What's in a Title?

First of all, I want to say that my last blog was a little off, I think. In class we discussed that Zora Neale Hurston gives depth to all her characters, not just the main one, and I agree with that. I think she shows more depth in the men than I gave her credit for. For instance, she builds sympathy for Jody by showing his fear of getting older, and even though it creates pity more than love for him, we see his human nature and not just this chauvinistic man suppressing his wife. 

As to the title of the book, I love it. It's beautiful and unique. Before I'd read the book, I was drawn to it. It forces the questions, "Why were their eyes watching God?" and "What did they see as they watched God?" I even think, "How did they watch God, the powerful and Almighty in heaven?" 

We get a glimpse of what the title means when Janie and Tea Cake are fighting for their lives in the midst of the hurricane. The scene shows their vulnerability to forces beyond themselves; all they can do is hope that the God who is causing such a powerful stirring in nature will spare them. They watch to see what he will do because it's all they can do in the midst of their situation. The implication for the whole book, then, is that Janie and the others are living their lives with an awareness that so much of their stories are out of their control, yet there is a flow to them that must be caused by something bigger than themselves, which, perhaps, is God. It goes along with the context of the book, since African Americans are known for having rich spiritual heritages.