Their Eyes Were Watching God: Clouded Thoughts

In chapter 5 of Their
Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie’s life changes
drastically. After moving to Florida Jody builds a store in a town called Eatonville
and becomes mayor. As mayor, Jody has all eyes on him and Janie is the object
of men’s attention as well as the envy of all women in the town. They live in a
very nice house that makes the other town’s people jealous.

However, Janie seems to be pushed back into Jody’s shadow as
if he always wants the attention on himself. For example, when the town’s
people elect that Jody be mayor, one of the towns people suggests that the
mayor’s wife Janie say a few words. Jody stops Janie before she can say a word
by saying “Thank yuh fuh yo’ compliments, but mah wife don’t know nothin’ ‘bout
no speech-makin’. Ah never married her for nothin’ lak dat. She’s a woman and
her place is in de home.”

This must have made Janie feel insulted. She may have wanted
to say something but he never gave her that chance. When Janie got with Jody it
was because she wanted the freedom, love and affection she didn’t have with her
first husband Logan. Now, it seems as if she is slowly losing that.

Jody also makes Janie tie up her hair which doesn’t allow
people to see how beautiful and long it is. In my opinion, this is a way of
keeping his wife “unattractive” so she won’t have guys looking at her and she
will have to stay under his controlling hold on her.