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The impact of racism and slavery is very clearly demonstrated through Nanny's character. She went through traumatic experiences in her past, that shape the way she is now. She feels like each hardship left a "crack" in her life. "'Put me down easy, Janie, Ah'm a cracked plate'" (Hurston 20). Calling herself a cracked plate, shows the trauma induced by her past, living on the plantation. She was sexually assaulted by white owners of land, and did not have the chance to properly raise Janie's mother. Janie is her second chance of raising a child right, and securely.

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"There are years that ask questions and years that answer. Janie had had no chance to know things, so she had to ask. Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? Did marriage compel love like the sun of the day"(Hurston 21).

Your identity being fulfilled and complete does not automatically accompany marriage. Marriage does not "...compel love like the sun of the day"(21). It is not something that automatically comes when you get married. For someone like Janie, this could cause her identity to feel imperfect because her whole life, Nanny has emphasized getting married, and without love in the marriage, it feels incomplete. Her identity will not be fulfilled even if she gets married. This could cause Janie to feel lost because she does not have that sense of security that comes with marriage since it does not feel complete.

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The quote demonstrates the discrimination and the lack of opportunities that Black women had during this time period. Black women were often cast aside and were supposed to "pick up" after their husbands. The quote refers to Black women as "mules of de world" (Hurston 14), which means that they were seen as property and something that should be used for labor or menial work. Black women not only had to deal with the misogniny for men like their husbands, but they also had to deal with extreme racism from society. Mules are often represented as animals used for work and animals who are owned and manipulated by others. So by using Black women as a metaphor for mules, Nanny is pointing out the extreme struggles that Black women have to face and people believed that they should not have opportunities in life. The stereotype that Black women should stay at home and complete house labor, was largely constructed by White males in society who wanted to make women feel inferior.

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Hurston uses this historical connection to remind readers that slavery isn't a distant part of Southern history. Still, rather an inseparable and unignorable part of its recent past, "they was never to fight about slavery no mo". So den we knowed we was free" (Huston 19). It also reveals that the character's actions and motivations throughout the text will be closely tied to their proximity to the trauma experienced due to slavery. While Nanny had a direct experience with slavery, the trauma of the institution will permeate into Janie's actions. While it is convenient to bury slavery and its effects, Hurston reminds us of the generational weight and trauma that it carries.

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Janie's search for her own identity really takes off at the end of chapter four. In her marriage with Logan, her relationship with him is fake, and forced. She feels a loss of independence, and felt tied down. This was shown early in chapter four in the mule buying. Janie yearns for her independence, while Logan has traditional values on women's rights, and marriage (he left her at home to peel potatoes). At the end of Chapter four, she decides to leave. On her walk down the dirt road, she throws off her apron. This shows a closure in her life with Logan, and being tied down by his traditional beliefs. She is now able to embrace the search for her own values and identity,  “A feeling of sudden newness and change came over her. Janie hurried out of the front gate and turned south. Even if Joe was not there waiting for her, the change was bound to do her good” (Hurston 32). She is now able to embark on her personal journey, and search for her identity, without any obstacles of traditional beliefs.

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The stifling effects of gender roles were demonstrated through the power dynamic of Janie and Joe's marriage. Joe sees himself as Eatonville and Janie's all-powerful savoir and symbols of his success and power rather than people with their own ideas and power. At the start of chapter 4, Joe represents freedom, which contrasts Janie's first marriage to Logan: “They sat on the boarding house porch and saw the sun plunge into the same crack in the earth from which the night emerged” (Hustron 33). Joe tells her that he will respect and love her, so Janie leaves logan because she dreams of freedom and respect, "You ain't never knowed what it was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be de one tuh showyuh" (Hurston 29). But, these dreams are met with reality as the couple moves to Eatonville and Janie sees what Joe really thinks of her as he gains power, “She was there in the store for him to look at, not those others” (Hurston 55). This demonstrates how Joe really views Janie, as a symbol of his power. Janie begins to realize this throughout chapter 6 and feels her identity being stifled by his control. The other towns peoples don't intervene to Joe's treatment which shows how Gender roles permeated all of society, "“You gettin’ too moufy, Janie... You ain’t got no business cuttin’ up no tobacco” (Hurston 75). Ultimately, Janie's growing awareness of her oppression under Joe's dominance reflects the larger social norms that forced women into powerlessness and silence, trapping them in predefined roles.

