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Jonah's Gourd Vine / Mules and Men / Their Eyes Were Watching God
1990 Jonah's Gourd Vine, Mules and Men, Their Eyes Were Watching God (P) by Zora Neale Hurston ***ISBN-13: 9780965109062 ***207 Pages
698 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
17 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Zora Neale Hurston
185 books5,437 followersNovels, including
Their Eyes Were Watching God
(1937), and nonfiction writings of American folklorist Zora Neale Hurston give detailed accounts of African American life in the South.
In 1925, Hurston, one of the leaders of the literary renaissance, happening in Harlem, produced the short-lived literary magazine Fire!! alongside Langston Hughes and Wallace Thurman shortly before she entered Barnard College. This literary movement developed into the Harlem renaissance.
Hurston applied her Barnard ethnographic training to document African American folklore in her critically acclaimed book Mules and Men alongside fiction Their Eyes Were Watching God . She also assembled a folk-based performance dance group that recreated her Southern tableau with one performance on Broadway.
People awarded a Guggenheim fellowship to Hurston to travel to Haiti and conduct research on conjure in 1937. Her significant work ably broke into the secret societies and exposed their use of drugs to create the Vodun trance, also a subject of study for fellow dancer-anthropologist Katherine Dunham, then at the University of Chicago.
In 1954, the Pittsburgh Courier assigned Hurston, unable to sell her fiction, to cover the small-town murder trial of Ruby McCollum, the prosperous black wife of the local lottery racketeer, who had killed a racist white doctor. Hurston also contributed to Woman in the Suwanee County Jail , a book by journalist and civil rights advocate William Bradford Huie.
In 1925, Hurston, one of the leaders of the literary renaissance, happening in Harlem, produced the short-lived literary magazine Fire!! alongside Langston Hughes and Wallace Thurman shortly before she entered Barnard College. This literary movement developed into the Harlem renaissance.
Hurston applied her Barnard ethnographic training to document African American folklore in her critically acclaimed book Mules and Men alongside fiction Their Eyes Were Watching God . She also assembled a folk-based performance dance group that recreated her Southern tableau with one performance on Broadway.
People awarded a Guggenheim fellowship to Hurston to travel to Haiti and conduct research on conjure in 1937. Her significant work ably broke into the secret societies and exposed their use of drugs to create the Vodun trance, also a subject of study for fellow dancer-anthropologist Katherine Dunham, then at the University of Chicago.
In 1954, the Pittsburgh Courier assigned Hurston, unable to sell her fiction, to cover the small-town murder trial of Ruby McCollum, the prosperous black wife of the local lottery racketeer, who had killed a racist white doctor. Hurston also contributed to Woman in the Suwanee County Jail , a book by journalist and civil rights advocate William Bradford Huie.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 25, 2011
Because of the black southern dialect Hurston used in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" it took me many pages to get into it; it was not an easy read, but ultimately I really liked and appreciated it. I found that by slowing down my reading pace a little to "hear it" and to visualize the rich description in my mind, Janie, Logan, Joe Starks, Tea Cake, Phoebe, and the rest of the characters became alive for me. Hurston's writing so captures the essence of life in the south for blacks during the time period, and most importantly, I cared about Janie; what a wonderful heroine she is--through three marriages, obstacles and hardship Janie learns about herself, evolves and understands her place in the world.
March 10, 2021
How a young independent thinking African-American woman in Florida finally realizes happiness after a life filled with sorrow. The heavy Southern dialect confused me for awhile and made the story slow going. I guess it did add "local color." An early feminist work.
December 13, 2023
I had to lay down once I finished this book. Incredibly moving. There are so many things I can say. At its base… to be a woman is to suffer. To be a woman of color is to push through and survive even in suffering.
There’s a reason this is considered one of the greats.
There’s a reason this is considered one of the greats.
January 26, 2024
Really great book. Written in a Deep South vernacular so a little hard to get your teeth into at first, but once you do it’s a story of life and love.
