55 pages 1 hour read

Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1937

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston follows Janie Crawford's journey from a naive girl to a strong, self-assured woman through three marriages and a quest for personal freedom in Central and South Florida. Janie's experiences with love, independence, and community shape her identity as she navigates societal expectations and personal desires. The novel addresses incidents of rape, forced pregnancy, domestic abuse, the lives of enslaved people, racism, and colorism, and portrays mental illness.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God receives praise for its rich language and vibrant portrayal of African American culture. Critics celebrate its exploration of self-identity and empowerment. However, some find the narrative's pacing uneven. Overall, it remains a poignant, lyrical masterpiece in American literature.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Their Eyes Were Watching God?

A reader who enjoys Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston will appreciate rich, lyrical prose and complex portrayals of African American life and womanhood. Fans of The Color Purple and Beloved will find resonance in its exploration of identity, love, and independence amidst racial and gender oppression.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Lexile Level

890L

Book Details

Topics

Gender / Feminism

Education

History: World

Genre

Modern Classic Fiction

Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Historical Fiction

Themes

Identity: Race