Through Janie's growth from a girl so far removed from any identity that she doesn't know her race, to a woman strong enough to return to her hometown that wants nothing More than reveling in its miseries, Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God shows that the only way to achieve fulfillment is to ignore society's classification and focus on one's desires, all the while avoiding selfishness. This is highlighted as Janie moves through an abusive relationship into one that finally gives her space for her thoughts and dreams. The novel itself serves as a model of independence as it eschews the stereotypical composition of black literature, focusing sparingly on black-white relationships but instead magnifying the interiority of the black woman, implying that she has the power to control her own destiny. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The novel opens as Janie returns to her town receiving cutting comments about her marriage to young Tea Cake. She walks right past those on the porch, prompting this remark from one: "'Don't say what it was about, she might stop and say a few words to us. She acts like we did something to her. She talked about it." I did something wrong.'" (3) Janie has clearly learned something from her journey, and that is to forego criticism from those who waste "too much time making nonsense about things they know nothing about." (6) But Janie she wasn't always so confident. As a child, she was called "'Alphabet' because so many people had given me different names." (9) To add to her identity crisis, she didn't know she was black until she saw one. photo of herself in white children's clothes: "'But before I saw the photo, I thought Ah was just like the rest.'" (9) As a teenager, intrigued by sexuality, she watches a bee pollinate and thinks "So this it was a wedding!" (11) Eager to experiment, she finds her bee in Johnny Taylor but her nanny wants her to marry "'old skull'" (13) Logan, revealing her selfishness and lack of care for desires from Janie: "'So you don't want to get married decently, do you? You just want to hug, kiss and grope one man and then another, huh? You want to make me suck the same pain your mama did, huh?'" (13 )Janie leaves Logan and marries Joe Starks, a resourceful man who seems promising but is more restrictive and important than Logan was. His philosophy is shown as anything but feminist in a mayoral speech: "'She is a woman and her place is at home.'" (41) Janie's sense of oppression in her all-black town comes not from a white man, but from her husband's part: "It must have been the way Joe expressed himself without giving her a chance to say anything one way or the other that took away their charm." Janie comes when Joe orders Janie to tie her hair in the store they run, his main connection with sensuality "She was in the store for him to look at, not others", is his selfish reasoning , as Hurston writes: "The moment came when she fought back with her tongue as best she could, but it did her no good. It simply made Joe do more. He wanted her submission and would continue to do so." about fighting until he felt he had it." (67) Joe's comment to Janie on his deathbed is quite ironic on the subject: "It's because you don't have the right feelings for anyone. You should have some understanding for yourself. You're not a pig." ." (81) Before dying, however, Janie reacts: "'And now you have to die and find out that you have to.