December 9, 2025
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a book by Zora Neale Hurston and is a great read. The book focuses on self-discovery, love, and self-respect. Janie’s courage and confidence create an entertaining story that I truly enjoyed.
Zora Neale Hurston was a prominent writer, filmmaker, and anthropologist during the Harlem Renaissance (the rise of African-American culture centered in Harlem, New York from 1920 to 1930). Her works highlighted the struggles of black people in 20th-century America. Other texts observe black folklore, Hoodoo ( a set of spiritual practices passed down from enslaved Africans), and Caribbean Vodou/Haitian Vodou (African diasporic religion). Hurston attended two universities, Howard University (where she received an associate’s degree) and Barnard College (where she earned her B.A. in anthropology). As an anthropologist, Zora Neale Hurston deeply studied black culture. She traveled to Haiti and Jamaica to expand her knowledge on African religions. In New York, Hurston would closely associate with popular writers Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen. The group spearheaded the writing scene during the Harlem Renaissance. Hurston also created impactful documentaries that illustrated black lives in the American South. Her more notable works were Children’s Games (1928), Logging (1928), and Baptism (1929). Children’s Games was a film she created as an anthropology student. In it, young southern black children are captured dancing and playing a variety of games, hence the name. In Logging, Hurston follows the lives of black lumber men in Polk County, Florida. Finally, Baptism is a documentary that shows a variety of baptisms in Miami, Florida. All of her films are currently held at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. according to Tracy Heather Strain who is the director of the 2023 PBS documentary, Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space. Zora Neale Hurston has received the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts, US & Canada (1936), the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Nonfiction (1943), and the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Musical (2003).
Hurston has paved the way for several black female authors such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Edwidge Danticat. Her documentaries allow society to grasp what life was like for southern blacks in the 1920s and 30s. This is very important because certain aspects of American history have been erased and should be learned.
Their Eyes Were Watching God was published on September 18, 1937. The book is now 88 years-old and has heavily impacted society. The author of The Color Purple was majorly affected by Their Eyes Were Watching God. She stated that “There is no book more important to me than this one.” The book was later adapted into a film in 2005. While Their Eyes Were Watching God hasn’t won any major literary awards, it received recognition as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best English-language Novels Published Since 1923. It was also on BBC’s 100 Best Novels list. The 2005 film earned two major awards: the Black Reel Award for Best Actor, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding TV Movie, and a Directors Guild of America Award for directorial achievements.
The central message of Their Eyes Were Watching God is to believe in yourself and be self-sufficient. Janie had to learn that she did not need men in her life to be happy and successful. The theme of this book is bravery. Janie had to be courageous in times of fear and doubt.
Their Eyes Were Watching God takes place in the American south during the 1920s and 30s. It follows the tumultuous life of Janie Crawford as she navigates difficult relationships and low confidence, but at the end, Crawford realizes being self-sufficient is better than mourning her past. In her words she states that “Two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ for theyselves.”
There were several conflicts in this book. That’s what made Janie’s life so chaotic. In her relationships she was always mistreated by the men she married. That is a man vs. man conflict. In the case of her confidence that was a man vs. self conflict. And due to the time period this story took place in, Janie faced societal conflicts when it came to her race and gender; which was a man vs. society conflict. Janie began to realize that she was more important than men and society made her feel.
In her relationship conflicts there were a variety of ways those issues were solved. She left her first husband Logan Killicks because she wasn’t attracted to him and he constantly made her work. She then married the Mayor Joe Starks because of his charisma and wealth. He treated her the worst, but he ended up passing away and Janie fell in love with Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods. He was sweet and caring towards Janie. She was the most important thing in his world, but his life was tragically cut short after Janie had to shoot him in self defense because he had rabies and forgot who she was.
After the death of Tea Cake, Janie was put on trial, but was found not guilty as she acted in self-defense. Janie then left the Everglades to return to her home town. It picks back up where the book started. I personally really appreciate that from Nora Neale Hurston. I enjoyed reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, but it made me sad at the same time. It was a heavy read, but it was empowering. I was glad to see that Janie became independent and confident. She no longer cared what others thought she was just happy to be home.
