Detailed Notes on Key Aspects of *Their Eyes Were Watching God*

Terms and Phrases

1. Horizon

• Definition: Symbolizes Janie's dreams and desires. Represents the possibilities of a better life, something she constantly reaches for.

2. The Pear Tree

• Definition: Represents Janie’s idealized view of love and nature; marks her sexual awakening and desire for a harmonious life.

3. Nanny’s Advice

• Definition: Nanny tells Janie to marry for security instead of love, based on her own experiences with hardship. This advice influences Janie’s early relationships.

4. “Janie’s Hair”

• Definition: Symbolizes Janie’s independence, power, and sensuality, especially when she lets it down, showcasing her autonomy.

5. “The Pollen Count”

• Definition: Represents love as something natural and growing. The imagery includes the blossoming of Janie’s love for herself and others.

Situations and Events

1. Janie’s Marriage to Logan Killicks

• Answer: Marriage symbolizes security but lacks love; forced by Nanny for stability over romance.

2. Janie’s Relationship with Joe Starks

• Answer: Joe embodies ambition and control, silencing Janie and causing her to lose her sense of self.

3. Tea Cake and Janie’s Love

• Answer: Tea Cake signifies freedom and equality, treating Janie as an equal and bringing her joy.

4. The Hurricane

• Answer: Symbolizes uncontrollable nature and fate, highlighting Janie and Tea Cake’s vulnerability.

5. Janie’s Return to Eatonville

• Answer: Represents her strength and independence after her journey, reflecting on her life experience.

Quotes

1. “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board…”

• Meaning: Captures dreams and the struggle to realize them, contrasting men’s pursuits with women’s suppression of their dreams.

2. “Oh to be a pear tree…”

• Meaning: Illustrates Janie’s ideal love and life view; pear tree symbolizes sexual awakening and natural beauty.

3. “She stood there until something fell off the shelf inside her…”

• Meaning: Marks Janie’s realization of her unsatisfactory marriage with Joe, a pivotal moment for self-awareness.

4. “The wind came back with triple fury…”

• Meaning: Signifies nature’s power, showcasing the helplessness of Janie and Tea Cake during the hurricane.

5. “They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God.”

• Meaning: Reflects surrender to nature’s forces and Janie’s spiritual awakening about life’s uncontrollable aspects.

Key Symbols

1. Janie’s Hair

• Definition: Signifies independence and sensuality; her hair is a form of power and freedom.

2. The Mule

• Definition: Represents the burdensome oppression faced by women and Black individuals.

3. The Horizon

• Definition: Embodies Janie’s dreams and goals, symbolizing aspiration throughout the novel.

4. The Hurricane

• Definition: Symbolizes fate and uncontrollable forces, illustrating human frailty against nature.

Character Development and Themes

1. Janie Crawford

• Definition: The protagonist undergoes evolution from seeking love to embracing independence and self-discovery.

2. Nanny

• Definition: Represents survival mentality and pressures of earlier generations; forces Janie into marriage for security.

3. Joe (Jody) Starks

• Definition: Janie’s oppressive second husband, symbolizes societal ambition that stifles Janie’s independence.

4. Tea Cake

• Definition: Janie’s third husband, embodies true love and freedom, fostering her self-acceptance and partnership.

5. Pheoby Watson

• Definition: Janie’s friend and confidante, symbolizes community ties and provides a sounding board for Janie's experiences.

Important Themes

1. Self-Realization and Independence

• Definition: Janie’s journey emphasizes her self-identity and independence, culminating in living for herself, not others.

2. Love and Marriage

• Definition: Explores contrasting experiences of love in Janie's three marriages, showcasing genuine love versus control.

3. Identity and Voice

• Definition: Janie's quest for a voice symbolizes her autonomy and is fundamental to her growth.

4. Feminism and Gender Roles

• Definition: Critiques traditional roles imposed on women, highlighting Janie's resistance and personal definitions of identity.

5. Nature and Spirituality

• Definition: Nature holds symbolic significance, reflecting Janie's growth and her spiritual journey through life’s complexities.