Janie

     Janie. The main character in the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. She is like any human being, looking for love, and wanting love. Although Janie has gone to all the right places to look for love, the love never turned out right for her. She imagines her true love with her under pear tree blossoms, with the beautiful petals opening up, just like her heart to her love. Janie has met many people so far in the first ten chapters of the novel, which takes place over a whopping time period of over 20 years! Zora Neale Hurston introduced Joe Stark, Logan Killicks, and Teacake. Logan Killicks, a farmer with  60 acres of land, was introduced to Janie by her grandmother. Janie refers to her grandmother as Nanny, who has taken care of her ever since she was a small child when Janie's parents died. Logan married Janie soon after, who believed that love is something can be brought with marriage. However, after the marriage, her Nanny died, and Janie broke up with Logan soon after meeting city-boy Stark. Stark is the type of person who used Janie. He used her to gain power in the community, whereas he did not need to put in as much work. You see, Stark was a power-hungry mongrel, using his money to gain power in a poor community and eventually becoming mayor. The novel skips then 20 years ahead, where Janie has learned to not intervene with Starks' business. But, Stark dies soon because of his arrogance to receive actual medical attention. You may believe that may have devastated Janie, but more as the other way around. She lets down her hair for the first time, showing her freedom from Stark, and meets Teacake after all those events occurred. The rest of the town does not like Teacakes going for Janie and does not approve of him, but Janie runs off with him still. What will happen with Janie and Teacake?