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"But finally there was nothing to do but drag him out life all other dead brutes. Drag him out to the edge of the hammock which was far enough off to satisfy sanitary conditions in the town. the rest was up to the buzzards"(Hurston 59).

In this quote, the mule's death and disposal are described in a way that emphasizes the cycle of life and death, connecting it to the natural world. The mule, like other "dead brutes," is dragged to the edge of the hammock where nature will take over, with buzzards fulfilling their role as scavengers. The buzzards, part of the natural order, are responsible for completing the cycle by consuming the dead. Hurston uses this moment to highlight how death is not only a part of the human experience but also an integral part of nature. The reference to "the edge of the hammock" symbolizes the boundary between human civilization and the wilderness—where nature takes control. In this scene, nature reclaims the mule, showing that death is a return to the natural world. The imagery of buzzards, often seen as ominous, reinforces nature’s impartiality. Nature doesn't sentimentalize death; it simply follows its course, and scavengers clean up what is left.

This reflects the broader theme in the novel that humans, like the mule, are ultimately part of nature’s larger, indifferent cycle, and it suggests that, despite human efforts to control life, nature will always have the final say. This idea of life, death, and the return to nature parallels Janie's own journey of self-discovery, where she constantly engages with nature as both a source of beauty and harsh reality.

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Although this quote is referring to a small issue of Joe spitting in a pot in his office, it speaks to a larger issue of slavery. When Hurston says "Like things has been kept from them. Maybe more things in the world hid from them," she is implying that basic aspects of life have been taken away from Black people, which is largely due to slavery. Even after Black people were freed, they had no representation in legislation and they had no access to basic human rights. They are not used to basic aspects of life, like having a pot to spit in and the light post in chapter 4, because they have been denied form Black people. This quote represents an overarching theme that the aspects of life were denied to Black people during slavery were also denied to Black people in the next generations.

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In chapters 7-9, we see the theme of gender roles constantly being a center point of the novel, through Janie and Joe's marriage. Both Janie and Jody searched to hold the power over the other in their marriage, which proved to be the center to the downfall of their relationship. In chapter seven, Hurston emphasizes how Joe treats Janie poorly in public. Joe, holding his traditional values, believed he should hold the power over Janie. After years of this, Janie finally takes a stand to this gender stereotype. “‘Stop mixin’ up mah doings with mah looks, Jody. When you git through tellin’ me how tuh cut uh plug uh tobacco, then you kin tell me whether mah behind is on straight or not’” (78). Unfortunately, in chapter nine, Jody dies of kidney failure. The townspeople hold traditional beliefs, and believe that a woman cannot thrive without a man. "'A woman by herself is a pitiful thing'" (Hurston 89). Finally, we see Janie breaking away from the gender role stereotypes, and uses Joe's death as a chance to recreate herself without him.

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Throughout chapters 7-9, as Jody's condition gets worse, Janie's identity becomes more clear. Once Jody dies, she is released from his constricting tendencies. This is seen when she takes her hair out of the handkerchief at the end of chapter 8. This represents her reasserting her identity as a beautiful woman, not to be controlled by a man. "She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there"(Hurston 87). This identity had been denied and suppressed by Joe by him constantly making comments about her appearance. Now that he is gone, she can reinvent her identity and discover the person she wants to be. Her marriage to Joe affected her perspective on life, and now she can grow into a strong woman who has been changed due to her life experiences. Something else that affected her search for identity is her and Jody's last conversation. Right before Jody died, Janie had the chance to air out her issues with him. She said, " “You done lived with me for twenty years and you don’t half know me atall. An you could have but you was so busy worshippin’ de works of yo’ own hands, and cuffin’ folds around in their minds till you didn’t see uh whole heap uh things yuh could have”(Hurston 86). This emphasizes how one-sided their marriage was, with Jody holding all of the power and control over Janie. When Janie is released from her marriage after Jody dies, her role evens out and she is now able to have some power and control over her life. She takes her hair down, symbolizing her freedom from her toxic marriage, and is ready to start this new chapter of her life with her newfound identity.

