"[Janie] was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage! She had been summoned to behold a revelation. Then Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid." (Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; 1937)
This book is by far my favorite book and has been since the first time I read it. Hurston uses vivid language that portrays each event with such elaborate detail that the reader can experience the story as it happens. Her writing is provocative while still maintaining its innocence. She discusses women's rights, love, sexual and intimate desires.
I just remember reading this piece in high school and experiencing a profound connection the the writing. It captures a specific culture and embodies every aspect of the characters' lifestyle and individual transformations.
Additionally, Hurston addressed many of the social and economic issues that are still encountered until this day.
This novel is something that readers can relate to. We as human beings have an insatiable desire to discover and understand love and our own individual sexuality. We are intrigued by anything that can provide insight to these natural desires.
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