Zora Neale Hurston's 'Their Eyes Were Watching God"

Paper Summary:

This essay explores the connection between status and happiness. Using Zora Neale Hurston's novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" as a model, this essay reveals that the search for status often leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

From the Paper:

"A common element in many cultural novels is the search for social status. Many of the characters in Zora Neale Hurston's novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God", attempt in various ways to achieve personal satisfaction by improving their social status. Through the eyes of the narrator, the reader learns that although many of the characters are either searching for or seem to have found their place in society, it does not always bring them happiness. For Janie, the main character, the search is a bit different. What she is seeking is simply herself. Three other characters, all of whom want to limit Janie's freedom, display different ways in which people understand status. Nanny, Joe Starks, and Mrs. Turner all seem to find what they feel is an improved rank in society. Although these three characters achieve status, their attitudes about status ironically make them and those close to them unhappy."

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