Their Eyes Were Watching God
Book - 2006
A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
"A deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don't know how to live properly." --Zadie Smith
One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years--due largely to initial audiences' rejection of its strong black female protagonist--Hurston's classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.
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Why I started reading: my teacher recommended it. Watch out for the plot twist! (more)
From Library Staff
From Library Staff
Janie Crawford, a sassy and self-confident African- American woman of the 1930s, lives life on her own terms and goes through three marriages, one murder trial and more joy and pain than many who judge her.
While A RAISIN IN THE SUN follows an African American family confronting racial segregation and discrimination in a white world, Hurston’s novel foregrounds the self-discovery of its black female protagonist Janie as she learns about love, self-reliance and the bravery it takes to defy the expect... Read More »
"I just didn't have enough life experience to really appreciate it back then," says a reader.
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Quotes
Add a Quote“She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman.” (25)
“Because I hate the way his head is so long one way and so flat on the sides and that pound of fat back on his neck.”
“He never made his own head. You talk so silly.”
“I don’t care who made it, I don’t like the job.”
(24)
“Cause you told me I was going to love him, and, I don’t. Maybe if somebody was to tell me how, I could do it.” (23)
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Add a CommentStarted out fantastic. Poetic. Beautifully written. Amazing anaolgies. But the black lingo of "dis" and "dem" got really tiring. The low level of sophistication got very tiring too. Why did she hate her grandmother who sacrificed herself to raise her? Why did she endure even one episode of physical abuse from her husband and why did the author not sketch that out more? In the end, I was as disappointed with the novel as I was excited about it in the beginning.
Modern Mrs Darcy
Highly overrated, in my opinion. Found the conversations written in the southern, black dialect hard to read compared to the poetic & descriptive prose. Story was not exactly exciting and was a bit depressing.
As a young girl, Janie dreamed of love and happiness, but life rarely turns out how we plan. Full of betrayal, abuse, and tragedy but also beauty, romance, and humor, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” is a powerful and influential story of black female self discovery.
I listened to the audio version of this book with Ruby Dee reading/performing and both the story and Ruby Dee's performance are wonderful! At first I was not sure I could listen to the 'black speak' but after several minutes I was immersed in the story and found myself relating to the thoughts and feelings of many of the characters. I highly recommend this audio book!
I live on the land of Janie's FL but Hurston describes FL that I have never seen and people I have never met. This novel is overwhelming w/ feeling and descriptive words and phrases. It is written in a southern dialect but I found that it was essential to the story and the time. Janie starts out as a young girl whose Grandmother remembered slavery. This is a young black girl's coming of age novel in the south in the 1930-40s. Hurston's writing enables one to live in Janie's skin and really understand and feel the situations she encounters, her growth and eloquence when she is able to live life on her own terms.
So glad I went back and read this classic. Such a unique look at power dynamics re: gender and race during that point in time...and such lovely language and use of vernacular. Also: Ruby Dee reads the audio and is spectacular!
*Fangirling about Zora Neale-Hurston*
219 pages
A.J. Fikry