THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD

“Their Eyes Were Watching God” takes place after slavery was abolished. The main character is Janie Crawford; she is about forty years old and is telling the story of her life. She is the daughter of a black woman and a white man. Janie was the result of a rape. Her mother was having an affair with a school teacher soon after he raped her and she was pregnant with Janie. She lives with her grandmother after her mother left. The story has many dilemmas relating to the early 20th century. Janie tries to find her identity in a world of chaos. During the Harlem Renaissance African Americans were trying to create their own culture in the United States. Janie has to go through many dilemmas between both sides of her life (Skin Color). Many people were jealous of her or thought of her as inferior because of her skin color. Since she was not fully white and not fully black she did not know who she really was. The author also makes sure to show that everyone in life has flaws throughout the book. She writes about the community coming together and working to better themselves in any way possible.