Their Eyes Were Watching God - Rebirth of Transcendentalism Essay Example for Free

Their Eyes Were Watching God Rebirth of Transcendentalism EssayA coulomb elapsed between the period of transcendentalism and the publication of Zora Neale Hurstons novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. During this time, the philosophies of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau bleached as the post-war era of tender realism began to dominate Ameri derriere culture and American literature. Thus, Their Eyes, published in 1937, was scorned and criticized by many for not being political or serious enough.It was not until twenty years after Hurstons death that people began to appreciate Hurstons works, especi exclusivelyy Their Eyes, as authoritative literatures in the African American and the American feminist movements. With further analysis, although Their Eyes is a modern novel, it genuinely takes the readers back to the period of Thoreau and Emerson Their Eyes Were Watching God possesses elements of transcendentalism presumption, nonconformity, and the oer- sense a s supported by the essays of transcendentalist thinkers.To begin, a fundamental idea of transcendentalism is self-reliance, which stresses a persons own judgment and intuition. Janie, the protagonist of Their Eyes, shows self-reliance when she uses her own judgments for the struggles she faces. For example, as she realizes that her wedlock with Jody is tumbling down, she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. honest something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over. She had an inside and an emergeside nowadays and suddenly she knew how not to mix them (Hurston, 72).Janie knows her goals and desires, both be which shattered by Jody, so she must now distinguish the difference between the lies and the truth of her dream. unneurotic with courage, her intuition gives her the strength to speak up to Jody on his death bed. Moreover, when she fin aloney finds the revel of her life, she feels a self-crushing love, allowing her mind to crawl from its hid ing place (Hurston, 128). She doesnt hide her feelings but goes to pursue her lover, teatime Cake. She is strong-will and has control over her feelings and thoughts.Even Tea Cake encourages Janie to use her own mind, Nobody else on earth kin stimulate uh candle tuh you, baby. You got de keys to de kingdom (Hurston, 109). As Emerson would say that Janie possesses transcendentalist ideals because, She has the integrity of her own mind What she must do is all that concerns her, not what the people think (Emerson, 80). Her past experiences and her present judgments lead Janie to maker her own path in the future. Only when Janie relies on herself and holds her keys to de kingdom does she find her happiness and reach her dream.Furthermore, another element of transcendentalism is nonconformity, or individualism, which stresses the importance of finding ones identity instead of giving in to society. Emerson explains nonconformity as the great man who in the midst of the crowd keeps with p erfect sweetness the independence of solitude (Emerson 80). Janie shows just now this on the day she arrives back in Eatonville. Dressed in her blue satin dress, she confidently walks past the women and men, ignoring their poisonous gossips and leaving them in awe. Despite her solitude due to Tea Cakes death, Janie welcomes her independence she is short at ease with herself.Moreover, Thoreau also writes about nonconformity he writes, The only obligation which I pass on a dependable to assume is to do at any time what I think right They only can force me who observe a higher law than I (Thoreau, 104). Janie shares Thoreaus positioning when she stands up to both of her late husbands and declares what she believes is right. Logan tells her that she doesnt belong anywhere but Its wherever Ah impoverishment yuh (Hurston, 31). This is probably the worst thing he can say to his newlywed its hurtful, disparaging, and disrespectful.However, unlike all the other women, such as Nanny, during the time, Janie stands up for herself by yelling back at his wrongs so she can gain back her independence and dignity. As for Jody a husband who makes her tie her hair back, denies her of speech and social interaction, and abuses her Janie finally takes up the courage to tell the truth at his deathbed. All dis bowin down, all dis obedience under(a) yo voicedat aint whut Ah rushed off down de road tuh find out about you (Hurston, 86). Jody has crushed her hopes and dreams and her image of love, and shes not about to let him forget that.She would not obey she has no obligation to obey. After Jodys death, Janie is finally free. Even more, she feels no remorse and she doesnt sorrow because the lost of her husband gives her back her individuality. Last but not least, the over-soul is another focal point of transcendentalism it connects God, Nature, and Man. Emerson writes in his essay, Over-soul, We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole the wise silence the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related the perfect(a) One (Emerson, Over-soul).This over-soul connects the broken pieces of the universe together. Hurstons Their Eyes contains many details that support the over-soul. For instance, in the set out Janie saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree form root to tiniest branch creaming in every vertex and frothing with delight (Hurston, 11). This imagery of the bee and the flower symbolizes Janies dream. The bee and the flower coexisted in harmony, just like what Janie hopes her marriage will be.This is Janies innocent soul as depicted by nature. Later on however, as shes forced into marrying a man she doesnt love, she begins to know the words of the trees and the wind. She often spoke to fall seeds and said, Ah hope you fall on soft ground Janies first dream was dead, so she became a woman (Hurston 25). As she begins to mature more, she also begins to understand the sound of nature. Nature and Janies souls appear to be one, united and growing together. She talks to the seeds, warning them, sympathizing with them of a world that can be disappointing and unfair.Finally, after she shoots her beloved Tea Cake in order to protect herself, Hurston writes that Janie pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes She called in her soul to come and see (Hurston, 193). Although it was a tragic and sudden death, Janie is in peace. The love of Tea Cake will not be forgotten because he will always be with her. Janie now understands the mysteries of nature and her world she is ready for whatever that may come. Janie has learned and grown, most importantly, she has found her soul.All in all, a century later, Their Eyes Were Watching God lea ds to the rebirth of transcendentalist ideas, including but not limited to self-reliance, nonconformity, and the over-soul. end-to-end her journey, Janie begins to identify herself as a self-reliant individual with a soul, all of which are transcendental characteristics. In the mid 1900s, because of the on going civil rights movements, an African American woman is the least expected person to posses all these traits. Even so, Janie Crawford becomes a prominent literature figure that gives people hopes and dreams, while fulfilling those of Emerson and Thoreau.Bibliography Emerson, Ralph Waldo. From Self-Reliance. The InterActive reviewer Plus. Illinoise McDougal Littell, 2003. 78-83. Print. Ferguson, Craig. Ralph Waldo Emerson Within Man Is the Soul of the Whole the Wise Silence the Universal Beauty Transcendental MeditationBlog. N. p. , 27 Mar. 2010. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. . Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God A Novel. New York Perennial Library, 1990. Print. Thoreau, H entry David. From Civil Disobedience. The InterActive Reader Plus. Illinoise McDougal Littell, 2003. 90-105. Print.