Their Eyes Were Watching God

novel by Hurston

Written by

Urnesha Bhattacherjee

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Their Eyes Were Watching God, novel by American folklorist and writer Zora Neale Hurston, published in 1937. Initially controversial for its unconventional portrayal of Black Southern life and rejection of racial protest fiction, it later became a classic of African American literature. It is considered Hurston’s finest book. Told through a frame narrative (story within a story) in colloquial prose, the novel explores themes such as identity, autonomy, and the complexities of race and gender....