In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurtson writes about a
young girl thats turns into a woman. Janie, a strong and dramatic character, develops into a
woman with the three marriages she has. In each marriage she learns valuable lessons, has
progressively better relationships, and realizes how a person is to live their life. Janie's
marriages to Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, and Tea Cake are the influences in her development
Janie's marriage to Logan Killicks was the first stage in her development as a woman.
She hoped that her forced marriage with Logan would end her loneliness and desire for love.
Right from the beginning, the loneliness in the marriage shows up when Janie sees that his house
is a "lonesome place like a stump in the middle of the woods where nobody had ever been"
(p.20). This description of Logan's house is symbolic of the relationship they have. Janie
eventually admits to Nanny that she still does not love Logan and couldn't find anything to love
about him. "She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie's first dream was dead, so
she became a woman" (p.24). Janie's prayer is her final plea for a change in her life. She knew
that by leaving him it would change for the better.
Janie's prayer is answered with her next husband, Jody Starks. When they first met,
Janie was convinced that Jody believed she was a very special person because of the
compliments he gave her. For two weeks, before they married, they talked and Janie believed
that Jody "spoke for change and chance" (p.28). The problem Janie had with Jody was that he
did not treat her as equal. He would not let her speak in front of people, teach her to play
checkers, or participate in other events. Janie notices the problem early in the relationship and
confronts Jody about it when she says "it jus' looks lak it keeps us in some way we ai
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