International Journal Of Literature And Languages
9
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue04 2025
PAGE NO.
9-12
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue04-03
Finding Voice and Freedom in Their Eyes Were Watching
God
Yusupova Madinabonu
Student of Fergana State University, Uzbekistan
Received:
11 February 2025;
Accepted:
13 March 2025;
Published:
09 April 2025
Abstract:
This article examines the themes of voice and freedom in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were
Watching God. The protagonist, Janie Crawford, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment,
navigating gender roles, societal expectations, and personal relationships. The novel highlights the significance of
self-
expression and autonomy in the face of oppression. By analyzing Janie’s transformation, this study explores
the broader implications of female agency and identity within African American literature and feminist discourse.
Keywords:
Voice, freedom, feminism, gender roles, self-discovery, autonomy, oppression, African American
literature, identity, agency.
Introduction:
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were
Watching God (1937) is a seminal work in African
American literature that explores themes of self-
discovery, voice, and freedom. The novel follows Janie
Crawford’s journey toward self
-realization as she
navigates personal relationships, gender roles, and
societal expectations. Through its use of dialect,
symbolism, and narrative structure, the novel presents
a powerful exploration of how voice and autonomy
shape identity.
Janie’s struggle for freedom is deeply intertwined with
the theme of voice
—
her ability to articulate her
thoughts, desires, and independence. In the novel,
Hurston portrays Janie’s journey as a defiance of
patriarchal structures that silence women. The three
key relationships in her life
—
Logan Killicks, Joe Starks,
and Tea Cake
—
illustrate different forms of oppression
and empowerment that influence her path toward self-
actualization [1, p. 84].
The significance of Hurston’s work extends beyond
Janie’s personal journey; it reflects broader issues of
race, gender, and agency in early 20th-century
America. By reclaiming her voice, Janie not only
liberates herself but also challenges societal constraints
imposed on Black women. This article explores:
1. The Role of Voice in Janie’s Journey –
How language
and silence function as tools of empowerment and
oppression.
2. Freedom and Gender Roles
–
The impact of societal
expectations on Janie’s self
-actualization.
3. Symbolism and Narrative Structure
–
The role of
storytelling in defining Janie’s independence.
By analyzing Their Eyes Were Watching God through
these themes, this study highlights how the novel
remains a critical text in discussions of female
empowerment and African American identity.
1. The Role of Voice in Janie’s Journey
Silence as Oppression
At the beginning of the novel, Janie’s voice is
suppressed by those around her. Her first marriage to
Logan Killicks is devoid of emotional connection, and
she is expected to conform to traditional gender roles
without question. Janie’s lack of agency in this marriage
reflects how silence is imposed on women, particularly
Black women in patriarchal structures [2, p. 112].
Her second marriage to Joe Starks further reinforces
this theme. Joe sees Janie as an object rather than a
partner, silencing her in public spaces. He demands that
she tie her hair up to suppress her individuality,
symbolizing his control over her voice and autonomy
[3, p. 134]. Janie’s inability to express herself in this
relationship highlights how voice is linked to identity
and personal freedom.
Reclaiming Voice and Identity
Janie’s journey toward self
-expression begins after
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
Joe’s death. For the
first time, she experiences the
freedom to speak and make decisions for herself. This
shift marks the beginning of her transformation from
an oppressed woman to an autonomous individual. The
novel’s use of dialect and inner monologue emphasizes
the import
ance of language in shaping one’s identity [4,
p. 87].
Tea Cake, Janie’s third husband, represents a
relationship where she is allowed more freedom,
though challenges remain. Through Tea Cake, she
learns to balance love and independence, ultimately
finding her voice without being confined by societal
norms. By the end of the novel, Janie has fully
embraced her ability to speak for herself, signifying her
triumph over the silence imposed on her earlier in life.
2. Freedom and Gender Roles
Zora Neale Hurston
’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
presents a powerful critique of gender roles and the
constraints imposed on women
—
particularly Black
women
—
through marriage and societal expectations.
Janie Crawford’s three marriages serve as a lens
through which Hurston explores the struggle for female
autonomy and self-
realization. Each of Janie’s
relationships exposes different forms of oppression,
highlighting the rigid expectations placed on women
regarding their roles as wives, caretakers, and silent
supporters of their husbands. However, through her
journey, Janie ultimately challenges these norms,
asserting her independence and redefining what it
means to be a free woman.
Marriage, traditionally viewed as a cornerstone of
stability and security, is depicted in Their Eyes Were
Watching God as a space of confinement and limitation
for Janie. Throughout the novel, Janie is forced to
navigate the tension between societal expectations
and her own desires for self-expression and personal
freedom. Her three marriages
—
to Logan Killicks, Joe
Starks, and Tea Cake
—
illustrate varying degrees of
oppression, ultimately shaping her journey toward
autonomy.