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Illusion and disillusionment are shown through Janie's perception of herself within her crumbling relationship in chapters 7-9. As the couple's relationship progressed, Joe became increasingly controlling and critical of Janie. However, Janie never defended herself because she felt trapped in her role in maintaining his image, "The years took all the fight out of Janie's face" (Hurston 76). The illusion of Joe's superiority made it impossible for Janie to escape the cycle of abuse. But, as Joe criticizes Janie in front of others when working in the store, she begins to see the cracks in this illusion. She realizes he only criticizes her to inflate his ego and mask his insecurities. In chapter 8, we see Janie continue to struggle with the illusions within her relationship as Joe becomes sick and eventually dies. She feels guilty for embarrassing him, proving how deeply intertwined the illusion of his power was within her identity. But, as she sees Joe, weak and powerless on his death bed she becomes fully disillusioned and confronts him about how he treated her. At the end of the chapter, Janie lets down her hair, symbolizing the freedom she has gained with the disillusionment. In chapter 9, Janie must feed into the public illusion of her love for Joe. But, to herself, she feels completely liberated, “Before she slept that night she burnt up every one of her head rags and went about the house the next morning with her hair in one thick braid swinging well below her waist” (Hurston 89). Janie burns the symbols of her oppression and lets down her hair since she is finally disillusioned and can live her life freely. Janie's disillusionment allows her to break free from Joe's control and reclaim her sense of identity and independence.

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"While all the time she herself sat under a shady tree with the wind blowing though her hair and her clothes. Somebody near about making summertime out of lonesomeness. This was the first time it happened, but after a while it go so common she ceased to be surprised. It was like a drug (77)."

Janie's experience with nature introduces a calming and self-reflecting experience for her. When she is contemplating wether to leave Jody and start a new life or to stay in the town and continue to suffer his insults, she stands under the tree and she receives more clarity. The tree and the breeze which is "flowing through her and her clothes" bring Janie peace of mind and helps her deal with the never ending challenges that she faces with Jody. Hurston comments that nature was like a drug to Janie because it took away all of her worries about Joe and allowed her to enjoy the peaceful moment. The peace and the calmness that the natural world represents in this quote continues to add on to the theme of the natural world from the earlier chapters. The pear tree from Janie's old home was a symbol of her dreams and her escape from reality and the breeze and the shady tree in this quote offer the same aspects for Janie. Janie is no longer plagued by her marital issues with Jody when she is under the tree because it is her escape form reality and her escape from worry.

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In chapter 11, Hurston uses the natural world to show Janies new happiness, and a sense of purity when she is with Tea Cake. "It was so cry digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it. They caught two or three and got home just before day" (Hurston 102). This shows she does not have to worry about power in their relationship, as he makes her feel equal. By taking her fishing, and spending time outdoors, Tea Cake uses the natural world as a sense of purity, and realness for Janie.

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Janie begins to experience a new layer of disillusionment that reflects her changing understanding of love, autonomy, and the limits of idealization. After enduring years of unfulfilling marriage with Joe Starks, Janie’s chance encounter with Tea Cake introduces her to the possibility of genuine companionship and playfulness, starkly contrasting her past relationships. "Jody classed me off. Ah didn't. Naw, Pheoby, Tea Cake ain't draggin me off nowhere Ah don't want tuh go"(Hurston 112). Yet, as she grows closer to Tea Cake, she faces internal doubts and societal judgments that force her to confront her desire for a life that breaks away from the expectations that have confined her. "'Tea Cake, you sure you want me tuh go tuh dis picnic wid yuh?"(Hurston 108). While Tea Cake offers her a sense of freedom and acceptance, Janie is wary of whether this new relationship can truly deliver the happiness and fulfillment she seeks, especially given her history of idealized hopes that ultimately faltered. Thus, these chapters explore Janie’s internal struggle between hope and caution, highlighting her gradual realization that true contentment might not reside in romance alone but in her growing self-awareness and resilience.

