Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston)

Despite the difficulty I had getting used to the black speech used in the book, I really enjoyed this story of a woman trying to find herself. The story is so simple, and yet so touching and moving. It tells the story of a black woman in the 30's, who just decides to be her own person, and find herself. She wastes her time with two men who are only interested in having a beautiful wife they can parade; they feel she should be happy and grateful they are providing for her. A woman should not want for more. Her grandmother marries her to an older man (the "highest bidder" in my opinion) because she sincerely believes that a woman needs a man to take care of her. Janie leaves her first husband for another man, who promises her the moon. He turns out to be no different than the first husband. Even though Janie tries her best to please them and be content, she feels trapped in these marriages. I like her naiveté when she tries to convince herself that love will eventually come and does not hesitate to tell her husbands what she wants. She feels she is entitled to be happy, and not merely provided for. No wonder her true love and third husband is a man who sees her as another human being, and not only as a trophy.

I liked the account of life in black communities, and the relationships between black, brown and yellow people, which is unfortunately still true. And I like the fact that Zora Neale Hurston describes the life of a "normal woman"; she is not writing a protest novel. Not that I don't like protest novels, more "serious" novels, but I believe it is good to depict black people whose (inner) lives are not shaped by white people.

Quel beau roman ! J'ai eu un peu de mal à commencer car la transcription de la langue des noirs utilisée par Zora Neale Hurston est assez difficile. Mais je m'y suis habituée au bout de quelques pages. L'histoire est simple, mais tellement émouvante. L'héroïne est tellement touchante dans sa naïveté et son obstination à trouver le bonheur. Elle semble faible mais n'hésite pas à s'exprimer, à donner son opinion ou à se taire. Elle choisit de vivre sa vie sans se soucier des commérages. Je ne pouvais plus lâcher le livre et j'aurais aimé qu'il comporte quelques chapitres de plus. Je pense lire d'autres livres de Zora Neale Hurston, en particulier son autobiographie, et relire Their Eyes Were Watching God.