Their eyes were watching god sparknotes

novel by Zora Neale Hurston

For the television film adaptation, see Their Eyes Were Watching God (film).

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel by American writer Zora Neale Hurston. It is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance,^[1] and Hurston's best known work.

The novel explores protagonist Janie Crawford's "ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny".^[2]

Set in central and southern Florida in the early 20th century, the novel was initially poorly received. Since the late 20th century, however, it has been regarded as influential to both African-American literature and women's literature.^[3]TIME magazine included the novel in its list of the best English-language novels published since ^[4]

Plot synopsis

Janie Crawford, an African-American woman in her forties, returns to her old town, after a year-long absence, and