Janie's Marriages In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Lora Neale Hurston, the protagonist engages in three marriages that lead her towards self-development. Through every effort, Janie learns the truths of life, love, and the path to finding her identity. Although repressed due to her race and gender, Janie has a strong will to live her life the way she wants. But throughout his life he meets many people who try to change his way of being and his beliefs. In every marriage he undertakes, he finds new fulfillment and is on a constant quest to find his identity and true love. Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake each help Janie become a woman and find her identity. At the age of sixteen, Janie is a beautiful girl on the verge of becoming a woman and experiencing the real world. Being joyful and indifferent, she is thrown into an arranged marriage with Logan Killicks. Apparently it is unromantic and unattractive. Logan is a widower and successful farmer who wants a wife who doesn't have his opinions. He is set in his ways and is troubled by Janie, who forms her own opinions and refuses to work. He is unable to sexually attract or satisfy Janie and therefore does not truly connect with her as a husband and wife should. Janie's young and wild spirit is trapped inside her and she plays the role of a silent and obedient wife. But his true identity cannot hide because he has ambitions and wants to see the world and find love. There was a lack of trust and communication between Logan and Janie. Because of the negative feelings Janie has towards Logan, she feels that this marriage is not what she wants it to be. The pear tree and the bees had a natural attitude... middle of paper... she feels lucky to have it. Joe Starks, Janie's second husband, appears to be her singing bee when they first meet, but she realizes that this is not the case. When Joe becomes what he tried to be, he tries to control Janie and turn her into what he expected and thought she was. Only Tea Cake, Janie's late husband, truly cared about the person she truly was and treated her as an equal. He encouraged her to express her opinion and tell him her opinion so that they can gain a better understanding of each other. Over the course of these marriages, Janie is led towards self-development and when she returns to her hometown she has become a mature, independent woman who is still left with warm memories of love and laughter with Tea Cake. Work Cited Hurston, Lora Neale. Their eyes were looking at God. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1990.