DQ #1- TEWWG

From the initial view of the title, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the novel by Zora Neal Hurston, the reader may have expected a spiritually based novel and felt that they received the opposite of their expectations. While on the same token, many have suggested that the text does have a spiritual connection at it's core.

As you consider this thought, express whether you believe this to be true, from your interpretation of the novel. Consider the intellectual and conceptual understanding of God and religion in our society; in other words do not base your answer solely on your own spiritual understanding (be open minded).

As you compose this answer and respond to the answers provided by your classmates, discuss the following questions within your answer:

1. What kind of God are the eyes of Hurston’s characters, especially Janie Crawford (Starks), watching?

2. What crucial moments of the plot does the title allude to?

3. Does this God ever answer Janie’s questioning?

* REMEMBER: All responses should be written in complete sentences. Initial responses are expected to be well thought out and well written (considering minimal spelling errors and diction or syntactical errors. As you respond to your classmates, please write in complete sentences and be clear in your explanation.

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Permalink Reply by Cheyene Nichole Giles on September 9, 2012 at 12:07pm

I think that the p.o.v of the book is based around God. Janie has so many problems but throughout them all the keeps looking to him for direction in her life. All though there are some minor things in the book that would say that its not i believe that is is.

Permalink Reply by IvanaWright on September 9, 2012 at 4:32pm

I believe the title has a connection with the text's presented in the novel, and there are many text's that explain how God played a role in Janie's life. Janie faced obstacles throughout this novel and often seeked/asked God for help. "Their Eyes Were Watching God" showed how Janie turned to him for protection when the storm was occuring, and that exposed the title and what it meant in the story.

Permalink Reply by Clinton King on September 11, 2012 at 9:20pm

I completely agree with Ivana's statement. As she said, throughout the novel, Janie was always asking for help from God and it showed. God always pulled through for her. An example of this is when God protected her from Tea Cake and his insanity.

Permalink Reply by Hayden Burkham on September 12, 2012 at 8:48pm

I agree with ivana's statement, I think God played a big role in Janie's life. She looked for him for advice and protection. During the storm Janie turned to God for protection which exposed the title and it's value to the story

Permalink Reply by Braelin Evans on September 12, 2012 at 11:00pm

I agree with Ivana, God played a big role in Jaines life. She went through many ups and downs throughout the novel and often asked god for help. When the storm hit, Janie turned to god for guidance and protection to get her out of the storm.

Permalink Reply by jamarcus jamal eafon on September 9, 2012 at 8:15pm

I know God plays a huge role in the novel, but this God is not really the Judeo-Christian god. God is not a single entity but a diffuse force. This outlook is particularly evident in the mystical way that Hurston describes nature. At various times, the sun, moon, sky, sea, horizon, and other aspects of the natural world appear imbued with divinity. The God in the title refers to these divine forces throughout the world, both beautiful and threatening, that Janie encounters. Her quest is a spiritual one because her uttermost goal is to find her place in the world, understand who she is, and be at peace with her environment.

Permalink Reply by Alysa B. Irvin on September 11, 2012 at 4:28pm

I agree with Jamarcus in the fact that in the book God is not just an all powerful being but more like a guiding force for Janie.

Permalink Reply by Dalia Espinoza on September 12, 2012 at 9:49pm

I agree with Jamarcus all that Janie wants is to be happy and find herself. It takes a good amount of time for her understand things and make desicsions for what she really wants, God is one of the main things that Janie looks up to for help and support throughout her life.

Permalink Reply by Eva Mondragon on September 9, 2012 at 9:09pm

I think that god is resembled throughout the whole book.From every tragedy in Janie's life to every moment of happiness. God is who helps Janie overcome all of her challenges. I believe that god was the reason Janie didn't give up and always kept going. There were many chances for Janie to just give up and stop moving forward but for some reason she always decided to search for her happiness and i think that this reason was god. I think god did answer Janie's questioning because Janie always took the best decisions and even thought they might of brought her trouble she was better than she was before.The most crucial moment of the story must of been when Janie had to kill Teacake and even though it wasn't written in the book i could tell that God helped Janie understand that killing Teacake was the right thing to do.

Permalink Reply by Natalie Paniagua on September 12, 2012 at 5:13pm

I agree with Eva when she states that God did answer Janie's questionings because Janie always ended up taking the best decisions eventhough they sometimes brought her difficulties. I also agree with the most crucial moment because it must of been really hard for Janie to kill the only man she truly loved. But God helped Janie understand that killing Tea Cake was the best thing to do.

Permalink Reply by Alysa B. Irvin on September 10, 2012 at 4:40pm

God in this novel is not just one powerful being, but rather a force of nature, a guiding hand throughout the whole story. Janie lets this force and her own will guide her to true happiness. During the hurricane Janie and all the other workers on the muck put their lives in the hands of "God" and trust that this force will know what is best for them.Throughout the novel as Janie learns about herself and grows as a person she questions many things, and while "God" never directly answers her the questions she has are answered. So rather than "God" being the image most Christians have of him in this novel, he is an ever present entity always quietly pulling the strings but never majorly present in Janie's everyday life.

Permalink Reply by Cheyene Nichole Giles on September 11, 2012 at 6:03pm

i agree with alysa that God help and "led" Janie throughout her whole life and guided her into the diection that he wanted her to go. In the end she listened and recieved what she had always wanted, love.