The novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” can be considered to be a biblical novel. Based off my observation when reading the book “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” it describes and reference to some religious events and symbolism. The way that Janie overcame some situation that she encountered is because of her spiritual connection. Some events that she been through, can be compared to some events that took place in the Bible such as “judgement day,” “spending time with nature. ’’ These are two examples that can be relatable to the Bible. However, there are many more examples in the novel. Janie and Jesus both had their trials and tributions.
One event they both were being tempted when they were going into nature to recollect themselves. Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. Jesus was tempted by the devil with food and water. ( King James Version_ Matthew 4:1-11). Janie spent a couple of hours under a pear tree. She was tempted by John Taylor when he kissed her over her grandma gate( hartson pg. 13). They both was spiritually connected to nature. The only thing that’s different Jesus was there to prepare himself to be killed. Janie went to go clear her mind and to think about her life. The reason I compared Jesus and Janie was because they both were being judged.
By people that didn’t know why they were being judgmental. People are always judging others. Rather, than people trying to help or find out why they are doing things differently. This leads me into another event that Jesus and Janie shared. However; they approached the situation differently. When Janie returned home can be compared to when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. Some people was not happy to she her. But Pheoby on the other hand was happy and made Janie feel welcomed when she returned. The same with Jesus people was not happy to see him. However, he had some followers happy to see him for passover.
Janie was trying to find her unknown destiny. Through her journey she did not have the chance to work towards her dreams and aspirations. Her Nanny made it hard for her to full her dreams. Janie had been limited freedom. That’s why the author compared her dreams to being pushed out into the sea until they just kept going farther and farther away from her until she could no longer see it. Janie had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizon in search of people; it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her, But she had been whipped like a cur dog and run off down a back road after things. Hartson pg. 106)
Janie’s Nanny had a big impact on the way that Janie see the world. Her Nanny was crushing all of her dreams and aspirations. Janie Nanny gave her false judgements and rules that would deter her from following her dreams. This made Janie have a false look on life at the same time it had made Janie learn not to allow other people skepticism to get in the way of her being the captain of her own ship, because if she didn’t she would become doubtful, uninspired, and miserable as everyone around her. This is compared to when jesus was being crucified. Janie kept looking for the light in every situation.
This was shown when she says, “ if you kin see de light, you do not keer if you die at dusk. It’s so many people never seen de light at all. (Hartson pg. 186) Janie here is saying that someone will be lucky enough to see the light in their days. They will find their eternal happiness, hope, and live their life to the fullest, and not be afraid of death or when things do not turn out the way that they wanted but to keep striving to reach your goals. To Janie it is always better to have light because it so easy to be hopeful during the daytime when you see the things you wish on.
But it was night, it stayed night. Night was striding across nothingness with the whole world in his hands. They sat in company with others in other shanties their eyes straining against cruel walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but Their Eyes Were Watching God. ( Hartson pg. 187) This connects to the judgement theme because many people would go throughout their daily lives without even thinking about God. They have to realize that they are only a tiny little piece on a huge universe under God’s watch.
When people are faced with doubt and the unknown. This is when it is important to have faith and know that your destiny and fate lies in God’s hand and to trust in him because everything that happens is in God’s will. “She pulled in her horizon like a great fishnet. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So, much of life in its meshes. She called her soul to come in and see” (Hartson pg. 227). Janie worked so hard and waited very long to accomplish her dreams and goals until when she finally did accomplish them she was fulfilled with happiness.
Janie had to realize that she was judge of her life and not anyone around her and with God’s help she was able to overcoming her struggle and making sure that she accomplished her dreams. The pear tree that Janie spends her time under can be compared to the tree in the garden of Eden in the Bible. Janie would spent hours under the tree. She often thought about her life with Logan Killicks. And this is the same tree that she lost her childhood under to Johnny Taylor. The Biblical version is the story of Adam and Eve. Where Eve had lead Adam in temptation with and fruit from the tree.
But in this case Adam and Eve is replaced with Janie and Johnny Taylor and the fruit of this story is Janie’s virginity. She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So, this was a marriage! She had been summoned to behold a revelation.
