All posts tagged: Their Eyes Were Watching God

{Their Eyes Were Watching God} Cover Redesign

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In the years since this book was published, there have been quite a few iterations of the cover design. None of which have been terrible, but I figured it’d be a fun redesign none-the-less. This design was inspired by the reoccurring theme of the pear tree (among others). Early on in the story the young protagonist, Janie, sits beneath a pear tree and ponders life and love. All in one, the tree symbolizes her memories, hopes, and the blossoming of her dreams. And then throughout the story Hurston uses the pear tree, and others, as symbols of Janie’s life… “Janie saw her life like a a great tree.” So, here it is…   Title Font: Hitalica Caption Font: Georgia Pear Illustration: “The Beurre Diel Pear” Augusta Innes Withers, Hand-colored Engraving  

…Were Watching Love

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I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. Although the vernacular was hard to read through at times (just slowed things down a bit), I thought the pacing was well done (her use of time pulls you through the story… 25+ years in less than 200 pages) and her writing style was captivating. After reading the last page, I went back and read the first two paragraphs: “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by the Time. That is the life of men. Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember, and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly.” Rereading this intro gave the book a clarity for me. It’s as though Hurston puts the thesis of protagonist …

All the Parts

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Their Eyes Were Watching God was a profoundly communicative summation of parts that created a rhythmic narrative of the many lives of Janie.  Janie, herself, is certainly a workhorse character embodying many lives. Each of her lives served a distinct purpose to describe the struggles of mankind (man or woman, black or white) – the struggles of balancing the innate desire to stand alone, free, and independent with the crushing need for love and the struggles of defining community and oneself within community. Zora Neale Hurston created Janie as a heroine for the African American woman. While their eyes were watching God, Janie’s were strictly focused on determining her own path. As complicated as the many lives of Janie were the decidedly varied narrative techniques. Oscillating between vernacular speech and highly rhetorical narration, Zora Neale Hurston’s diverse writing style helps define Janie’s loves and lives.  Janie moves from a stifled relationship with Jody wherein she does not speak rather is spoken for to her verbose, solid relationship with Tea Cake.  The intercut use of Southern …

September Book

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American Broadcasting Company © 2005 “Their Eyes Were Watching God” TV Movie Okay folks, Summer has come to a close and school’s back in session (or soon to be). But have no fear, that means fall is on its way! Maybe you all don’t feel the same way, but we look forward to this colorful season of cooler weather, layers, and school supplies (is our inner nerd showing?). So for this month’s book choice we’ve gone with the theme: {Back to School}. There are so many great options to choose from, but we’ve decided to go with Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960). Set in Florida in the early 20th century, the story follows Janie Crawford on an extended flashback as she tells her story in three parts from her grandmother’s plantation shack to the Everglades—until a tragedy brings her home. Janie narrates her life story to her best friend, satisfying the “oldest human longing—self-revelation.” Maybe a lesser known option, but the more we learn about this book the more excited we …