Eatonville’s influence in Hurston’s Literature

Zora Neale Hurston, a Harlem renaissance writer, used both events of early life experiences as well as historical context in her novels. In one such novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston uses the main character, Janie, to provide insight on contemporaneous society in the South and to recount the events that were included in the folktales Hurston heard in her youth. One can agree that this novel, which takes place mostly in the town of Eatonville Florida, is told from an accurate standpoint. This is because Zora Neale Hurston was born in Eatonville Florida, and her time spent in the city would have definitely inspired some of the aspects of Janie’s life and society. Indeed, just as it is in the novel, Eatonville Florida was and still is a pure Negro society, with an African American mayor and inhabitants. “It [was] a proud and independent self governing black community which fostered Zora’s self confidence and self acceptance.” (Leahy, 1).
Hurston’s novels are truthful toward the historical context. “During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the vast majority of Negroes continued to live in the South and to earn their living as farmers.” (Leahy, 5). Although African Americans in the South were no longer in bondage, they still lacked political rights, and some lived in poverty. According to history, Captain Eaton founded the town that bears his name, and African Americans were brought to the Florida territory by the native Seminole and Cherokee Indian tribes. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston does mention Captain Eaton, and does indicate the presence of Seminole Indians during her time in “the muck”.
In addition to the history, personal events in Janie’s life have parallels in the novels and the character Janie. Similar to the fact that Janie went through multiple (three) marriages, “[Hurston] was married twice.” (Leahy, 7). Just as Janie worked in a general store in Eatonville while being the wife of mayor Jody Starks, the marshal of Eatonville and acquaintance of Hurston, Joe Clark, owned a general store. Her life and education in Florida inspired her to become an anthropologist and appreciate observes differences in culture, which led to her novels and literature. “She had lived in Afro-American culture: before she knew that such a thing existed as a scientific concept or…subculture.” (Leahy, 8). Hurston repeated her experience of discovering her separate race in the excerpt, “But before Ah seen de picture Ah thought ah wuz just like de rest.” (Hurston, 182). Because the personal accounts of Hurston’s early life in Eatonville Florida are reflected in her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, one could claim that the book is partially an autobiography. (David Klueck)