Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Review by Lorilee Robinson
If you read only one book this year, let it be _Their Eyes Were Watching God_. It is one of the only books I've read that I have truly and completely enjoyed. Your interest will be maintained throughout the entire book in this compelling story about the main character, Janie.Janie's story takes place in the South just after the turn of the 20th century, and Hurston gives powerful descriptions of the race and gender relations of that era. Janie is racially mixed, and the book explores how she is consequently barred from the white world but excluded in many ways from the black world. At the beginning of her story, Janie remarks, "Ah know exactly what Ah got to tell yuh, but it's hard to know where to start at." Hurston's charming use of dialect serves to enrich the reader's understanding of the character's culture and adds to the novel's atmosphere. Hurston paints us a world rich with imagery and symbolism of nature, love, and life. You will not be able to resist Hurston's exquisite accounts of the world, as when she writes, "Oh to be a pear tree -_any_ tree in bloom! With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world! [Janie] was sixteen. She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her." The most compelling aspect of the novel is the personal journey that Janie goes through. The reader will follow Janie as she embarks on her search for love, with all its disappointments and fulfillments. Janie's experiences teach her about herself and what she wants in life. Through this self-realization, she secures her identity and reaches empowerment. This book will make you cry, it will make you laugh, it will enrage you, but most importantly it will make you _think_.
Rating: - The Quest For Love, A Celebration of Womanhood
Several reviews previous to mine mentioned that as high school students they couldn't understand why this book was considered a classic and what was supposed to be so wonderful about it. I too read the book this year for English and I can tell you why. On an anylytical level, Hurston's imagery is astoundingly beautiful. It mirrors her unique and fesh vision of what it means to be a woman. What Hurston says about the emotional turmoil of Janie, without telling the reader directly is amazing. Part of the strength of this book is it's ability to communicate emotion, to reach out to a reader who is emotionally aware (that's the catch for the readers who didn't comprehend the book) and pull them into Janie's life. Then every symbol, such as Janie's tied up hair, begins to communicate it's meaning in a clear and touching way. This book is amazing, and not enough can be said for it. It is a celebration of true love, of self-revelation, and of what it means to live a dream. I can see why some people might not understand it...at least not in high school.
Rating: - Their Eyes Were Indeed Watching
Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston was an amazing novel. At night it would be hard to put the book down. That is a sign of a good book. Written in a Southern tongue that takes a fair amount of time to get used to. It adds something fresh to the book. This novel is a classic example of well crafted American Literature. The novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, takes place in the early 1900's. The entire book is a flashback of the main characters life, leading to the present. The story is told to Janies best-friend, Phoeby. Janie tells her dear friend about her marriage and how happy life can really be for women of the time. Janies character stuck out as being adventurous and hard working. The reader grew fond of Janie because of her willingness to try new things, such as checkers and picking beans in The Muck. Every new experiance she had contributed more and more to the depth of her vast character. This novel encompassed everything that a good book needs to succede. It provides captivating romance and thrilling action. From the massive Hurricane to Janies many love interests, this book holds the attention of its readers all the way through. Throughout the whole novel Janie is trying to get across one thing to her friend, Phoeby. There are "two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go to God and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves." Over the course of this book Janie learns about life, love, and God. Many characters grabbed my attention in the novel, such as, Nanna, Llogan Killicks, Tea Cake, and many other characters Janie met throuhout her life. Nanna was an important character in Janies life because she taught her about life and love. Llogan was an influrential character because he drove Janie to have a want for a more complete and better life. The best scene in the book is when Janie and Tea Cake first meet. During the time period the 1900's, it was unheard of for a woman(expecially the mayors wife) to so anything fun or riskey. In this unique scene, it is the first time Janie is told she is good enough to learn something. Tea Cake is the first man to have trust in her, he teaches her how to play checkers. And she eventually falls in love.
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