Their Eyes Were Watching God

As I began reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, I was reminded of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  The use of dialect and language is quite similar. I really struggled with the language that Twain used for the first part of the book; eventually I got used to it and actually enjoyed it. I’m not sure what I think about how Hurston writes. Even though I was able to understand it better at the beginning, I have a hard time not getting distracted by it. I expected the opposite effect. I must say, I prefer Twain over Hurston at this point.

The first few chapters went pretty well. I am drawn into Janie’s character for a reason I am unsure of. I get the sense that she is a woman of power that is often misread and underestimated. Her beauty seems to get her noticed but maybe not for the right things. Janie’s hair is unique and defines who she is; I am interested to see how her hair helps the development of the story.

I am disgusted by how Logan treated Janie and was glad that she had the guts to leave the situation. No woman ever deserves the disrespect that Janie got. However, I did find it a bit odd that Jody was so willing to run away with her. Hopefully this new relationship will give Janie a new sense of independence and the respect that she deserves.