Their Eyes Were Watching God

In Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were observing God, the major character, Janie, labours to find her role and purpose in life. As a child, Janie's Nanny instills in her that “… [the African-American] woman is [the] mule [of the] world…” (Hurston 14). “Imagine an African American grandmother in [2008] explaining her views of life to her granddaughter. Her major aim would be the empowerment of the African American woman in humanity, the workplace, and in marriage. She would encourage her granddaughter to stand up and be viewed as equal to or better than any man…Nanny does not see such promises on the horizon for herself or Janie. Her goal is to see Janie married not for love or for happiness but for safety and security”(Moffett). Thus, she endures two unsuccessful marriages in which she learns that she does not have to be subject to being a work animal or a trophy wife. It is not until her third marriage when she is introduced to the principles of equality and self-empowerment; at this point in her life, Janie becomes the epitome of the African-American woman and everything she stands for. Hurston uses the mule, a valued work animal, to draw a parallel relationship between Janie and her relationships with her first two husbands.

Janie's treatment as a “mule” begins with her first marriage to Logan Killicks. Just as a mule is forced to work, Logan attempts to force Janie out of the kitchen and into the fields with him. Even though Logan wants Janie to work alongside him, it's not for the benefit of their relationship. Instead, Logan seeks to make Janie work in order to achieve financial and economic prosperity. When Janie refuses to labor alongside her husband, Logan accuses her of being “…spoilt rotten…” (Hurston 25). Although “…[traced] back to the slave days…[black] women have always worked…,” Janie, unlike many African-American women during this time period, feels her workplace is in the kitchen, because “…[if her husband] can stand not to chop an tote wood…[she] can stand not to [get any] dinner” (Lane, Hurston 25).

As Janie's relationship with Logan begins to diminish, a “…citified, stylish dressed man…” by the name of Jody Starks, comes along in pursuit of Janie (Hurston 26). Impressed by his large ambitions, Janie leaves Logan behind and becomes Mrs. Janie Starks, the first lady of Eatonville. Unlike Logan, Jody doesn't “force” Janie to work in the fields; he believes “…her place is in [the] home” (Hurston 42). Thus, Janie's occupation, besides running the town store, is being the mayor's wife. While looking at the outer aspects of the relationship, any African-American woman during this time period would have traded places with Janie in a heartbeat. But with Janie's high profile lifestyle, there comes a price.

In the African-American society, the black woman serves as a strong creature with skin tough as leather and a mouth that speaks words which flow like a river. She openly expresses her disapproval without any concern over ...