Social Class, Race, and Gender Inequality in "Their Eyes Were Watching God"

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston exhibits many different topics of controversy that were typical of the time when the novel was set. By illustrating those subjects throughout the story, the author was able to aid the reader in having a better understanding of the issues of not only that time period, but of human nature. The social class, race, and gender inequality presented throughout the book help to show the underlying message that humans feel the need to achieve happiness.

When a character was introduced in this novel, their Social class status was Shown in various ways either by Position (Slave) or Rich or Poor. The first time this occurred was when Janie’s Nanny, when she introduced her story as a slave, Later Janie has a relationship with Joe at first he seems like a man with ambition shown, “How much did they give?” “oh ‘about fifty acres.” “How much is y’all got now?” “Oh ‘bout de same.” “Dat ain’t near enough. Who owns de land joining on to whut yuh got?” within the first few pages of reading into joes story with Janie starting their life. This immediately lets the reader know that the topic of “upper-class v middle-class v lower class” is going to be a constant throughout the story. Another time this motif was seen in Their Eyes Were Watching God was when Joe wants to go meet the owner of the land. Joe then claims he is going to buy the land on the spot. Some people show him the way, some go to call his bluff. He ends up buying it and starts working on the land what the call now their home shown in the quote “So joe walked off abruptly. Most of them went along to show him the way and to be there when his bluff was called.” The difference between social class joe Petraeus“Mrs. Robbins, how can you make out you've hongry when Tony comes in here every satitday and buys groceries lak a man? Three weeks’ shame on yuh!” and is the only one that shows it the most besides Mrs.Turner, she just talks about having their class. But underneath everything Joe was missing love, he showed this at the end of his life was he keep telling Janie she was old so they could both be close or he was getting on her more.

Multiple characters had to endure Race in their lives to keep order. Janie was not directly in any racial issues but did learn about it through other people one example is Mrs.Turner “ we’se uh mingled people and all of us got black kinfolks as well as yaller kinfolks.” During the argument Janie and Mrs.Turner had Mrs.Turner Talked about having their class. separating themselves from the white and black. But Janie pointed out that their ancestry was both black and white it would be illogical after that Mrs. Turner never gave a response to the argument. This Show Janie has the right mindset about race issues. This will not be the only time where she meets this racial matter which will be foreshadowed that later in the chapter, Jaine encounters this. “De ones de white man is nice colored folks. De ones he doesn’t know are bad niggers”. During this statement, they live in the city while a hurricane destroys their old home or used to be back in the ‘Glades. While they live in the city they are treated differently than while they lived in their old home. When Tea Cake encounters whites he is treated like a threat to their community even though he has money and a job. They soon find out that having friends that are white and are important people doesn't change the fact that the white community treats them suspiciously. This gave them an idea of how the white community thought of them. Tea Cake also encountered these issues, on example would be“They’s mighty particular how dese dead folks goes tuh judgement… look lak dey think god don’t know nothin’ ‘bout de jim crow law.” Tea Cake said this while burying the dead. The coffins were being provided for the white corpse. The black corpses don’t get coffins. Tea Cake saw this then say God was watching what they were doing. The white men made sure while also making sure not to bury the white corpses with the black corpses. This showed the Racial segregation in at that time period.

Gender Inequality is not the only repeated issue within relationships in Their Eyes Were Watching God; discrimination is an additional action that a variety of taking to try and achieve happiness. The first time Gender Inequality becomes prevalent is when Nanny talks about women being in the lowes position in life “So de white man throw down de load and tell the nigger man tuh pick it up. He pick it up because he have to, but don’t tote it. He hand it to his women folks.” Nanny wants to give Janie the best life possible. Since Janie’s life is destined to be hard. Nanny wants to accomplish this before she dies. She then insists that she should be married off to Logan, who is a farmer (money, land) Which was ideal for Nanny since she could only make her life somewhat better. Zora Neale Hurston sets a precedent for all of the relationships in the novel that shows a lack of equality within her family or each relationship. The first relationship shows a little bit of this “He’s kissin yo’ foot and ‘tain’t in uh man tuh kiss foot long. Mouf kissin’ is on uh equal and dat’s natural but when dey got to bow down to love, dey soon straightens up.” Nanny tells Janie that her Husband Logan will change. By what she means by this is Logan's affection will change, Logan gradually showed it by him expecting Janie to work around the house (property). This shows how Logan wants to have equality in their relationship but Janie isn't used to being treated like that. One better example would be Jody “Somebody got to think for women and chillum and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don’t think none theirselves.” Jody showed his belief that males should be superiority he portrays this throughout the chapter. Janie notes that Jody loves to tell other people what to do, especially her. Jody is very confident that he shouldn't listen to Janie or any other woman. He notices Janie's intelligence and tells her to stop asserting herself.

Living a better life is what all humans strive to gain, but in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston uses the social class, race, and gender inequality of the characters to show their desperate need to find that temporary joy either by equivalent exchange by making other people sad to make themselves happy to find joy in that. This novel is a great example of the secret lives of people who would not normally be thought of as people who commit adultery or endure unfortunate circumstances to achieve what they strive for.