Hurston was an American Novelist that wrote seven books, including essays, plays, and more than 100 short stories. If readers understand background and literary elements then it will be easier to read, understand, and retain the information coming from the novel.įurthermore, Zora Neale Hurston was born on Januin Notasulga, Alabama. Readers can better understand such underlying issues by exploring both background and literary elements of Their Eyes Were Watching God.įirst off, readers need to understand and analyze background elements in order to understand the novel. It shows the struggles African Americans had to go through everyday, and the separation between races. This novel is considered the most influential works to be written on African Americans and their society as a whole. One being a struggle to find unconditional, true love and another being a black woman in America, often struggling to find her own voice. Janie Crawford, the main character of the story, experiences a lot of hardships throughout the story. Their Eyes Were Watching God is a unique novel, due to its structure, plot, language, and dialect.

It is saying that some dreams come in with the tide and come true, while others keep sailing until time runs out. This quote is a metaphor for the dreams that men have and what they do to pursue them. So begins Zora Neale Hurston’s brilliant novel about a woman’s search for her authentic self and for real love” (1 ch.1).

“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.

Zora neale hurston eyes watching god