Introduction

Their eyes were watching God is a fictional novel that takes place in Florida in the early 20th century written by Zora Neale Hurston. The main character is named Janie Crawford. Throughout the story, she tells about her life's journey to her friend Phoebe. One of her tales is about her grandmother, Nanny, a former slave. The author has published over 50 novels, but died penniless. Her most famous work in Their Eyes Were Watching God, which was written in 1937.

Zora Neale Hursten

25 random facts about me

1. If you haven't realized yet I am a HUGE sports fan
2. I spend at least 16 Sundays/Monday nights yelling at the TV
3. I love acting
4. I play the drums
5. I am learning to play guitar
6. I listen to classic rock
7. People say I should be a sports broadcaster
8. Others say I should be a historian
9. I am fascinated with the American Civil War
10. I also have an interest in the Greeks and Romans
11. I started to play baseball when I was 7
12. I stopped two years ago
13. I have played the drums since I was... I think... 5
14. My guitar teacher is Mr. Bolden
15. I am NOT a dog person
16. I went on Mr. Hughes' Okeefenokee trip last year, and I recommend it to EVERYONE
17. I spend my summers in OC at the beach, or mini-golf with my friends
18. I'm Irish, I don't tan, I burn
19. Even though my favorite baseball team is the Orioles, my favorite player is Albert Pujols
20. Nobody wants to get political with me
21. My mom can't stand watching the O's with me or my Dad because we get too frustrated
22. I went to grade school with Mel Kiper Jr.'s daughter
23. I do the JC plays
24. I am in the marching band
25. When all else fails... turn on the TV

My name: Alex

Alex means great one, or revered by some as God. My parents chose my name because my brother Erik's name means king, and my sister's name, Sarah means princess. They basically just completed the cycle. Before I was born, my dad wanted to name me Timothy because he liked the sound of it. My parents also decided to name me Alex because they felt that it fit my last name very well. Alex is of Greek decent. It is the name of the most famous Macedonian king, Alexander the Great. It is also the name of eight popes, and many Russian emperors. It is also the name of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Overall, I like my name, I fell that it suits me well.

Imagery and Symbolism

Imagery in Their Eyes Were Watching God
Example of Imagery (p. #) Brief interpretation in your words
1,Janie’s first dream was dead Janie’s dream of true love was no more
so she became a woman… p25 She was married to a man she didn’t love
2.She thought a while and decided She knows that her first memories
That her conscious life began at and her entire childhood was spent
Nanny’s gate… p10 under Nanny’s protection
3.What she doin back here in dem She lived her life as a worker
Overalls? p2
4.Its a whole heap of litter than Joe and Janie were disappointed because
I thought p34 there is little anything at all
5.Go fetch me de checkerboard It shows that Joe thinks women are to be
And de checkers servants
6.Strain? You must be cookin and Joe thinks and imagines his wife as a
Waitin on folks slave or a maid
7.Ah didn’t know Ah was colored Janie imagined herself as white because
Till Ah was 6 she was growing up with whites
8.Yeah Janie, youse got yo Nanny thinks Janie is old enough to marry
Womanhood on yuh
9.You married, You aint hardly Joe is complimenting the youth of Janie
Old enough to be weaned
10.Dat man talks like the section Coker thinks that Joe is acting like a
Foreman a town leader, and he just got there

Symbolism Meaning
1.Joe Stark’s white house Joe is like the plantation owner, and the people are his slaves
2.Janie’s head rage Joe is the jealous type, and does not And does not want other men around her
3.Janie’s long hair Her hair symbolizes her freedom
4.Overalls She is a worker that was treated like
A queen until Joe turned sexist
5. Pear tree Janie was beginning to blossom
6.Nanny’s gate Nanny is shielding Janie from harm
For her early life. Janie does not
Know of the race boundaries.
7.horizon Janie’s future, or what she expects to
happen
8. checkers Joe thinks that Janie is there to get what he wants all the time, and is his
Slavish wife
9.Tabacco spittoon Joe spits in something that the people
Of the town would dream of having on
Their table. He is showing that he is
Rich, and the town is poor.
10.High Chair Joe wants to seat Janie up above all
Else, but he really means seat her up
A baby who needs to have her hand
Held all the way