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Their Eyes Were Watching God: Plot Analysis

Published on Nov 18, 2015

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

1.

EXPOSITION

  • Janie Crawford, an attractive, confident, middle-aged black lady
  • Janie returns to Eatonville, FL after a long absence away with her husband, Teacake
  • The townspeople begin to stir and wonder what happened to her and create rumors
  • Janie's loyal friend Pheoby goes to speak to Janie about her life
  • Janie begins to tell Pheoby her life story...
Photo by Vlastula
2.

RISING ACTION

  • Janie explains that her grandmother raised her after her mom ran off.
  • Nanny arranges a marrige for Janie and a black farmer, Logan.
  • Janie is not content with her dull husband and soon flees with an elegant man, Joe.
  • Janie and Joe settle at a newly established town (Eatonville) where Joe becomes mayor.
  • Joe and Janie quickly get settled in town and live good, until Joe turns to a tyrant
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3.

CLIMAX

  • Jody dies of a bad kidney and Janie feels relieved.
  • After 9 months Janie remarries a commoner, Tea Cake.
  • They move to the Everglades & after 2 years a hurricane emerges.
  • Tea Cake falls sick (after being bit by a dog) and hallucinates.
  • Tea Cake tries to kill Janie (over jealousy), but gets killed by Janie.
Photo by Stuck in Customs
4.

FALLING ACTION

  • Janie is found innocent in court.
  • The white folk support Janie's decisions.
  • Janie decides to head to Eatonville.
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5.

RESOLUTION

  • Janie is back at Eatonville and has finally lived life.
  • She has faced her conflict of people's values enforced on her.
  • She learns that she doesn't need a man to be happy.
Photo by Stuck in Customs
6.

THEME

  • I think the overall theme is relationship/love independence.
  • "Before she slept that night she burnt up every one of her head rags.. (Neale 89)."
  • This quote uses the head rags as a symbol of constraint on Janie's life.
  • When Janie burns the rags it's as if she is free and independent.
  • Janie takes her whole journey to see that independence is meaningful.
Photo by drweisgerber

Ricky Romero