There are a couple themes in this book. One of the themes that stuck out to me first is the importance of independence. Janie was in a relationship with three different men. I think at first she didn't really want to be independent. Even though she didn't want to marry Logan or was mad at Jody, she kind of didn't want to be alone either. By the end of the book though, she was confident enough to feel comfortable living by herself and not being in a relationship.(Hurston,192) At that point, she had lived her dream with Tea Cake and was at peace with everything. I think independence was a main theme because it takes Janie the whole book to get to this point in her life.
Another main theme is love. Many people have different opinions on what love truly is. Janie's opinion on love was obviously different than Nanny's opinion.(Hurston, 15) Throughout the novel, no matter who the man was Janie was looking for the same things in every man. She wanted true love, not just an OK relationship. What Janie wanted was a man who respected her, cared for her, and was a best friend. This theme is talked about a lot in this book.
The author understands many things about human nature. If writers didn't understand human nature, then the readers would never relate to the book or be interested in it. Hurston portrays what its like to want to be loved. Through the character Janie, she shows us how people want to be respected and loved. She also shows us how people can really use their voice and find their identity.
Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: HarperCollins, 2000. Print.
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