55 pages • 1 hour read
Zora Neale HurstonTheir Eyes Were Watching God
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1937A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston follows Janie Crawford's journey from a naive girl to a strong, self-assured woman through three marriages and a quest for personal freedom in Central and South Florida. Janie's experiences with love, independence, and community shape her identity as she navigates societal expectations and personal desires. The novel addresses incidents of rape, forced pregnancy, domestic abuse, the lives of enslaved people, racism, and colorism, and portrays mental illness.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God receives praise for its rich language and vibrant portrayal of African American culture. Critics celebrate its exploration of self-identity and empowerment. However, some find the narrative's pacing uneven. Overall, it remains a poignant, lyrical masterpiece in American literature.
Who Should Read Their Eyes Were Watching God?
A reader who enjoys Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston will appreciate rich, lyrical prose and complex portrayals of African American life and womanhood. Fans of The Color Purple and Beloved will find resonance in its exploration of identity, love, and independence amidst racial and gender oppression.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
890LBook Details
Gender / Feminism
Modern Classic Fiction
Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Historical Fiction
Identity: Race