Then, Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid. (Hartson pg. 13) The flood that teacake and janie had experienced can be compared with getting rid of sin. By Janie and tea cake not leaving with everybody when they left. They avoided the signs about the storm was going to be bad. But however they realized it after they was being hit by a wave that crashed their house and sent them out flying. The Biblical version of this is Noah’s Ark when God told Noah to build an ark. And to put two of each kind of animals one female and one male on the ark. And before Noah knew the world started to flood slowly.
And if you paid attention it was only janie and tea cake one male and female. “Dat’s jus’ who it is. Ole Motor! De son of a gun laid up in dat house and slept and de lake come moved de house way off somewhere and Motor didn’t know nothin’ ’bout it till de storm wuz ’bout over” (Hartson pg. 203). Tea Cake can be compared to a Jesus like figure because many occurrences that occurred in the novel he had like Jesus. There is three main times when Tea Cake acted as a Jesus like figure. The first was when he walked on water, then when he splitted the water and when he was selfless towards someone he loved.
The novel quotes that “be walkin’ on water lak Peter befo’ he know it” (Hartson pg 120). Tecake is similar to Jesus when he walks on water like in Matthew 14:22-33. “…… But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear….. ”(Matthew 14:22-33) The second occurrence is when “Tea Cake split the water like an otter”(Hartson pg 194). Inside of the bible in Exodus 14 when “…. he Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. ” The third occurrence is when “Tea Cake , the son of Evening Sun, had to die for loving her” (Hartson pg 209). This occurrence is similar to jesus because in the bible inside of John 3:16 it states that “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.
Just like how God loved us so much Tea Cake loved Janie so much until they both were selfless and willing to make many sacrifices. These three occurrence shows that by Tea Cake parting the water, walking on the water and be selfless spirit is similar to Jesus occurrences with water and dying on the cross for our sins. Judgement is related to the text because throughout the novel this was a constant theme for example when Janie was judge for being in the backyard with Johnny Taylor under the pear tree. She even got judge when she was with teacake playing checkers and drinking a soda. Every thing she did was basically not satisfying to others.
She was basically an outcast and a disgrace to her family. And the only that still accepted her at the end was phoebe. “Yeah, Sam say most of ’em goes to church so they’ll be sure to rise in Judgment. Dat’s de day dat every secret is s’posed to be made known. They wants to be there and hear it all” (Hartson pg. 7). When comparing this to the bible it quotes in Roman 2:1 “Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things”. Through the whole entire book from the beginning to the end Janie was getting judged.
Janie is being judged by her husbands, the people on the porch , her grandmother and the judge. Throughout Janie wholes life she was judge which lead her to the decisions she had made. Another time judgement had occurred in the novel was when Janie was going to court. They all leaned over to listen while she talked. First thing she had to remember was she was not at home. She was in the court-house fighting something and it wasn’t death. It was worse than that. It was lying thoughts. She had to go way back to let them know how she and Tea Cake had been with one another so they could see she could never shoot Tea Cake out of malice. Hartson pg 220)
This can relate to Jesus time when is going through his trials and tribulations. And when he went in front of Punch’s Pilot. And He was sentenced to a beating with a cat of nine tails crucifixion. And was left hung there until he died. All over the fact that he was spreading the word of God and trying to get his people to do the right then. So, when he died it made some people mad cause he died for trying to save our sins. In conclusion the novel Their Eyes are Watching God had a lot of different references from the Bible. It’s seems as though Janie’s life was in accordance to the Bible where it all ends with a judgement day.
Throughout the novel its talks about temptation, judgement, and selfless acts just like how it occurred in the Bible. The Bible and the novel all started in a garden then transitions into judgement. In the final stages of judgment in the novel Janie broke away the chains that bound her down. Janie had went through so much trima through her life and allowing everyone to dictate to her and judge her until she was able to realize that their opinions do not matter, and that their opinions and judgmental behaviors would change her life for her.
Janie had to realize that she had to stand up for herself and that her grandmother’s, husband, the people on the porch or the judge could change things for her only she could. She had to believe in her own self. Janie is finally free and realizes that the eyes where the people that were around her and not Gods eyes. Janie’s life ends with peace an serenity and her getting a second chance at life just like how the bible closes in the book of revelation where Jesus is coming for the second time. In the book of revelation 22:21 “ the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen”. Ending the bible with the same serenity.
