Love Blossoms: Janie's Journey to True Happiness with Tea Cake in 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'

According to Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, it takes place in the early 1900s, likely between 1915 and 1935. Chapter 13 in the novel uncovers aspects of Janie's relationship with Tea Cake. Janie's final relationship showcases that her marriage with Tea Cake is something special and unique from her previous marriages. The two experience passionate love as there is the aspect of happiness, affection, communication, and understanding. Janie discovers true love with Tea Cake. According to Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love, Janie's third relationship with Tea Cake exhibits passion. This is based on quotes like Those lazy eyes…lean, over padded shoulders and narrow waist".

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Janie's marriage to Tea Cake makes her feel as if she has been granted a second chance in life to live once more like a youth since she feels reborn. With Tea Cake, Janie is experiencing fun and is solely happy. Janie is undergoing things that she never thought she would undergo, like "to a show and after they rode around on the trolley cars." Tea Cake goes to the extent of introducing Janie to her gambling skills, which is a risk in her life. The aspect of joy, enthusiasm, and impulsiveness in this sort of marriage makes Janie and Tea Cake carry on like young couples in love since her previous marriage lacked happiness.

Throughout the chapter, Janie cares for Tea Cake honestly as she even prays to God for his return after she finds that Tea Cake has been gone for an extended period. Janie is praying to the almighty for him not to take Tea Cake away since he feels Janie's loneliness in her previous relations and does not want to lose it. Even though Janie is emotionally hurt and angry that Tea Cake has gone for so long, her concern for the well-being of Tea Cake is evident. The aspect of fear and jealousy of losing Tea Cake is also showcased as this is a normal reaction that a woman has when she has fallen in love with a gentleman. The aspect of jealousy demonstrates their connection with each other.

Janie and Tea Cake's love is two-sided as Tea Cake loves Janie as much as Janie loves Tea Cake. Tea Cake demonstrates to Janie the affection, which is missed in her marriage to Logan and Joe. When Tea Cake comes home to Janie and sees her cry on the floor, he takes her head in his hands and comforts himself into the chair. The sweet and sincere gesture of stroking her hair composures her down and reassures her that he is not going anywhere. Tea Cake attempts to cheer Janie up by kissing her and playfully turning up her mouth's corner until she smiles broadly. The aspect of making Janie happy demonstrates that he loves her since he is not pleased unless Janie is.

Janie is very comfortable in her marriage to Tea Cake as she can speak about what she feels. Janie does not hold anything back and does not bite her tongue whenever she possesses something to utter to Tea Cake. Janie feels free to express her concerns and thoughts. Janie has no issue speaking up with Tea Cake as she is in a relationship where she wants her feelings to be acknowledged and equally addressed. Janie's love for Tea Cake is strong and real as this is the first time she ultimately falls in love since she has never something like this before, like how she is feeling now about Tea Cake. Finally, Janie discovers what true love is.

Work Cited

Hurston, Zora Neale. "Their Eyes Were Watching God. 1937." Urbana: U of Illinois P (1978).