Nature’s Influence on Janie’s Desire in Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay

As children we often cling to the storybook romance. The happily ever after clich for sure appeals to the young romantic however, the harsh reality of lifetime may presently prove this to be foolishly sentimental. In the novel Their Eyes Were observation God, Zora Neale Hurston explores these circumstances as she outlines Janies pursuit of happiness. Janie is described as a child of nature. The spiritual power of nature has a tremendous contact on the development of her character. Hurston uses this metaphor to symbolize Janies eagerness to incur love. Though as a child she desired a stodgy romance, nature guides her to her one true love. Before meeting the man of her dreams, Janie experiences umteen failed relationships that highlight the changes in her desires. Throughout the novel, Janie is influenced by natural forces that alter these desires in her relationships with Johnny Taylor, Logan Killicks, and Joe Starks.On a spring day in westerly Florida, Janie spent the aftern oon lying under a pear tree. The splendid serenity of nature filled her with sheer contentment and delight. In a dream like state, through the pollinated air she saw a empyreal being coming up the road that in her former blindness she had known as shiftless Johnny Taylor (11). Janies romantic visions are reflected by springtime. At sixteen years old, Janie, herself, was blooming into a cleaning woman. In a trance, Johnny Taylor became the target of her infatuation. Natures power of pr send offer was able to beglamore his rags and her eyes (12). Just as Johnny Taylor kisses her, Janies grandmother, nursemaid, wakes from her big money and catches the two under the pear tree. In desperation, Nanny has Janie married off to a wealthy farmer, Logan Killicks, and in an instant Janies carefree fantasies trace to an end.Logan Killicks embodies all the qualities that Janie detests. Though she cannot seem to find natures saucer within him, Janie agrees to marry Logan to appease her gr andmother. Her naivety is made apparent when she assumes that wedding ingredienty compels love and that happiness would follow (21). Logan initially treats Janie with great care, but Nanny warns her that his display of affection would be short-lived. Janie presently becomes concerned that she will not been able to love her husband. She romanticizes marriage and longs for some kind of natural attraction. When Janie realizes that she would neer love her husband her first dream was dead, and so she became a woman (25). As their marriage deteriorates, Janie notices that their relationship dynamic has changed. As Nanny predicted, Logan no longer treats her with the kind of respect that he once did. Their loveless marriage turns strained and unpleasant as Logan strips Janie of her free will, forcing her to work as a field hand. When Logan leaves town, Janie catches the attention of a passerby, Joe Starks. Joe strikes Janie as a man with opposition his youthful energy and convict ion remind Janie of her own supreme nature. Joe seeks to make an all black city in which he could voice his opinion. Their bud relationship appeals to Janies romantic visions of love and her thirst for adventure. When Logan returns, Janie decides to take her life into her own hands and runs off with Joe.She hopes that from now on until death she was acquittance to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over e genuinelything however she would soon discover that these childlike desires did not produce the love she so craved (32). Janie is initially quite taken with Joes physical beauty. Unlike Logan, she is idealistic to have him by her side. When the newly married couple arrives in potassium Cove Springs, they find themselves in an underdeveloped town. Joe goes to work building a fraternity from the ground up by purchasing two hundred domain of land, establishing the towns first store and post office, and installing the very first lamppost. Eatonville, as Starks later name d it, matures into a booming town. As the Mayor, landlord, postmaster, and storeowner, Starks adopted many responsibilities that took a toll on his marriage. In order to bring up and protect his distinguished position in the community, he persuades Janie to maintain a high-class status that contrasted her free-spirited nature. Janie fears that this bureaucratic relationship would ruin their marriage. As Joe became consumed with his work, a feeling of coldness and fear took hold of Janie.She feels far away from things and nongregarious (46). Though he continues to provide for her, Joe discourages her desire to become a part of the town. Joe considers Janie inferior and believes she cannot think for herself. Janie resents his authoritarian manner and tries to resist however, Joe continues to suppress her independent nature. Having grown dig of the constant power struggle, Janie eventually surrenders her personal immunity and comes to realize that Joe never was the man of her dre ams. Janie could no longer see the blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man and yearns to rediscover the passion they so desperately lacked. (72). Having grown weary from exhaustion, Joe falls sick. Renewed with purpose, Janie confronts Joe and blames him for robbing her of her freedom.