Their Eyes Were Watching God †Rebirth of Transcendentalism Essay

A century elapsed between the utmost 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 listless as the post-war era of social realism began to dominate American destination and American literature. Thus, Their Eyes, published in 1937, was scorned and criticized by numerous for non being political or serious enough.It was non until twenty years after Hurstons death that people began to appreciate Hurstons works, specially Their Eyes, as important literatures in the African American and the American womens liberationist movements. With further analysis, although Their Eyes is a modern novel, it actually takes the readers moxie to the close of Thoreau and Emerson Their Eyes Were Watching God possesses elements of transcendentalism self-reliance, nonconformity, and the over-soul as supported by the essays of transcendentalist appreciateers.To b egin, a fundamental idea of transcendentalism is self-reliance, which stresses a persons accept judgment and lore. 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 sum with Jody is tumbling down, she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. in effect(p) something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over. She had an inside and an appearside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them (Hurston, 72).Janie knows her goals and desires, both are which shattered by Jody, so she mustiness now distinguish the difference between the lies and the truth of her dream. Together with courage, her intuition gives her the strength to speak up to Jody on his death bed. Moreover, when she finally finds the bash of her life, she feels a self-crushing jockey, allowing her soul to crawl from its hiding place (Hurston, 128). She doesnt pass over her feelings but goes to pursue her lover, teatime Cake. She is strong- allow for and has control over her feelings and thoughts.Even Tea Cake encourages Janie to use her own mind, Nobody else on earth family hold 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, some other element of transcendentalism is nonconformity, or individualism, which stresses the importance of finding ones identity instead of giving in to society. Emerson explown(prenominal)s nonconformity as the spacious man who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the license of s olitude (Emerson 80). Janie shows exactly this on the day she arrives back in Eatonville. svelte in her blue satin dress, she confidently walks past the women and men, ignoring their hurtful gossips and leaving them in awe. Despite her solitude due to Tea Cakes death, Janie welcomes her emancipation she is perfectly at ease with herself.Moreover, Thoreau also writes about nonconformity he writes, The only obligation which I have a recompense to sorb is to do at any time what I think right They only can force me who obey a higher law of nature than I (Thoreau, 104). Janie shares Thoreaus attitude 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 need yuh (Hurston, 31). This is likely 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 yell ing 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 wrangle 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 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 allow 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 mourn because the broken of her husband gives her back her individuality. Last but not least, the over-soul is another central 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(p) silence t he universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally cogitate the eternal 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 beginning Janie saw a dust-bearing bee put down 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 first creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight (Hurston, 11). This imagery of the bee and the thrill 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. ulterior 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 betideing seeds and said, Ah hope you fall on soft ground Janies first dream was dead, so she becam e a muliebrity (Hurston 25). As she begins to mature more, she also begins to understand the die of nature. Nature and Janies souls appear to be one, united and growing together. She duologue to the seeds, warning them, sympathizing with them of a arena 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 ground 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 disregarded 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 leads to the rei ncarnation of transcendentalist ideas, including but not limited to self-reliance, nonconformity, and the over-soul. Throughout 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 striking literature figure that gives people hopes and dreams, while fulfilling those of Emerson and Thoreau.Bibliography Emerson, Ralph Waldo. From Self-Reliance. The InterActive Reader Plus. Illinoise McDougal Littell, 2003. 78-83. Print. Ferguson, Craig. Ralph Waldo Emerson at heart Man Is the Soul of the Whole the Wise Silence the Universal apricot Transcendental MeditationBlog. N. p. , 27 Mar. 2010. Web. 05 Aug. 2013. . Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God A Novel. new-fangled York Perennial Library, 1990. Print. Thorea u, Hentry David. From Civil Disobedience. The InterActive Reader Plus. Illinoise McDougal Littell, 2003. 90-105. Print.