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Janie's search for identity is represented through her progression of acceptance in her new relationship with Tea Cake. In Chapter 10, Janie is intrigued by Tea Cake when he first enters the store and challenges her to a game of checkers, symbolizing how he sees her as an equal, "-she found herself glowing inside. Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought it was natural for her to play" (Hurston 96). Tea Cake respects her and sees her as a partner, which aligns with Janie's idea of love. Still, she is apprehensive about fully accepting the relationship since public perception is important to her. Tea Cake is poor and Janie fears how her community will see her if they are in a relationship, "Then she had to smuggle Tea Cake out by the back gate and that made it seem like some great secret she was keeping from the town" (Hurston 102). This shows how Janie struggled to accept her new identity and the freedom Tea Cake gives her because she was still attached to the warped sense of self she had when she was with Joe. However, in Chapter 12 as she dives deeper into her relationship with Tea Cake and they decide to get married Janie fully accepts her new identity and decides to live for herself, “Ah done lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh live mine" (Hurston 114).

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"Janie, Ah hope God may kill me, if Ah'm lying'. Nobody else on Earth kin hold uh candle tub you, baby. You got de keys to the kingdom" (109).

This quote shows how important religion was to some groups during this time period, and it shows the hold that it has over them. Tea Cake says "Ah hope God kill me, if Ah'm lying" which represents his faith and the trust that he has in his religion. Throughout the novel, there has been similar references to God and the power that he has. For example in chapter 2, Nanny says "Ah ast de Lawd when you was an infant in mah arms to let me stay here till you got grown." The novel continues to show examples of how religion is an important part of some character's lives and how they put their faith in God. This quote not only makes a reference to God, but it also places Janie alongside Christianity. When Tea Cake says "You got de keys to the kingdom," he could be referencing Heaven, which is God's kingdom. Tea Cake could be saying that being with Janie is his Heaven and how she brings him complete peace and happiness.

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Throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston shows the reader Janies social, and emotional growth. In the early chapters, Janie was facing an illusion about her freedom. In her marriage with Joe, and her life in Eatonville, she was limited to certain rights. Joe always felt he had to be superior, and Janie never stepped on his toes while he was healthy. She thought the authority and personal rights she lacked was a normal thing, as she is a woman. On the other hand, Tea Cake embraces her equality, allowing their relationship to deepen. Living in the Muck and with Tea Cake, Janie is finally seen as equal to her peers, most of which are males. She is now more grounded, and disillusioned from her previous gender role and inequality in Eatonville with Joe.  “Sometimes Janie would think of the old ways in the big white house and the store and laugh to herself. What if Eatonville could see her now in her blue denim overalls and heavy shoes?...The men held big arguments like they used to do on the store porch. Only here, she could listen and laugh and even talk some herself if she wanted to…”(Hurston 134). This shows Janies growth and new disillusion, as she finally attains the equality she deserves.

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In chapters 13-16, Hurston uses the imagery of the natural world to convey Janie's search for identity, specifically within her marriage to Tea Cake. In the muck, Janie thrives amongst nature, "The sun was gone. Tea Cake was going to the field, and Janie went to the field with him” (Hurston 133). In these chapters, nature is a catalyst for Janie's personal growth, as she deepens her understanding of love and partnership through her time with Tea Cake she accepts nature. She and Tea Cake go fishing, hunting, and spend lots of time outside on their porch representing how through their relationship Janie has become connected to her identity and discovered its existence separate from the relationship she was in. This contrasts Janie's past relationship with Joe where she had to stay in the store all day. Conversely, we see nature imagery used to demonstrate the flaws in Janie's marriage, "A little seed of fear was growing into a tree” (Hurston 136). This shows how while Janie has discovered herself through her relationship with Tea Cake, they still have flaws that cause her doubt. Overall, Hurston uses imagery in chapters 13-16 to mirror Janie's journey to self-realization.

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In chapter 13, Janie prays that God will protect and forgive Tea Cake for gambling. She says, "'Please, Jesus, don’t let them nasty n****** hurt her boy. If they do, Master Jesus, grant her a good gun and a chance to shoot ‘em'"(Hurston 126). Janie uses her faith in religion and God to give her peace and calm her nerves. This shows how much religion played a part in her well-being. If she didn't put this trust in God to protect the person she loved, the outcome of this situation would be very different. This shows the power God has to influence people's lives. Similarly, at the end of chapter 16, Tea Cake is talking to Mrs. Turner. Tea Cake says, "'Aw, don't make God look so foolish- findin' fault wid everything He made'"(Hurston 145). Mrs. Turner criticizes the tendency to find fault in God's creations, implying that such criticism undermines the wisdom of a divine creator. By urging to not "make God look foolish," the speaker suggests that finding fault in others or natural differences shows a lack of faith or understanding. This line hints at the theme of acceptance, emphasizing that everything has a place and purpose, even if it's not immediately understood. Hurston uses this sentiment to encourage empathy and humility, challenging characters—and readers—to appreciate diversity without judgment. These quotes show how powerful God and religion are to the characters, and how they play a vital role in the novel.

