Examples Of Epiphany In Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God tells the story of Janie Crawford- a light-skinned black woman raised by her grandmother-Nanny- in Florida during the 1920’s. The novel documents her trials and tribulations as she blooms into womanhood and navigates the twisting roads of life and love. Along the way she learns several invaluable lessons and grows into her own person. But, without a doubt, the single most important epiphany Janie experiences during the course of this novel is realizing that security and love are not the same thing.

Janie began her life at a terrible disadvantage due to her grandmother’s philosophy concerning love. This philosophy dictates that love is born out of security, not romantic or sexual attraction. Love- Nanny teaches-

This relationship was not based on love either, merely circumstance. Regrettably, Joe is not the man he makes himself out to be, he is in fact manipulative, jealous, and abusive. This abuse manifested itself in many different ways such as physical assaults, imposed social isolation, and emotional exploitation. Though Joe does provide Janie with the security she was seeking he does so at the cost of her freedom, happiness, and sense of self. Their loveless marriage is essentially a constant battlefield, with Joe attempting to control Janie and Janie occasionally summoning the temerity to stand up to him. “He wanted her submission and he’d keep on fighting until he felt he had it.” (71) Eventually, “The years took all the fight out of Janie’s face. For a while she thought it was gone from her soul.” (76). Whether Janie would have ever been able to gather the courage to leave her abuser is questionable, but as fate would have it Joe died. It cannot be said that Janie rejoiced when Joe died, however, the sense of relief that follows his demise in undeniable. Objectively, Joe’s death is one of the best things to happen to Janie because he leaves her a secure, wealthy, landowning widow, which means that she must no longer depend on others for security and

Then she meets Vergible Woods, an impoverished young gambler who goes by the name of Tea Cake with absolutely nothing to offer her. Nothing to offer that is except his respect, friendship, and love. The power dynamic between Janie and Tea Cake is unlike that in any of Janie’s previous relationships, instead of viewing her as an object or an animal he sees her as a person. Tea Cake’s respect for Janie is expressed in many different ways, for example, he cares about what she has to say, teaches her how to play checkers, and does not put her down in order to build himself up. However, Janie did not just fall for Tea Cake immediately, in fact, she initially drew back, scared that he was playing her for a fool or taking advantage of her. But try as she might, “She couldn’t make him look just like any other man to her. He looked like the love thoughts of women. He could be a bee to a blossom-a pear tree blossom in the spring.” (106) This was a new kind of love, a more dangerous type of love that Janie had never before experienced and as she so aptly says, “Ah done lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh live mine” (114) No longer will security dictate Janie’s definition of love, it is time for her to make her own interpretation. Tea Cake and Janie soon get married and start their lives anew in the Everglades, blissfully coexisting and enjoying the others company. Sadly, this happy state of