Laura’s Rating: 3/5 Stars
This book is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance. Although the novel received negative reviews initially, it has come to be appreciated as an important work of African-American and women's literature. TIME magazine even included the novel in its 2005 list of the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923.
The Analysis:
This book is the story of Janie Crawford, a black woman in her forties who recounts the story of her life to her friend Pheoby. Janie’s grandmother, Nanny, was born into slavery and gave birth to Janie’s mixed-race mother, Leafy, as the result of a rape by Nanny’s white owner. Nanny, hoping for a better life for her granddaughter, encourages Janie to marry a farmer named Logan, who is much older than Janie. In order to be protected and taken care of, Janie agrees, although her marriage to Logan has no love and Janie serves as more of a farmhand helper than a wife. Janie eventually runs off with a new man to the all-black community of Eatonville, Florida where they plan to start a new life together. The rest of the story follows Janie as she navigates life as a black woman in the early 1900s. Her life experiences help her to eventually find her independence, while constantly reevaluating her dreams and goals.
This story portrays an important narrative of the life experience of an African American woman and her role in society. The novel highlights elements of black culture but also shows how racism and lighter-skinned privilege even permeates into the black community itself. At one point, a character says "Us talks about de white man keepin' us down! Shucks! He don't have tuh. Us keeps our own selves down." While the novel shows the generational effects of slavery, it primarily focuses on differences within the evolving black community. These variations of culture and societal norms across both time and location are a driving force behind Janie’s journey of self discovery. The novel also focuses on traditional gender roles and the devaluation of women in marriage partnerships. After publicly insulting her husband, it is written that “Janie had robbed him of his illusion of irresistible maleness that all men cherish” and her husband deeply resents her from then on. Janie embodies the slow and steady fight for black women to be given proper recognition and treatment even before the Civil Rights Movement and the birth of feminism and women’s liberation.
This novel is written in a Southern dialect, using colloquial language belonging to the black community at the time. In order to fully appreciate the authenticity of the story portrayed through the usage of said dialogue, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. Their Eyes Were Watching God is not necessarily a favorite of mine but it is an important story with themes that can still be applied today.
コメント