Their Eyes Were Watching God had descriptive language all throughout it. When describing Janie’s husbands Hurston used imagery which helped me picture them and made the book more engaging. For example, she described Logan as old, hard-working and unloving Hurston described him as having a “prosporus-looking belly”. The book also included descriptive language when speaking about Janie’s surroundings. Her home town was described as a vibrant, self-governing Black town in Florida. That light would soon dim when Janie married Joe. She described how his controlling nature ruined what little happiness Janie might’ve had. Once Joe passed away and Janie married Tea Cake, she moved to the Everglades where she felt free again. This book captures emotion and conflict so well that I felt like I was literally in 1930s Florida with Janie observing her struggles and triumphs. Zora Neale Hurston also used vivid language to describe Tea Cake getting rabies. She never explicitly said it, but she described how irrational he was acting and how he looked. Sentences I also noticed that she used a variety of different figurative language strategies such as similes and metaphors. For example, the pear tree referred to Janie experiencing love. She uses symbolism when discussing Joe and Janie’s relationship. The highchair represents Janie’s status because of her marriage to Joe. Zora Neale Hurston wrote the book in a third person point of view. Which allows the reader to really see Janie as a real person. I felt myself feeling terribly for her during her struggles in her life. Even at points where Janie wasn’t even mentioned and the reader’s focus was now directed towards Janie’s grandmother or mother, I felt emotional reading some of their backstories.
Their Eyes Were Watching God altered my perspective on several different things. Firstly, I expected the book to have a completely different story line. I also did not expect to feel for Janie as much as I did. Also, I thought that the language in the book would be harder to understand, but I was able to grasp what was going on in the book which made comprehending the story much easier than I thought it would be. Certain things in the book were more modernized than I expected. For example, for some reason I thought the town wouldn’t have street lights because it wasn’t much of an urban city and it was old so when Joe constructed the light pole I was a little surprised about that. Another example would be how self-sufficient Janie was. During the 1920s and 30s, women, but especially black women were not as independent as Janie was so I was very happy to see that addition to the story. This book has inspired me to trust myself and not rely on others too much because doing that may disappoint me. As an actor there will be so many times when I get rejected and may not be picked for something. So creating my own stuff is just as important. I don’t need to rely on casting directors, agents, or managers to have a successful career.
I would recommend this book to people who want to develop their confidence. This book shows how Janie was afraid to stand up to her husbands, especially Joe. Once Joe passed away, Janie was able to be free, she could engage in the conversations others had and could run the store as she pleased. I’ve had moments in my life where I felt like I could not stand up to someone, but once I overcame that, I felt free just like Janie did. I believe this story can impact others just how it did for me. I personally loved how the book would suck me in. I appreciate books that can draw me in that well.
Zora Neale Hurston was a prominent writer, filmmaker, and anthropologist during the Harlem Renaissance (the rise of African-American culture centered in Harlem, New York from 1920 to 1930). Her works highlighted the struggles of black people in 20th-century America. Other texts observe black folklore, Hoodoo ( a set of spiritual practices passed down from enslaved Africans), and Caribbean Vodou/Haitian Vodou (African diasporic religion). Hurston attended two universities, Howard University (where she received an associate’s degree) and Barnard College (where she earned her B.A. in anthropology). As an anthropologist, Zora Neale Hurston deeply studied black culture. She traveled to Haiti and Jamaica to expand her knowledge on African religions. In New York, Hurston would closely associate with popular writers Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen. The group spearheaded the writing scene during the Harlem Renaissance. Hurston also created impactful documentaries that illustrated black lives in the American South. Her more notable works were Children’s Games (1928), Logging (1928), and Baptism (1929). Children’s Games was a film she created as an anthropology student. In it, young southern black children are captured dancing and playing a variety of games, hence the name. In Logging, Hurston follows the lives of black lumber men in Polk County, Florida. Finally, Baptism is a documentary that shows a variety of baptisms in Miami, Florida. All of her films are currently held at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. according to Tracy Heather Strain who is the director of the 2023 PBS documentary, Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space. Zora Neale Hurston has received the Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts, US & Canada (1936), the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Nonfiction (1943), and the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Musical (2003).
