Their Eyes Were Watching God

            
             In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie battles to find Individualism within herself. Janie, all her life, had been pushed around and told what to do and how to live her life. She searched and searched high and low to find a peace that makes her whole and makes her feel like a complete person. To make her feel like she is in fact an individual and that she's not like everyone else around her. During the time of "Their Eyes", the correct way to treat women was to show them who was in charge and who was inferior. Men were looked to as the superior being, the one who women were supposed to look up to and serve. Especially in the fact that Janie was an African American women during these oppressed times. Throughout this book, it looks as though Janie makes many mistakes in trying to find who she really is, and achieving the respect that she deserves. Living with her Grandmother and the Wash burns", Janie was surrounded and raised with white children. She always believed that she was white herself, and that she was no different than anybody else. As she was growing up, she was told what to do and how to live by her grandmother. Janie's grandmother planned her life out for her. She told her that she must get married right away. "Yeah, Janie, house got yo" womanhood on uh. So Ah moutez well tell uh what Ah been saving" up for uh spell. Ah wants to see you married right away." Janie's grandmother did want what was best for Janie, but she basically told her what to do instead of letting her know what she wanted for her. Janie's grandmother told her exactly who she was going to marry and who she wasn't even to think about. "What Ah seen just now is plenty for me, honey, Ah don't want no trashy negro, no breath-and-britches, lack Johnny Taylor using" yo" body to wipe his foots on. Brother Logan Killicks, he's a good man.You answer me when Ah speak. Don't you set here pouting" wid me after all Ah done went through for you!" She is basically telling Janie that she can't marry Johnny Taylor, the one she is exploring her womanhood with, the one she wants, and that she must marry Logan, for protection.