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The Central Theme Of Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston

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In Zora Neale Hurston's novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," the protagonist Janie Crawford's search for love is a central theme. Throughout the novel, Janie experiences various types of love from her three husbands, each of which ends in a different manner.
Janie's first husband, Logan Killicks, represents a traditional and practical form of love. Logan is a wealthy landowner, and Janie's grandmother sees him as a good match for Janie due to his financial stability. However, Janie does not love Logan and only married him because of her grandmother's insistence. Janie quickly becomes disillusioned with Logan's domineering and controlling behavior, and their marriage ends when Janie leaves him for her second husband, Jody Starks. As Janie reflects on her marriage to Logan, she remarks, "She was sorry for him. He had spoken for her, but it was only because he thought he was doing the right thing. She knew he was not the right thing for her" (Hurston 29). Janie realizes that Logan's love is not genuine and does not fulfill her emotional needs. …show more content…

Jody is charismatic and ambitious, and Janie is initially drawn to his confidence and vision for their future. However, Jody is also controlling and belittles Janie, refusing to allow her to express herself or engage with the community. Their marriage ends when Jody becomes ill and dies, and Janie is left feeling unfulfilled and stifled. As Janie reflects on her marriage to Jody, she remarks, "She was old before her time. She sat in the house and watched the sun go down" (Hurston 89). Janie realizes that Jody's love was stifling and suffocating, and that she lost a part of herself by being with

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