Their Eyes Were Watching God †Rebirth of Transcendentalism Essay

A blow elapsed betwixt the tip of transcendentalism and the publication of Zora Neale Hurstons novel, Their Eyes Were reflexion God. During this time, the philosophies of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau faded as the post-war sequence of social realism began to dominate Ameri fuck culture and American literature. Thus, Their Eyes, published in 1937, was scorned and criticized by landy for not being political or serious enough.It was not until twenty years afterward Hurstons death that peck began to appreciate Hurstons works, especially Their Eyes, as important literatures in the African American and the American feminist movements. With further analysis, although Their Eyes is a modern novel, it actually takes the readers cover to the period of Thoreau and Emerson Their Eyes Were Watching God possesses elements of transcendentalism self-reliance, nonconformity, and the over- mind as supported by the essays of transcendentalist thinkers.To begin, a fundamental m otif 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 marriage with Jody is tumbling down, she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to pall her dreams over. She had an inside and an outside 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 must now distinguish the difference between the lies and the truth of her dream. Together with courage, her intuition gives her the enduringness to speak up to Jody on his death bed. Moreover, when she finally finds the love of her life, she feels a self-crushing love, allowing her soul to crawl from its privateness place (Hurston, 128). She doesnt hide her feelings but goes to pursue her lover, aftern oon tea Cake. She is strong- get out and has control over her feelings and thoughts. hitherto tea Cake encourages Janie to use her own mind, Nobody else on earth kin hold uh candle tuh you, baby. You got de keys to de domain (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 conclusion ones identity instead of giving in to society. Emerson explains nonconformity as the great man who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude (Emerson 80). Janie shows exact ly this on the solar day she arrives back in Eatonville. Dressed 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 independence she is perfectly at simplicity with herself.Moreover, Thoreau also writes about nonconformity he writes, The only bargain which I have a recompense to assume is to do at any time what I think right They only can force me who obey a higher law than I (Thoreau, 104). Janie shares Thoreaus attitude when she stands up to both of her late preserves 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 probably the vanquish 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 yo voicedigital audiotape aint whut Ah rushed off down de road tuh find out about you (Hurston, 86). Jody has small 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 mourn 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 piece. Emerson writes in his essay, Over-soul, We represent in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole the saucy silence the universal beauty, t o which every part and particle is equally related the eternal One (Emerson, Over-soul).This over-soul connects the abject 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 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 blossom and frothing with make whoopie (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 obligate into marrying a man she doesnt love, she begins to know the words of the trees and the wind. She often spoke to make passing seeds and said, Ah hope you fall on soft ground Janies first dream was dead, so she became a woman (Hurston 2 5). 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 maturation 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 or so 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 leads to the rebirth 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 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 Reader 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, Hentry David. From Civil Disobedience. The Inter Active Reader Plus. Illinoise McDougal Littell, 2003. 90-105. Print.