Journal #7 - Their Eyes Were Watching God

“Ah’m de Apostle Paul tuh de Gentiles.” (Hurston 104)

This quote is significant because it represents one of the many biblical allusions in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston makes many references, her writing obviously influenced by religion and her cynical view on it. She uses references to the Bible to show a similarity between happenings in he Bible and in TEWWG. For example, the Flood in the Old Testament and the flooding of Lake Okechobee are both happenings that devastate the world (or community).

“He’s trading on being younger than me. Getting ready to laugh at me for an old fool. But oh, what wouldn’t I give to be twelve years younger so I could b’lieve him!” (Hurston 105)

This quote is significant because it shows one of the many times that Hurston has the narrator insert themselves into the story and take over the role of a character. It is very similar to Hurston creating a persona, but differing in the way that the the narrator takes over an already made character. Hurston uses this to voice thoughts of Janie and Eatonville in first-person.



“He’s a whirlwind among breezes...We bend whichever way he blows.” (Hurston 49)

This particular quote is significant because it is a metaphor that represents the power that Joe Starks obtains for himself. It is suggested that Joe took the power without the consent of the town, but the town did not object in any way. Joe's objective is to become happy by fulfillment, and this quote connects to the action Joe takes to achieve this. He effectively takes over Eatonville as the Mayor.