1. Logan Killicks: The Burden of Traditional Gender
Roles
Janie’s first marriage to Logan Killicks is arranged by her
grandmother, Nanny, who believes that security and
material stability are more important than love. As an
enslaved woman who endured years of suffering,
Nanny fears that Janie will face the same hardships if
she does not have a protective husband. However, in
securing
Janie’s
marriage
to
Logan,
Nanny
inadvertently imposes the very restrictions she seeks to
protect her from [Washington, 1987, p. 152].
Logan represents the traditional, labor-intensive
expectations
placed
upon
women
in
rural
communities. He believes that
Janie’s primary role as a
wife is to assist with farmwork and household duties,
viewing her not as a partner but as an additional
laborer. He expresses his disappointment in her
perceived weakness, dismissing her dreams and
individuality. When he insists that she help him plow
the land, Janie realizes that love will not grow in such
an oppressive environment, leading to her first act of
defiance
—
leaving Logan to pursue a different life
[Hurston, 1937, p. 32].
2. Joe Starks: The Silence of Obedience
Janie’s
second marriage, to Joe Starks, initially appears
to offer her the freedom she seeks. Joe is ambitious,
charismatic, and full of dreams, promising Janie a
future filled with excitement and status. However, once
they arrive in Eatonville, Joe assumes a position of
authority
—not just as the town’s mayor but as the
dominant force in their marriage. He silences Janie,
dictating her role in both public and private life [hooks,
1981, p. 74].
Joe believes that a wife should be silent, obedient, and
deferential to her husband. He forbids Janie from
engaging in conversations with the townspeople,
fearing that her voice will undermine his authority. He
also forces her to tie up her hair
—
a symbol of her
beauty and individuality
—
because he does not want
other men to admire her. By controlling her
appearance and speech, Joe reinforces patriarchal
ideals
that
equate
female
submission
with
respectability and order [Davis, 1983, p. 98].
As the years pass, Janie becomes increasingly aware of
the suffocating nature of her marriage. When she
finally speaks out against Joe in public, mocking his
aging div and defying his authority, she experiences a
moment of liberation. Joe’s death shortly afterward
serves as a turning point in her life, as she begins to
shed the imposed silence and reclaim her identity. Her
choice to let down her hair after his death symbolizes
her newfound freedom from his control [Hurston,
1937, p. 87].
3. Symbolism and Narrative Structure
Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God employs rich
symbolism and a unique narrative structure to
underscore Janie’s journey toward self
-realization and
freedom. Two of the most significant elements in this
regard are the horizon, which represents Janie’s
evolving aspirations, and the act of storytelling, which
serves as a tool of empowerment and autonomy.
The Horizon as a Symbol of Freedom
One of the most enduring symbols in Their Eyes Were
Watching God is the horizon, which represents Janie’s
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
dreams, aspirations, and evolving sense of self. From
the beginning of the novel, Janie perceives the horizon
as something distant, an external goal she must strive
to reach. As a young girl, she envisions love and
fulfillment as something that will come to her through
marriage, reflecting her early belief that happiness
depends on external validation [Bloom, 2009, p. 176].
Janie’s first experiences with the horizon stem from her
grandmother’s teachings. Nanny, having endured
slavery and hardship, imposes a limited vision of
security and stability onto Janie. She sees marriage as
the only viable path to success for a Black woman,
equating freedom with economic security rather than
personal fulfillment. This influences Janie’s initial view
of the horizon
—
something distant that she can only
reach through others, particularly men. When Nanny
arranges Janie’s marriage to Logan Killicks, Janie
expects love to follow, but she quickly realizes that her
vision of happiness does not align with reality [Hurston,
1937, p. 21].
Jan
ie’s second marriage, to Joe Starks, initially appears
to bring her closer to the horizon. Joe is ambitious and
offers her the prospect of a better life in Eatonville,
where he becomes the mayor. However, she soon
realizes that her role in this marriage is that of an
ornament, expected to remain silent and obedient. The
horizon, once a symbol of possibility, now represents
unattainable dreams as Janie’s voice is stifled under
Joe’s control. She watches her aspirations fade as Joe
confines her to a predefined role, illustrating how
external circumstances can limit one’s ability to reach
personal fulfillment [Washington, 1987, p. 134].
It is only after Joe’s death that Janie begins to redefine
the horizon. No longer constrained by an oppressive
marriage, she starts to view freedom as something
internal rather than something granted by others. This
shift in perception sets the stage for her relationship
with Tea Cake, where she explores a new form of love
—
one that offers companionship rather than dominance.
Tea Cake introduces Janie to a world of adventure and
playfulness, bringing her closer to her dreams.
However, even this relationship has its challenges,
demonstrating that true freedom is not dependent on
another person but on self-acceptance and agency
[Davis, 1983, p. 152].
