Journals 1 and 2 - Their Eyes Were Watching God

Journal # 1 How does the narration differ from the dialect and what is the effect?

The narration is superbly intelligent and savvy with words and language, while the dialect spoken between characters is rather unintelligent and coarse. Hurston does this for an atmosphere of a story being told by a wiser character/being, looking back at her past and narrating. I believe that she does this to achieve an effect that shows that African Americans, though perceived as unintelligent and coarse in this time period, are actually intelligent, amazingly important parts of society. It creates a language and communication barrier between narrator and subject, but this barrier highlights the intelligence and beauty of the subject.

Journal # 2 How does the setting affect the text: atmosphere, characterization, motivation...?

The setting of Their Eyes Were Watching God affects the text in numerous ways, it changes the atmosphere of the book. In the book, the African Americans are just beginning to try their hand at striking out on their own. This creates an uncertainty and untrusting feel to some of their characters. The women in the beginning of chapter 1 gossiping about Janie shows some of this untrusting attitude. They feel as if she is hiding things from them that they have a right to know, when in reality this is none of their business. Also, this time period of change creates in Janie the tendencies she has towards freedom and happiness. From the beginning of the novel, we can see through her words and her actions that she will, if unhappy, change her situation. Her comments to Nanny about how marraige does not necessarily create happiness show that her spirit will not linger in a place where she does not feel satisfied. This may be foreshadowing that she will go through multiple situations of hardship and unhappiness before she finds the life that she wants.