Our Eyes Were Watching God Movie And Book Comparison Essay

Landon West

Miss Sibbach

AP English III

12 December, 2014

Our Eyes Are Watching Oprah

In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the author, incorporates details and literary devices that enhance the story and theme of the novel. Oprah did not display these key elements in her film. The relationships and character traits of the characters undergo a change in the movie to suit Oprah’s desires. These changes directly influence the theme and plot of the story.

In Oprah’s interpretation of the novel, Janie becomes stronger in her relationship with Logan Killicks to suit Oprah’s taste for a love story. Janie got her first taste of love when she kissed Johnny Taylor by the fence gate at Nanny’s house. Because she kissed Johnny,

“It is the most beautiful poignant love stories I have ever heard” (Darnell). Oprah creates a movie based on a beautiful love story fueled by sex and attractive actors. “Janie does find love, but a love story, the novel is not” (Ceptus). The story that Zora Neale Hurston wrote did not have any aspect of a true love story. “The movie over sexualizes the book…” (Waesche). Oprah changes the entire theme and story by altering events to achieve her idea of a timeless love story between a strong, beautiful girl and a loving Tea Cake. There are certain events that are removed from the story to contribute to the love story. Tea Cake, while infected with rabies does not bite Janie after she shot him in the movie. By Tea Cake not biting Janie it makes their final act of love pure where in the book Janie getting bit makes Tea Cake look like he was trying to harm Janie. When Tea Cake gambles away Janie’s money in the movie Janie feels extremely angry and hits Tea Cake. Janie hitting Tea Cake supports Oprah’s theme of unfailing love by showing that their relationship can withstand a fight. “Janie does find love, but a love story, it is not” (Ceptus). In the novel Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship does not show true love because Janie loves the idea of Tea Cake not him. Janie, having a history of marrying older men, thought that marrying Tea Cake would be a pleasant change from older men. Tea

The pear tree symbolizes her love life, and her maturity in her love life. Nearly every time Janie undergoes a change in her love life she sits under the pear tree or makes a reference to it. “…ever since the first tiny bloom had opened. It had called her to come and gaze on a mystery. From barren brown stems to glistening leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom” (Hurston 10). Janie changes throughout her life just as the pear tree does, from a child to a woman ready to wed. “ That was before the golden dust of pollen had beglamored his rags and her eyes” (Hurston 12). The symbolism of the pear tree does not hold a place in the film at all. The lack of symbolism in the movie removes the depth that it created in the book. “As the story progresses, the blossom/pollen motif reappears frequently, illustrating the development of Janie’s dream…” (Kendall). The pollen from the pear tree shows how Janie grows up and discovers love and makes her lust for Johnny Taylor. Without the pear tree you cannot see how Janie changes throughout her life and develops her idea of what love should feel like. The gate in front of Nanny’s house in the book represents coming change in Janie’s life and has crucial effect on the story. “She searched as of the world as she could from the top steps and then went on down to the front gate and leaned over to gaze up and down the road” (Hurston 11). The gate