By the end of the novel, Janie’s relationship with the
horizon has transformed entirely. Following Tea Cake’s
death, she returns to Eatonville with a newfound sense
of peace. Unlike earlier in her life, she no longer sees
the horizon as something distant that she must chase
—
it is now within her. This marks her ultimate self-
realization: freedom comes from within, not from
external validation or romantic relationships. Her
journey has led her to a place where she no longer
needs to reach for the horizon because she carries it
with her, symbolizing her complete independence and
self-awareness [Christian, 1980, p. 200].
Hurston’s use of the horizon as a symbol of freedom
reflects Janie’s shifting understanding of herself and
her place in the world. What begins as an unreachable
dream evolves into an internalized sense of peace and
fulfillment, illustrating the novel’s central theme of self
-
actualization.
Storytelling as EmpowermentThe structure of Their
Eyes Were Watching God plays a crucial role in
reinforcing its themes, particularly through the act of
storytelling. The novel is framed as Janie recounting her
life story to her best friend, Pheoby, an approach that
emphasizes the importance of voice and narrative
ownership. This framing device is significant because it
allows Janie to reclaim her own story
—
she is not just a
character in someone else’s life but the narrator of her
own experiences.
By sharing her story with Pheoby, Janie exercises a form
of agency that had previously been denied to her.
Throughout her life, men have attempted to control
her voice
—
Logan Killicks expects her to remain silent
and obedient, Joe Starks actively suppresses her
speech, and even Tea Cake, despite offering her more
freedom, still exhibits moments of control. In contrast,
the novel’s framing structure positions Janie as the
storyteller, allowing her to shape her own narrative and
make sense of her experiences on her own terms
[Bloom, 2009, p. 176].
This storytelling framework also serves as a
commentary on the broader historical silencing of Black
women’s voices. In early 20th
-century America, Black
women’s experiences were often overlooked or erased
in both literature and historical discourse. By making
Janie the narrator of her own story, Hurston challenges
this erasure, asserting the importance of Black
women’s narratives within literary and social contexts
[Christian, 1980, p. 200].
2. Oral Tradition and the Power of Language
Hurston’s use of dialect and oral storytelling traditions
further reinforces the n
ovel’s themes of voice and
empowerment. The novel is rich with the vernacular
speech of the Black community, reflecting Hurston’s
background as a folklorist. This linguistic style not only
adds authenticity to the characters but also serves as a
form of resistance against literary norms that often
prioritized white, standardized English. By centering
Black vernacular, Hurston validates the voices of her
characters and emphasizes the cultural importance of
oral storytelling as a means of preserving history and
identity [Gates, 1988, p. 84].
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
The act of storytelling is not just a narrative device
—
it
is a form of empowerment. When Janie tells her story,
she is not merely recounting events; she is actively
shaping how those events are understood. This mirrors
the larger feminist message of the novel: women,
particularly Black women, must reclaim their voices in
order to assert their identities and challenge societal
limitations [hooks, 1981, p. 98].
3. The Ending as a Reflection of Narrative Ownership
The novel’s
conclusion reinforces the power of
storytelling. After recounting her journey to Pheoby,
Janie expresses a sense of peace and closure. The act of
telling her story is itself an affirmation of her growth
—
she is no longer defined by her relationships or external
expectations but by her own understanding of herself.
Pheoby, having listened to Janie’s tale, is inspired by
her friend’s journey, illustrating the transformative
power of sharing one’s voice [Washington, 1987, p.
134].
By the time Janie finishes her story, she has achieved
full narrative control. She has told her life on her own
terms, emphasizing the importance of self-expression
as an act of liberation. The storytelling framework thus
serves as a powerful reminder that reclaiming one’s
voice is essential for true freedom, both personally and
socially.
CONCLUSION
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is
a profound exploration of voice and freedom. Janie
Crawford’s journey illustrates the struggles women,
particularly Black women, face in asserting their
autonomy in a society that seeks to silence them.
Through her experiences in love, marriage, and self-
discovery, Janie ultimately finds her voice and reclaims
her identity.
The novel remains a significant feminist and African
American literary work, offering valuable insights into
gender roles, self-expression, and empowerment. By
reclaiming her voice, Janie challenges societal norms
and redefines what it means to be free. Hurston’s work
continues to inspire discussions on autonomy, identity,
and the power of storytelling.
REFERENCE
Gates, H. L. (1988). The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of
African American Literary Criticism. Oxford University
Press.
Walker, A. (1975). In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens:
Womanist Prose. Harcourt.
Hurston, Z. N. (1937). Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Harper Perennial.
hooks, b. (1981). Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and
Feminism. South End Press.
Washington, M. H. (1987). Invented Lives: Narratives of
Black Women 1860-1960. University Press of
Mississippi.
Davis, A. (1983). Women, Race, & Class. Vintage.
Bloom, H. (2009). Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were
Watching God. Chelsea House.
Christian, B. (1980). *Black Women Novelists