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"He drifted off into sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place" (128).

This quote represents how Janie's relationship with Tea Cake has allowed her to gain her own independence and allowed her to become her own women. Janie is no longer forced into relationships and artificial love by Nanny or society, she is finally in a relationship with a person that she truly loves. Janie ignores the judgement and criticism from people in Eatonville and decides to chose a partner that she wants. When Janie's "Soul crawled out from its hiding place" she had the power to become independent and forge her own path. Throughout the novel Janie has been almost forced in marriages. Nanny said that she had to marry Logan to be protected, and the only reason she married Joe was to escape Logan. This is the first time where Janie was able to chose who she wanted to be with. Janie is breaking free of societal norms and pressures by marrying Tea Cake and by becoming independent.

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In chapters 17-20 Hurston uses oral tradition and storytelling to symbolize Janie's connection to her community. In 17, they all sit on the porch and gamble, eat, and laugh, "“All they needed was to hear one of those lies and they would all be laughing it off before Tea Cake could finish his song,” (Hurston 162). So, hurston uses first persona perspective and lots of dialogue. In 18, there is less dialogue during the storm since Janie is served from her community. In 19, when Janies sits in the courtroom. the narration becomes third person symbolizing how her murderous act severed her completely from her community. But, in 20 it returns showing how the bonds they had formed were very strong. Also in 20, she tells her lifestory to her friend Pheoby, showing how the lessons Janie has learned throughout her life will be passed down

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Throughout the novel, we have seen racism, segregation, and gender stereotypes portrayed through characters like Mrs. Turner, Joe, etc. But in the Everglades, we see a sense of acceptance in the beginning of chapter 18, where Janie and Tea Cake embrace cultures from regions all over the world. One region (the Everglades), has many cultures flourishing.

"Since Tea Cake and Janie had friended with the Bahaman workers in the 'Glades, they, the "Saws," had been gradually drawn into the American crowd. They quit hiding out to hold their dances when they found out their American friends didn't laugh at them as they feared. Many of the Americans learned to jump and liked it as much as the "Saws"(Hurston 154). This shows a shift in a cultural dynamic, through different regions, coming together as one. By embracing other regions culture, the Everglades served as a more affluent, accepting community.

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Janie reaches the culmination of her journey toward self-identity and independence. After Tea Cake's death, she is forced to confront her deepest fears and desires, realizing that her sense of self has grown beyond any romantic attachment. Through the trial and the aftermath, Janie finds inner peace by recognizing her strength and resilience, forged through her experiences with love, loss, and self-discovery. She returns to Eatonville as a transformed woman, no longer defined by others’ expectations but by her own sense of fulfillment. Janie’s reflection on her past relationships reveals her growth in understanding her autonomy and ability to love without losing herself. Ultimately, Janie’s journey in these chapters illustrates her liberation and a profound realization of her personal identity. This is seen in the quote, "'So Ah;m back home again and Ah'm satisfied tuh be heah. Ah done been tuh de horizon and back and now Ah kin set hea in mah house and live by comparisons'"(Hurston 191).

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"Before the week was over he had ripped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession" (Hurston 147)

Even though Janie and Tea Cake seem to have a perfect marriage, their relationship still had issues that are reflected in this chapter. This quote serves as an illusion for Tea Cake and Janie's relationship because Tea Cake shows his flaws, which were abusing Janie. Until this point Janie was the happiest she has even been and she found someone that she loved, but Tea Cake caused their marriage to mirror Janie's marriage to Joe by beating her. Even though Janie is still happy and content in her life, this quote disillusioned the readers by showing that Janie and Tea Cake are not a perfect couple and that their marriage has some similarities to her past one. Hurston describes the scene as almost a normal scenario in marriages during this time period. When Hurston says "Being able to whip her reassured him in possession," she is implying that this was a normal act and that even in loving marriages women still had to deal with gender stereotypes.