True Love In Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

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True love is something that Janie, the main character in Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, spends her entire life looking for. Ultimately her primary goal is to be happy and live her life how she wants to instead of how everyone else thinks that she should. Throughout her journey to find true happiness she meets three men, Logan, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake each of whom had a different effect on her as a person. When comparing these relationships, Janie was happiest when with her last husband Tea Cake. Although one could argue the opposite, given the way their relationship ended, it was actually a perfect representation of true love because of the freedom, security, and respect that Janie was given. In order to fully appreciate Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship we have to look at her previous relationships along with her childhood influences. Janie was raised by her grandmother named Nannie who tried to put Janie in the best situations that she could to succeed and live comfortably. Although they were colored and didn’t have a lot of money, her grandmother bought them a small house and some land so that Janie wouldn’t feel inferior to others especially the white children. In fact, Janie fit in so well at first that she didn’t even recognize herself in a group photo. “But before Ah seen …show more content…

While with Logan she didn’t have feelings for him and all and didn’t even try to show it. With Joe, she liked him at first, but her affection and openness decreased drastically throughout their marriage. With Tea Cake on the other hand, we see her express love and gratitude a few different times. “But you come ‘long and made somethin’ outa me. So Ah’m thankful fuh anything we come through together.” (pg 167). She is very content with the relationship and for the first time we see her proud to say

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