessed with running the town and he becomes possessive over Janie. He tells her that she must hide her hair, she must run the store, she must cook dinner for him, and that she must not socialize with any of the townspeople. Janie at this point has become so exhausted with putting up with him and is almost relieved to discover that he has an illness which would soon come to execute his life.

Shortly after his death, she meets a charismatic gentleman named Vergible Woods, or Tea Cake as she likes to call him. He makes her feel like she doesn’t have to put up a front. Eventually Janie and Tea Cake get married in Jacksonville and move to the Everglades. While living there

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