"Their Eyes Were Watching God" Final Paper

Annie Carroll

Ms. Wilson

Bell 2

14 December 2014

           

I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.

In Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the main protagonist, Janie Starks, must come to the realization that finding love does not come from marriage, and that before she is able to love another person she must learn to accept and love herself.  The novel reveals Janie’s journey to not only find true love, but to find herself as a woman. Throughout the novel she is faced with multiple abusive and oppressing marriages until her final marriage with her seemingly soul mate, Tea Cake. Tea Cake not only accepts Janie for who she is, but loves Janie for who she is. Janie is able to feel free and let her spirit go when she is with Tea Cake, and that ultimately leads her to find her true self.

Tea Cake becomes Janie’s source of happiness. Janie is not used to letting her hair down, or saying what she wants to say, but with Tea Cake she is able to express herself. “After a long time of passive happiness, she got up and opened the window and let Tea Cake leap forth and mount to the sky on a wind. That was the beginning of things.” ( 107 ) This quote expresses that she was hiding behind a fake happiness to please everyone else, and when she realized her true love for Tea Cake, she was able to be truly happy and begin to find who she really was,

With Tea Cake, their was intimacy in the relationship between Janie and Tea Cake. This was something new and exciting for Janie. Janie had to deal with abusive marriages in the past where the men would never let her do as she pleased, and never showed her that they loved her by hugging or kissing her. Tea Cake made sure to show that intimacy and to show that he loved her. “Janie awoke the next morning by feeling Tea Cake almost kissing her breath away.” ( 107) This is something that Janie had never experienced, and it seemed thrilling to her. “ Holding her and caressing her as if he feared she might escape his grasp and fly away. “ ( 107 ) This quote exemplifies that Tea Cake truly loved Janie and that Janie loved feeling wanted by him. In her other marriages, it seemed as if her husbands wouldn’t have cared if they didn’t show intimacy or care if she truly loved him, but Janie feels that it is a mutual need for both Tea Cake and Janie to have each other.

Janie is able to talk with Tea Cake, unlike with any of her other marriages where she felt confined to keep her opinions and thoughts to herself. “They went inside and their laughter rang out first from the kitchen and all over the house,” ( 107 ) This is one of the first examples of Janie having a truly happy shared moment while married. She feels happy with Tea Cake and is able to laugh and be herself. “ He was a glance from God,” ( 106) This quote shows how highly Janie thought of Tea Cake. For the first time in Janie’s life she began to realize that a man could truly love her and that he wasn’t just trying to marry her for the money or the company, but because he truly loved her and wanted to be with her. This realization for Janie led her to want to do everything she could to make Tea Cake happy. She was opening up for the first time for him, because she had never seen a man act the way he did. In this time for her, it was almost unheard of to see a man truly care about his wife or interest. She felt special, and finally truly happy in her life. Tea Cake helped Janie to find her happiness, just by existing and loving her.