Hurston has paved the way for several black female authors such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Edwidge Danticat. Her documentaries allow society to grasp what life was like for southern blacks in the 1920s and 30s. This is very important because certain aspects of American history have been erased and should be learned.
Their Eyes Were Watching God was published on September 18, 1937. The book is now 88 years-old and has heavily impacted society. The author of The Color Purple was majorly affected by Their Eyes Were Watching God. She stated that “There is no book more important to me than this one.” The book was later adapted into a film in 2005. While Their Eyes Were Watching God hasn’t won any major literary awards, it received recognition as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best English-language Novels Published Since 1923. It was also on BBC’s 100 Best Novels list. The 2005 film earned two major awards: the Black Reel Award for Best Actor, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding TV Movie, and a Directors Guild of America Award for directorial achievements.
The central message of Their Eyes Were Watching God is to believe in yourself and be self-sufficient. Janie had to learn that she did not need men in her life to be happy and successful. The theme of this book is bravery. Janie had to be courageous in times of fear and doubt.
Their Eyes Were Watching God takes place in the American south during the 1920s and 30s. It follows the tumultuous life of Janie Crawford as she navigates difficult relationships and low confidence, but at the end, Crawford realizes being self-sufficient is better than mourning her past. In her words she states that “Two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ for theyselves.”
There were several conflicts in this book. That’s what made Janie’s life so chaotic. In her relationships she was always mistreated by the men she married. That is a man vs. man conflict. In the case of her confidence that was a man vs. self conflict. And due to the time period this story took place in, Janie faced societal conflicts when it came to her race and gender; which was a man vs. society conflict. Janie began to realize that she was more important than men and society made her feel.
In her relationship conflicts there were a variety of ways those issues were solved. She left her first husband Logan Killicks because she wasn’t attracted to him and he constantly made her work. She then married the Mayor Joe Starks because of his charisma and wealth. He treated her the worst, but he ended up passing away and Janie fell in love with Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods. He was sweet and caring towards Janie. She was the most important thing in his world, but his life was tragically cut short after Janie had to shoot him in self defense because he had rabies and forgot who she was.
After the death of Tea Cake, Janie was put on trial, but was found not guilty as she acted in self-defense. Janie then left the Everglades to return to her home town. It picks back up where the book started. I personally really appreciate that from Nora Neale Hurston. I enjoyed reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, but it made me sad at the same time. It was a heavy read, but it was empowering. I was glad to see that Janie became independent and confident. She no longer cared what others thought she was just happy to be home.
Their Eyes Were Watching God had descriptive language all throughout it. When describing Janie’s husbands Hurston used imagery which helped me picture them and made the book more engaging. For example, she described Logan as old, hard-working and unloving Hurston described him as having a “prosporus-looking belly”. The book also included descriptive language when speaking about Janie’s surroundings. Her home town was described as a vibrant, self-governing Black town in Florida. That light would soon dim when Janie married Joe. She described how his controlling nature ruined what little happiness Janie might’ve had. Once Joe passed away and Janie married Tea Cake, she moved to the Everglades where she felt free again. This book captures emotion and conflict so well that I felt like I was literally in 1930s Florida with Janie observing her struggles and triumphs. Zora Neale Hurston also used vivid language to describe Tea Cake getting rabies. She never explicitly said it, but she described how irrational he was acting and how he looked. Sentences I also noticed that she used a variety of different figurative language strategies such as similes and metaphors. For example, the pear tree referred to Janie experiencing love. She uses symbolism when discussing Joe and Janie’s relationship. The highchair represents Janie’s status because of her marriage to Joe. Zora Neale Hurston wrote the book in a third person point of view. Which allows the reader to really see Janie as a real person. I felt myself feeling terribly for her during her struggles in her life. Even at points where Janie wasn’t even mentioned and the reader’s focus was now directed towards Janie’s grandmother or mother, I felt emotional reading some of their backstories.
