Perceptions of Marriage in Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays

Perceptions of Marriage in Their Eyes Were Watching God         For generations marriage has been accepted as a bond between deucepeople.  However, the ideals involved in marriage differ by the individualsinvolved.  The book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurstonclearly demonstrates these differences.  In the book a girl by the key asideJanie is raised by her grandmother and then married off by her grandmother.Originally all Janie knows of marriage and love is what her grandmothertells her.  As Janie moves on in her life and re-marries, she finds thateverybody has their own idea towards the role of their spouses in marriage.Over time Janie begins to develop her own ideas and ideals.  In Their EyesWere Watching God each ruler character has their own detectionstowards marriage.         The first ideas that Janie was exposed to was those of hergrandmother, Nanny. Nanny saw that Janie was entering womanhood and shedidnt want Janie to experience what her mother went through.  So Nanny setout to marry her as soon as possible.  When Janie asked about love, she wastold that marriage makes love and she will find love after she marriesLogan.  Nanny believed that love was second to constancy and security.Only after those first two criteria were satisfied then and only then couldone experience love.  Nanny felt that a young girl like Janie was too youngto make decisions for herself, so when she caught Janie exploring herwomanhood Nanny felt that she needed to marry Janie as quickly as possibleso that she could find love in a safe a secure environment.  Nanny has herown ideals when it comes to marriage and Janie will soon learn thateveryones are different.         Second, Janie sees Logan Killicks perception of marriage.  In thebeginning it appears to Janie that Logan is a very nice gentleman, who isconstantly treat ing her well.  However as time goes on, Janie see Loganstrue colors.  Logan feels that if they are both going to stretch forth togetherand share their lives then they should do an equal amount of work.  Logansoon puts Janie to work and treats her more like a mule than a wife.  Logandidnt want a wife out of marriage he wanted a pack animal.  Also, lovedoesnt seem to be incorporated in Logans definition of marriage.  AsJanie verbalise Ah know taint nothin dere.  Logan didnt see marriage interms of love, he only saw it in terms of free labor.         After leaving Logan in assay of love Janie finds Jody Starks.