Hurston’s 1937 novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” is a classic work, and it contributed to the Harlem Renaissance. The novel follows the romantic life of Janie, who searches for a lasting love throughout her life. Janie marries three times and each of her relationships is unique, with none of her three husbands meeting her expectations or needs, but all in different ways. Janie is stubborn and determined, but faces expectations from her husbands and society in general to be more subservient to her men, something she wrestles with and even rebels against. The novel also explores African American life and culture in the early to mid-twentieth century. The setting of Eatonville, Florida, is based on Hurston’s own upbringing in this African American town. Eatonville was — and is — unique because it was a haven for African Americans in an era of segregation and white supremacy. Hurston also uses heavy dialect throughout the novel, which can be hard to read, but reflects her desire to highlight African American language and culture. The Harlem Renaissance is still often remembered as a time in which African American men flourished artistically, but Hurston’s work reminds us that African American women contributed to the arts as well.
Three words that describe this book: Historic, romance, African American culture
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy classic literature, especially from African American and/or women writers
-Anonymous
