Self Love Essentials
Tajdreial Loston
Major Project
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a
novel, that in my experience, possesses a lot of underlying themes. One theme
that I was particularly drawn to, was the theme of self-love. Throughout
Janie’s relationship with Logan, Joe, and Tea Cake I found a common denominator,
the absence of self-love. From the very beginning of the novel, it is evident
that Janie wasn’t permitted self-exploration. After reading between the lines
and coming to terms with my personal interpretation of the contemporary lens,
self-love, I curated a playlist designated for the novel allowing you all to in
a sense listen between the lyrics.
In chapter two, Janie is connecting a
blooming pear tree with sensuality. Here she is creating her own version of pleasure
and tenderness and illustrating her Ribbon in the Sky. She then
exchanges innocence for curiosity when she kisses Johnny Taylor. Janie’s
first-ever experience with Fire and Desire is when she turns cold toward
Logan because she understands that he will never be the love of her life. Logan
is her first partner and like with anything new and unfamiliar it takes time to
adjust. Janie, however, never reached a level of comfortability with Logan. A
new flame of desire is sparked when Janie meets Joe Starks. The lyrics “strumming
my pain with his fingers, singing my life with his words, killing me softly
with his song”, seemed to describe the interaction perfectly. Janie was
soothed by Joe’s words of persuasion and enticement that it peaked a new
interest inside her. She was swept off her feet and made the decision to leave
Logan and be with Joe. This was the first decision that Janie had made on her
own, for her own. She wanted something more even if she could not pinpoint what
that was exactly. Years later Janie realizes that the young and vibrant Joe
Starks she initially met is not who she thought he or the relationship would
be. Withing the relationship with Joe, he expected so much from Janie, and at
the same time, he expected nothing at all. Joe expected Janie to maintain the
store and home all by herself and yet at the slightest mishap he perceived
Janie as incapable of both. He gave her responsibilities without actually
believing she was able to achieve them. He wanted Janie to be his SuperWoman
without acknowledging that she, too, was only human
On Joe’s dying bed, Janie expresses Something
in My Heart. During their last conversation together, Janie expresses how
she felt over the years. After she says her peace, Joe passes and she is Feeling
Good, not over losing him but instead over gaining freedom. Shortly after
Joe’s death Tea Cake comes into the picture and Janie then learns that there is
a Right and a Wrong Way to love. The community is unsettled by her and
Tea Cake’s growing relationship. She makes another crucial decision to continue
her life with Tea Cake even If Loving You is Wrong. Throughout all her
relationships, she is the happiest with Tea Cake. Janie believes, “I Never
Loved a Man the way that I love you”. She experienced the ups and downs of
love with Tea Cake and After the Pain, she is still very much in love
with him. Tea Cake isn’t the richest, but she loves him Just Because of who he
is. Although the relationship ended tragically Janie knows deep down inside
that I Will Always Love You. She returned back to where she started and
explains to Phoebe all What You Wont Do for Love.
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