An Almost Feminist Text

In Feminist Fantasies: Their Eyes Were Watching God, author Jennifer Jordan argues

Hurstons novel is not an accurate representation of a feminist text. Jordan opens the article with

Alice Walkers research and admiration centered around zora Neale Hurston; she then follows

with harsh critiques Hurston received from Afro-American literature critics. According to the

text, critics often described Hurston as aggravatingly contradictory and amazingly complex

while accusing her of being excessively obedient to her supervisors. Although Their Eyes Were

Watching God provides an effective examination of the stultification of feminine talent...it

ultimately belittles the suffering of the majority of black women.(Jordan- Feminist Fantasies)

The author is referring to the fact that Janie, the protagonist, never achieved her ultimate goal to

gain happiness, love, and independence. Based on Jennifer Jordan, Hurstons novel is not

considered feminist because Janie fails to identify with the majority of black women during that

time period, and a major part of black feminist theory is gaining a female bond and arrive at

liberation through their sisters.

The definition of black feminism is the thought of that sexism, class oppression, gender

identity, and racism are inextricably bound together. Despite the female centered elements of

Their Eyes Were Watching God, I agree with Jordans argument that this novel is not a feminist

text. Hurstons novel focuses around a young woman who was stripped of her innocence when

she married at age 16 and later spends the rest of her life searching for true love and happiness.

After two unsuccessful marriages, Janie met a man named Tea Cake and fell in love. She finally

felt happy and was even being treated as an equal because she worked on the muck and

learned how to shoot a rifle-two things that were both uncommon for women at the time.

Although it seems as if Janie has some independence in the relationship, it is all an illusion
because Tea Cake says when she is allowed to work and publicly abuses her. Janie does nothing

to defend herself because she is blinded by her love for him. These are not actions of an

empowered woman pursuing her life goals therefore Hurstons novel lacks the ideal feminist

qualities to be a feminist text.