In Zora Neale Hurstons romantic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, two settings are contrasted to reinforce the authors theme of a search for true love. The setting of Eatonville, Florida, where main character Janie experiences life as the mayors wife, is contrasted with the Florida Everglades, where Janie lives with Tea Cake in a much more relaxed atmosphere.
Hurston describes Eatonville not in a negative way, but more as a place that is not beneficial to an independent woman like Janie. Janie Starks, the wife of the mayor, is sentenced to spend her days as a worker in the town store, hair tied up, and silent. She must deal with money and figures without being able to enjoy the lying sessions on the porch, or attending such impressive town events like the muleogy. To the reader, Eatonville represents all that is repressive in life. Janies nature is restricted not by the town itself, but by her status in the town.
Contrasted with Eatonville is the Everglades or the muck. The muck is where Janie can be free. Her hair is allowed to hang down, and she can dance, sing, talk, and socialize with everyone from the Indians to the landowners. The muck is where Janie lives with Tea Cake, her true love, her “bee.” The muck symbolizes freedom and a relief from oppression that was experienced by Janie.
The contrast of these two places reinforces the theme of a search for love and fulfillment. To see what an ideal situation for an independent woman like would be, Hurston must first show the reader what Janie cannot deal with. Hurston has her character Janie go on a quest, one that was begun the day she was forced to marry Logan Killucks. The contrast in the setting is similar to one between good and evil.
Janies life with Joe fulfilled a need — she had no financial worries and was more than set for life. She had a beautiful white home, a neat lawn and garden, a successful husband, and lots of cash. Everything was clean, almost too clean. A sense of restraint is present in this setting, and this relates to the work as a whole due to the fact that this is the epitome of unhappiness for Janie.
The muck, however, is filthy. The rich soil covers everything in sight, even the bare skin of its inhabitants. There are no trim lawns and gardens, everything grows wild. The house is not painted white but is a simple wood cabin. The stalks of beans grow wild and unrestrained, as does Janie, in this atmosphere. She and Tea Cake host parties, gamble, and work. They are in an almost classless society that Janie enjoys. This experience fulfills a desire in Janie. She has met her knight in shining armor, her true love.
These two opposing forces, restraint and freedom, contribute greatly to the meaning of the work. Hurstons settings let the reader feel what Janie feels, and, most importantly, let us know when its time to leave. Contrasting places play a major role in many novels, and Their Eyes Were Watching God is no exception. Without such images provided by Eatonville and by the muck, the reader could not hope to feel neither the desperation nor the completeness that Janie feels.
