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How Does Janie's Transformation In Their Eyes Were Watching God

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In Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie, the hopeful heroine, is on a journey to find true love. Growing up, Janie starts with a foundation of love, as her grandmother takes on the role of raising her. She provides protective care for Janie, assuring her that no “menfolk white or black is makin’ a spit cup outa [Janie]” (37), the way that Janie’s mother had experienced. After her grandmother “saw Johnny Taylor lacerating her Janie with a kiss” (29), she shows her protective quality by arranging her marriage with Logan Killicks and sending her on the start of her journey to find true love. Janie transitions through multiple relationships, hoping to end her quest as a satisfied, loved woman. Janie enters her first …show more content…

As Tea Cake begins to ease Janie into a relationship she believes that “he was hanging around to get in with her and strip her of all that she had” (121); noticing that she was beautiful and rich, but a significant amount older than Tea Cake. In contrast, Joe proves his love to Janie by slowly building a connection with Janie in which “de thought...makes de difference in ages”(137). The people of Eatonville judge their relationship by claiming that Janie is too old for Tea Cake to be loved the correct way. Disregarding their judgements, Janie develops “a self-crushing love” (151) for Tea Cake’s open-minded character. Despite Janie’s older age, Tea Cake claims that “[Janie is] young enough tuh suit most any man”(205) proving his commitment to their relationship. Unlike the other men that Janie has been with, Tea Cake allows her to make her own decision, including joining in on social events and working alongside the men in the bean fields.Janie last the longest with Tea Cake without having any unresolved issues woven into their special bond with each other. The most devastating event in their relationship is when Tea Cake develops rabies from saving Janie from the mad dog. As “this mysterious sickness” (204) takes over Tea Cake’s passionate personality, Janie does not leave Tea Cake, as the doctor suggested, but showed her loving dedication to Tea Cake by staying with him. At the climax of Tea Cake’s illness, Janie shoots Tea Cake to put him out of suffering and to save herself from his uncontrollable actions. She “thanked him wordlessly...for loving service” (210) proving to the reader that she truly loves Tea Cake. Again, she proves her true love to the reader, as she stands in court worrying not of death, but of misunderstanding that she “wanted him dead” (214). Janie does not show signs of mourning after the death of Tea Cake

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