Discussion Questions

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Junior English Language: Rhetorical Analysis [AP]

Mr. Sanders

Chapter 1

1. How does Pheoby’s moral code differ from that of the

town? Which code is truly moral?

2. Do you agree with the first two paragraphs of this

chapter? Explain why you agree or disagree.

Chapter 2

3. From Nanny’s view, explain and justify the arrangement between Janie and Logan Killicks.

4. What does the pear tree symbolize in this chapter?

Chapter 3

5. Describe how Janie comes to the conclusion that “marriage did not make love.”

Chapter 4

6. Could Logan have kept Janie from leaving him if he had truly told her how he felt?

Chapter 5

7. Is Joe Starks an admirable man? Why or why not?

8. “He’s de wind and we’se de grass. We bend which ever way he blows but at dat us needs him.

De town wouldn’t be nothin’ if it wasn’t for him.” Sam Watson says that this is the relationship

between Joe Starks and the town. Do you agree with Sam Watson? Why or why not?

Chapter 6

9. Could all of the fighting between Joe and Janie have been avoided? Do you think that Janie

could ever be happy with Joe as her husband?

10. How would you interpret the scene of the buzzards and Matt Bonner’s mule?

Chapter 7

11. Describe the argument between Joe and Janie as if you were a customer in the store who

witnessed the entire scene.

12. Why didn’t Janie walk away? (Try to understand Janie’s position.)

Chapter 8

13. Is it too late to feel sorry for Joe? Why or why not?

14. Read Joe and Janie’s final conversation once again. Why is he so unforgiving of her?

Chapter 9

15. How does the tradition of mourning affect Janie’s life? Comment on the town’s expectations.

Chapter 10

16. Do you think this is “love at first sight”? Should Janie be cautious after two failed marriages?

17. How does Hurston use humor in this chapter?

Chapter 11

18. Why does Hezekiah find it necessary to interfere on Janie’s behalf? Discuss his behavior and

look to previous chapters to explain his motivation.

19. Is Tea Cake being deliberately mysterious? Discuss his nature and his theatrics.

Chapter 12

20. How does the town’s opinion of Joe Starks change once Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship is

made public?

21. Janie says that if Tea Cake loves property, “he ain’t no different from all de rest of us.” Do you

find this statement to be cynical or common sense? Would Janie have thought this way if she

didn’t marry Joe? Use examples from the novel to support your position.

Chapter 13

22. Is Annie Tyler’s story a cautionary tale? Do you think that we should feel sorry for her?

23. How does Janie react to Tea Cake’s confessed “commonness”? Compare Tea Cake’s

description of himself with Joe Starks.

Chapter 14

24. Describe the hierarchy of this society. How are the most important people in this society

determined?

Chapter 15

25. Discuss how you would have handled the situation with Nunkie if you were Tea Cake. Also

discuss the situation as if you were Janie.

26. How do you think Janie feels in the town now? Does this situation demean Janie or Nunkie in

the eyes of the farmers? Explain your answer.

Chapter 16

27. How does Mrs. Turner’s relationship with her husband affect her character? Discuss their roles

in their marriage, and compare them to other couples in the chapter.

Chapter 17

28. Why do you think Mr. Turner doesn’t interfere at all in the fight in the café?

29. How do you think this fight affected Mrs. Turner? What will her attitude be about dark-skinned

blacks in the future?

Chapter 18

30. Compare the characterization of the animals in this chapter with previous chapters. How does

the strength of the hurricane affect animals, and what is the significance of these symbols?

31. The line “their eyes were watching God” is found in this chapter. Why do you think this is the

title of the novel?

Chapter 19

32. How does the white society of the jury differ from the societies that we have already seen and

commented upon? Compare and contrast the courtroom society with the Everglades society.

33. How is Janie’s killing of Tea Cake an act of mercy?

Chapter 20

34. Do you think that the ending of this novel is happy or tragic?

35. What do you think will happen to Janie?