Their Eyes Were Watching God altered my perspective on several different things. Firstly, I expected the book to have a completely different story line. I also did not expect to feel for Janie as much as I did. Also, I thought that the language in the book would be harder to understand, but I was able to grasp what was going on in the book which made comprehending the story much easier than I thought it would be. Certain things in the book were more modernized than I expected. For example, for some reason I thought the town wouldn’t have street lights because it wasn’t much of an urban city and it was old so when Joe constructed the light pole I was a little surprised about that. Another example would be how self-sufficient Janie was. During the 1920s and 30s, women, but especially black women were not as independent as Janie was so I was very happy to see that addition to the story. This book has inspired me to trust myself and not rely on others too much because doing that may disappoint me. As an actor there will be so many times when I get rejected and may not be picked for something. So creating my own stuff is just as important. I don’t need to rely on casting directors, agents, or managers to have a successful career.
I would recommend this book to people who want to develop their confidence. This book shows how Janie was afraid to stand up to her husbands, especially Joe. Once Joe passed away, Janie was able to be free, she could engage in the conversations others had and could run the store as she pleased. I’ve had moments in my life where I felt like I could not stand up to someone, but once I overcame that, I felt free just like Janie did. I believe this story can impact others just how it did for me. I personally loved how the book would suck me in. I appreciate books that can draw me in that well.
August 15, 2021
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is my first time reading "indirect discourse." This novel has a narrator explain the character's thoughts and feelings within the story, rather than expressing them directly.
"Ah'd ruther be dead than for Jody tuh think Ah'd hurt him," she sobbed to Phoeby. "It ain't always been too pleasant, 'cause you know how Joe worships de works of his own hand, but God in heben knows Ah wouldn't do one thing tuh hurt nobody. It's too underhand and mean."
Janie is the major character, living in the South, around the early 20th century. She married her first husband for protection, like her grandma advised. But it was a loveless marriage. Janie's second husband married her for a trophy and as a helpmate. The problem was that Janie hated the work her husband had her do--run the store. That marriage also became loveless. In Janie's third marriage, she found the love she always dreamed having.
A hurricane changed everything. Janie ends by going back to the home her second husband built for her, which is how the novel began--she is the topic of gossip.
Although the characters are black, I don't consider Janie's story any different than any race in that place and time. The poor in the South worked hard and women, especially so. A poor woman would have looked for protection in marriage, like Janie's first husband. Working hard like Janie did in the store and even after is the plight of the majority of people. Janie's story is real and told in a masterful manner.
"Ah'd ruther be dead than for Jody tuh think Ah'd hurt him," she sobbed to Phoeby. "It ain't always been too pleasant, 'cause you know how Joe worships de works of his own hand, but God in heben knows Ah wouldn't do one thing tuh hurt nobody. It's too underhand and mean."
Janie is the major character, living in the South, around the early 20th century. She married her first husband for protection, like her grandma advised. But it was a loveless marriage. Janie's second husband married her for a trophy and as a helpmate. The problem was that Janie hated the work her husband had her do--run the store. That marriage also became loveless. In Janie's third marriage, she found the love she always dreamed having.
A hurricane changed everything. Janie ends by going back to the home her second husband built for her, which is how the novel began--she is the topic of gossip.
Although the characters are black, I don't consider Janie's story any different than any race in that place and time. The poor in the South worked hard and women, especially so. A poor woman would have looked for protection in marriage, like Janie's first husband. Working hard like Janie did in the store and even after is the plight of the majority of people. Janie's story is real and told in a masterful manner.
September 1, 2022
This book is drenched with poetic images that I'll be thinking about for a long time.
