Their Eyes Were Watching God is TERRIBLE!

I'm reading this for AP English, and I'm a quarter of the way through. It's so bad.

1) It's extremely pretentious. It alternates between overflowery, nonsensical prose and negro dialect. It's supposed to be stylish, but I find it headache inducing.
2) the dialect is inconsistent. On one page, the main character says "dey," and on another it's "they."
3) It is impossible to sympathize with the characters. They're so FLAT!
4) It does more to insult blacks than to make us have pity for them. Richard Wright said it himself; it reads like a damn minstrel show.

whuh does y'all tink bout dis heah buk?

It's been a while, but I remember enjoying the book. I didn't notice the inconsistency in the dialect, but I did have a hard time with it, I had to sort of read it out loud half the time. But I guess the dialect was important to provide the setting.

I also couldn't figure out where the characters were going untill about more than half way through the book. I think that I can compare it to The Color Purple in that its the story of a girl (sorry, can remember her name) raised in this setting of which she has no control, and yet in her own way, she rises above it dispite ridicule and obstacles. One can almost put another race in place of blacks and the story would come out the same.

Anyway that's what I remember, but I enjoyed the ending more than anything else.

Who wrote The color purple and their eyes were Watching God? ( I realize that they are two different authors)... or at least I think they are.

Their Eyes Were Watching God was written by Zora Neale Hurston. I don't know who wrote The Color Purple. (I only saw the movie)

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Originally Posted by Shea

Their Eyes Were Watching God was written by Zora Neale Hurston. I don't know who wrote The Color Purple. (I only saw the movie)

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Alice Walker wrote it. I can certainly understand why people enjoy/appreciate this book more than Eyes...God.

I agree. It was awful. I had no sympathy for anyone in the book.

C'mon, Lee, we all know the reason you despise that book is because you hate black people.

"C'mon, Lee, we all know the reason you despise that book is because you hate black people."


I hardly think such insulting language is appropriate in this forum. There is absolutely no reason why someone cannot express their true opinion on any work of literature without being subjected to such hateful bigotry. Knock it off.

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Originally Posted by Black Flag

"C'mon, Lee, we all know the reason you despise that book is because you hate black people."


I hardly think such insulting language is appropriate in this forum. There is absolutely no reason why someone cannot express their true opinion on any work of literature without being subjected to such hateful bigotry. Knock it off.

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Pfhw ! Shut up, you wanker. Lee is pro-segregation, he said it himself. Besides, if I wanted your opinion I'd beat it out of you.

"Pfhw ! Shut up, you wanker. Lee is pro-segregation, he said it himself. Besides, if I wanted your opinion I'd beat it out of you."

You miss the point: Your insults have nothing to do with literature and do not belong here. There's no need to be so rude.

You guys are going to get this thread locked, you know. So cool it.

Back on the topic:

I remember not being able to get into Eyes. I had a hard time finding the narrative thread and the characters weren't at all appealing to me. I haven't read The Color Purple, yet. I still think that one of the best books about the African-American experience is Roots, by Alex Haley. It's a tome, though. :) So if you have a couple of months free...

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Originally Posted by Blackadder

You guys are going to get this thread locked, you know. So cool it.

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Whatever you say, princess. Honestly, locking this thread might not be such a bad idea.

i think that a book is always a reflection of the author and the society in which that author lives. there are 2 levels to their eyes were watching god. the plot may not be as complicated as, say anna karenin, but the rich display of language and emotion, the colourful imagery, all make for a pleasant read on a simplistic level, and on a more intellectual level, an insight into the writer and the society in which that person struggled yet still managed to produce. in order to understand a work such as their eyes were watching god, you have to understand the writer, and i think, the reason why zora neal hurston is possibly one of the best authors i have ever had the pleasure of discovering, is because she is also an artist. Richard Wright is her antithesis. he was a pedant and a proud , strong black writer in the strictest sense. He wrote for social reasons. Furthermore, James Baldwin criticised some of his work, but that doesn't automatically make Wright less worthy. The Native Son is worthy of all the praise it has received. I think you should all give Zora another shot, read some more of her work. Her liquid style, her word play, her evident love of linguistics, her emotion and especially her humanity are all remarkable feats against tough times.

First of all, no, sorry I never read the book.

I have no pity for blacks. Anymore. See, I've tried to enroll in `Ebonics University' but they rejected my app. on the grounds I had no hope in hell at my age to pick up new language, and I'm too damn `white' to `get' it all. :D :D

Edited to add: However in the laundry room here in my apartment building, I have come across a mine-field of old books by Peter Gentry and others (circa 1970-76) appropo name huh? about Old South slavery and struggle, and I love them. They're very <cough> compelling... I think some pervy old lady dropped them off when she moved out. At least this guy's consistent in his linguistics.