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How Did Miss Winfrey Change In Their Eyes Were Watching God

1354 Words6 Pages

David Morris
Mr. Sibbach
AP English III December 12th, 2014
Their Eyes Were Watching God novel v. film analysis.
Oprah Winfrey made an extraordinary amount of changes to Their Eyes were Watching God to suit her agenda. She removed or heavily modified scenes from the novel. Miss Winfrey completely changed characters from the novel. These fundamental changes in the movie completely changed the meaning of the story. Miss Winfrey’s rendition of Their Eyes Were Watching God obliterated the deeper meanings of the novel.
The screen-play rendition of Their Eyes Were Watching God made love a much more prevalent theme than its literary counterpart. When Miss Winfrey changed Their Eyes Were Watching God from a Journey of a woman finding herself …show more content…

In the novel Tea Cake spent Janie’s money; to recuperate Janie’s funds Tea Cake gambled until he won all of the money he owed Janie. In the movie Tea Cake loses Janie’s money gambling. Janie then threatens to leave Tea Cake after he gambles away all of Janie’s money. This change makes Tea Cake seem irresponsible and weak while reinforcing Janie’s character. In the novel Tea Cake protects Janie. “Janie could not hold up for more than a few strokes at a time, so Tea Cake bore her up till they hit a ridge that led on to the fill” (Hurston 165). Miss Winfrey changed Tea Cakes role in the film version Their Eyes Were Watching God to a direct contrast of Tea Cake’s character in the novel. In the film rendition of Their Eyes Were Watching God the raging waters of the lake surpass the levee, the water then engulfs Tea Cake; Janie then pulls a drowning Tea Cake to the surface. This adaptation changes the dynamic of the entire film. The adaptation made Janie a much stronger character. Miss Winfrey weakened Tea Cakes character so she could strengthen Janie’s character. These changes were most likely made to invigorate the feminist views of the proprietor of Their Eyes Were Watching …show more content…

When Miss Winfrey removed the scenes from Eatonville she diluted the richness of the film version of Their Eyes Were Watching God. In Eatonville Miss Winfrey cut out the scene with the mule. The mule symbolizes the camaraderie of the town’s people. “Everybody was going to the dragging-out” (Hurston 59). The entire community had bonded around the mule especially after its emancipation. Matt Bonner scarcely fed the mule and worked him constantly. Matt Bonner treats his mule much in the way Jody treats his wife. “The mule story serves to illustrate the strained relationship between Janie and Joe Starks” (Kendall). Joe almost never lets Janie interact with the townspeople. Janie like the mule stubbornly tried to escape Jody’s oppression. This practice of forced isolation on Janie died with its creator. The mule while not vital to the story finesses the deeper meanings of the

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