Their Eyes Were Watching God

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination, racism, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How does Hurston’s use of both standard English narration and dialect-heavy dialogue affect your reading experience? Have you encountered similar stylistic choices in other notable works of African American literature, such as Alice Walker’s The Color Purple?

2. The novel opens with men and women having distinctly different reactions to Janie’s return. How do these initial perspectives shape your understanding of the story that follows?

3. Which of Janie’s three marriages resonated most strongly with you, and why? What does each relationship reveal about different forms of power and control in relationships?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Janie’s journey to self-discovery involves breaking free from others’ expectations. When have you faced a choice between meeting societal expectations and following your own path?

2. The pear tree serves as a symbol of awakening and desire. What experiences in your own life have marked similar moments of revelation or transformation?

3. How do you relate to Janie’s evolution from someone who waits by the road for life to happen to someone who actively shapes her destiny?