It's over a decade and a half since I first made Tea Cake's acquaintance. I'm so pleased that the things I'd hoped about him were true, and saddened by his demise. It's enough to distract me for the moment from the rest of the value in the book. I'm still processing it.
It's over a decade and a half since I first made Tea Cake's acquaintance. I'm so pleased that the things I'd hoped about him were true, and saddened by his demise. It's enough to distract me for the moment from the rest of the value in the book. I'm still processing it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2023
I’m so glad i re-read this. I read Their Eyes Were Watching God in high school, but I remembered nothing about it. I loved it this time around. Her writing is so lyrical and descriptive and masterful. Like with any book where the dialect is unfamiliar, it takes some time to get acclimated to it, but it’s well worth the effort. Great story, no matter who the characters are. Many people describe this as a story about Janie finding love with someone who allowed her to or helped her enjoy life. That’s certainly true, but I see it more as a story about Janie shedding herself of the expectations, judgments, and oppression of society so that SHE can enjoy life, which came largely in the form of her love for Tea Cake. Her previous two husbands kept her down with the oppressive little box they expected her to mold herself into, labeled “Good Little Submissive Quiet Wifey.” She loves Tea Cake because she could let her be her with him - he didn’t do that to her. Find someone you can truly be yourself with and you’re luckier than most.
March 3, 2025
I think this was an okay book. Meant for people who are older to understand the different dynamics of love. Requires reading inbetween the lines. Written in AAVC and that's makes it harder to read then a normal book but it leads to great listening in audiobook form. Super underrated would recommend to certain people and would read again later in life, however no rush.
May 15, 2022
Beautifully written.
January 4, 2023
Beautiful story; inspiring in a way that speaks to your soul.
February 23, 2023
I thought the events that happened to the main character were horrible! But, this book has proven to me that there is still a slim chance of true love to be found.
May 18, 2023
boring boring boring
April 5, 2024
another good ap lit read. janie deserves so much better. tea cake and jodie suck butts
August 16, 2024
Such an interesting perspective.
June 29, 2025
Amazing black feminist coming of age story that tackles gender, economic and judicial inequality both in a broader white American context but also within the nuances of black American life.
August 28, 2020
Wow! What an amazing story. I picked this up about 5 years ago and didn't understand because the southern dialect was so heavy, but it was a great read. I think it's wonderful how a young woman can be so free spirited no matter how many traumatic events come to pass. She gets married off to someone at 16 because her grandmother wants to live to see her wedding day, then she runs off with a man who she thinks will be her prince, but just wants to be the boss of everything. Finally the man of her dreams finds her and her real adventure begins.
March 26, 2011
The recent read of the three works in this omnibus was Mules and Men, a collection of folklore and hoodoo. The really interesting aspects of both sections were Zora's personal involvement with the storytellers and hoodoo doctors that frame the sections. The first part reminded me of Medieval frame collections, such as The Canterbury Tales and Decameron, in which the character interactions between the stories are just as much if not more interesting to read than the stories being told.
June 7, 2014
Eh, i dont really like it. Its oddly written. The ebonics are very confusing. I have to read this for class and i dont think i would recommend it to anyone. The ideas are good, its just not something i want to read. The writing is confusing as to what the meaning is.
June 26, 2011
This book was a gift from my aunt. It was my introduction to Zora Neal Hurston. I read this book over and over again. Janie Mae's strong will and independent streak was right up my alley! She was her own woman from beginning to end! This book is excellent for summer reading!
December 30, 2010
There were a few cool quotes to take away. The general story was somewhat entertaining.
March 21, 2012
Another book I had to read and really liked.
May 6, 2012
3.5. So sad! :(
July 14, 2012
Amazing, but very sad.
November 24, 2012
Their Eyes Were Watching God is an amazing story of a resilient woman determined to find love and herself.
May 24, 2015
read Their Eyes Were Watching God, for Westridge Alum Book Club.
loved this.
loved this.
November 23, 2016
Read for classic book club
Read
December 4, 2008Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1998)
Read
February 11, 2016Couldn't get beyond 50 pages
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews