Zora Neale Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is often held up as the tale of a woman’s autonomous journey toward empowerment. However, while Hurston’s protagonist, Janie, did overcome great odds in this novel, she did not do so alone. Olivia’s research seeks to join two previously separate conversations about empowerment in Their Eyes and the phenomenon of the mother-daughter bond. Looking at Janie’s journey toward empowerment through the lens of her grandmother and mother’s influence reveals that Janie could not have realized her dreams apart from their maternal influence.   

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a complex novel that presents multiple layers of spirituality as understood by the characters. Evelyn’s research specifically explores the characterization of God through Zora Neale Hurston’s play on the Old Testament motifs of violence, judgment, and silence. Alongside Janie, readers can ask how their own perception of God shifts as they experience storms and unanswerable questions over their individual journeys through life.