Mystery Men, Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay

Sarah Johnson
Mrs. Reidenbaugh
Humanities 6/7
March 7, 2008

Mystery Men

In every man, there is a mystery waiting to be solved, a world ready to be explored, and a surprise hoping to be discovered. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, we read earnestly as we wonder who Janie will succeed to understand and connect with. Through each one of Janie's marriages, hardship and conflict exist, but success in love belong to only one man. Through the process of trial and error, Janie begins her journey of discovering what it means to love another and be loved herself. Desire dwells in every human being, but what people choose to feed that desire with differs among people. We see in each of Janie's husbands a different thing that they yearn for. Only one of these men's desires matches that of Janies, which ultimately is the cause of their love's success.

In the beginning of this book, we understand that Janie compares love, marriage, and passion to a pear tree. Janie's first husband, Logan Killicks, according to her was "[…]desecrating the pear tree[…]". Why, then did Janie marry Logan and what exactly was her reasoning? Nanny's thoughts of love and marriage included wealth, high social rank, and stability while Janie's consisted of openness, passion, excitement, and fun. After hearing Nanny's incessant demand for their marriage, Janie became open to the idea foolishly thinking that marriage meant love no matter who the person might be. After belonging to a marriage with no respect, ardor, or happiness, Janie left Logan for a man named Joe Starks who had promised her a better life. Through her failed marriage with Logan Killicks, Janie learned "[…]that marriage did not make love."

Joe or 'Jody' Starks was a man who fed off of and hungered for power, supremacy and ultimate control. He seemed to have his own ideas of who Janie was and who she should be. In the beginning of Joe and Janie's romance he offered adventure and excitement, but he quickly became one who tried desperately to hide Janie's voice while she was trying to find and express it. Joe constantly looked at Janie not as a person, but as an object; she was just another "accomplishment" that he could flaunt to the other townspeople. Selfishly, he repeatedly beat Janie down in an attempt to build himself up. We see towards the end of his life that Joe's power struggle is no match against death, although he fights to the end in vain to beat it. After years of Janie's voice being hushed and silenced by Joe, she learns to speak her mind and expose her true self.

From the moment we see Tea Cake come into the story, we see him as someone who pushes Janie to live her life to the fullest. Tea Cake's excitement for life and respect for who Janie was turning out to be made her fall head over heels in love with him. He understood that his loyalty was to his wife, and that understanding was something that Janie's previous husbands had lacked. Tea Cake and Janie's different personalities and actions both complimented and shaped the other's character. They went through and experienced both the good and the bad things of life together such as work, play, and the hurricane. Janie once told Tea Cake, "Once upon uh time, Ah never 'spected nothin', Tea Cake, but bein' dead from the standin' still and tryin' tuh laugh. But you come 'long and make somethin' outa me. So Ah'm thankful fuh anything we come through together". Their love was not solely a feeling, but a choice as well.

I believe that people learn or try to love by following the examples that the people surrounding them have set. The one example that I constantly go to for guidence is that of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice of his own life is payment for everyone's sins who is willing to ask Him for it. Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate act of love. Just like how Janie looked to her Nanny and Phoeby ended up looking to Janie, I look to God and am satisfied with his example of love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.