Janie's Harlem Renissance
How Janie discovers her renaissance in "Their Eyes Were Watching God".
In Zora Neale Hurston's novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," the protagonist Janie goes through a transformative journey that parallels the cultural and societal shifts of the Harlem Renaissance. Janie's personal journey becomes a reflection of the broader movement, emphasizing the profound connection between self-expression, cultural identity, and societal acceptance. The Harlem Renaissance provided African Americans with a ability to recreate the identities that had once been taken away from them. Janie’s Harlem Renaissance is ultimately the ability to express herself - in her appearance, her relationships, and her eventual acceptance in her community of Eatonville. Just as the Harlem renaissance provided an opportunity for African Americans to embrace culture and rewrite their own identity, Janie’s journey allows her to accept her authentic self.
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The Everglades
Janie revealing her true hair shows her source of empowerment, similar to how the Harlem Renaissance empowered African Americans to reclaim their cultural identity despite the past. In contrast to Joe, Teacake accepts Janie’s hair as a part of her identity. As Janie's relationship with Teacake develops, her connection with him becomes a symbol of liberation from the constraints imposed by Joe. Teacake allows Janie to explore her desires, passions, and a sense of agency that was taken away from her in her previous marriage. Similarly, the Harlem Renaissance provided African Americans a resurgence to explore and express their culture and reclaim a sense of control of their own identity in the face of historical oppression. The National Art Gallery writes that, “Artists associated with the movement asserted pride in black life and identity, a rising consciousness of inequality and discrimination, and interest in the rapidly changing modern world—many experiencing a freedom of expression through the arts for the first time.” Janie’s hair has allowed her to reclaim her identity and discover her true identity.
Lake Okeechobee
Teacake’s guitar represents the music of the Harlem Renaissance and his ability to spread music through the community in the Everglades. Teacake's guitar playing is portrayed as an articulation of his vibrant and carefree personality. His guitar playing aligns with the broader goals of the Harlem Renaissance, which aimed to celebrate and assert African American identity. Hurston writes, “The way he would sit in the doorway and play his guitar made people stop and listen and maybe disappoint the jook for that night. He was always laughing and full of fun too. He kept everybody laughing in the bean field” (Hurston 132). Through his music, Teacake brings his community together and creates a collective experience of music. This idea of communal music ties into Zora Neale Hurston's concept of folklore in the black community, which dates back to the times of slavery when singing was used to pass down African American culture and identity.
Eatonville
After Janie returns from the Everglades, the town that once regarded her with judgment and skepticism now embraces her with open arms. The porch culture, once something that Janie had been held back had suddenly opened up to her. She initially believed that finding her renaissance would come through a person–shown by her vision of the pear tree, so she often focused on relationships with others. First with Logan Killicks, then with Joe Starks, facing many challenges, but neither relationship brought her the satisfaction she sought. It was Teacake, the charming and lively man from the Everglades, who seemed to promise a different kind of renaissance. Janie's experiences with Teacake were marked by a sense of freedom and authenticity. Janie explains to Teacake, “If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don’t keer if you die at dusk. It’s so many people never seen de light at all. Ah wuz fumblin’ round and God opened de door” (Hurston 159). Janie describes enlightenment to Teacake because of what he offered to her, her rebirth being with him. However, the novel's conclusion unveils a deeper truth for Janie. It's not about finding a renaissance through a person but through a place, through a sense of belonging and acceptance. The porch culture of her hometown becomes the symbol of this realization. Janie is finally recognized and embraced for who she is, and her journey takes a full circle as the town's porch culture, once an unattainable ideal, becomes her haven.
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