Harlem Literature

The Zora Neale Hurston novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God is an interesting piece. To me this novel reminds me of The Color Purple, a novel that I read last semester. These novels have some of the same motifs like loveless marriages, the bisexual nature of the main character, sacrificing of a life for a loved one, the growth and rebirth of a woman that has been through some experiences, and a relationship between a younger man and an older woman. Also this novel describes the rich culture of the African American race. I was prepared not to like this novel but it is alright so far. This novel's main character, Janie, is interesting in that she deals with alot of hardship and physical abuse from her first husband (like Mister in The Color Purple)and leaves him for another husband that dies and eventually winds up with Tea Cake who also physically abuses her but does love her. Janie Crawford is a women that has been through some things but is not discouraged and in her own way empowers herself form her life experiences and like Celie has her eyes on GOD which is the right thing to do. You can see alot of Zora Neale Hurston's influence on Alice Walker in the Color Purple with Janie being in a loveless marriage to an abusive spouse. You would think that these types of novels would have gotten old and stale but with every new storyteller there is something different placed in the story to make it fresher. The dialect of this generation brings back alot of memories from people in my hometown of Savannah, Ga and how they spoke, told stories, the night clubs, the simpler life that they led where the only entertainment for them was the spoken word that remained the only entertainment even after the technological boom. After finishing the novel, I learned to appreciate this novel and see how much an influence Zora Neale Hurston's writings had on future generation female authors. I didn't think I would like this novel but I have learned to appreciate it and the implications that it had on education. The way it ended with Janine coming full circle is a way all of us should live our life without regret, to the fullest, enjoying and experiencing new things, and seeing the world. Enjoy your life!