Foreshadowing Evaluation: Zach Henderson

Throughout her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston utilizes many examples of foreshadowing to add suspense to the plot and reveal more about the characters:

1. Pheoby’s story of Annie Tyler (chapter 12)

            Throughout chapter 12, an example of foreshadowing can be found in the story Pheoby tells Janie of Annie Tyler and Who Flung.  She compares Janie to another young woman, Annie Tyler, who was in the same position as her.  Annie runs off with a guy referred to as “Who Flung” who Pheoby compares to Tea Cake in this instance.  Pheoby tells Janie of how Ms. Tyler was stripped of all she had and abandoned by Who Flung.  Pheoby’s story adds suspense to the plot by foreshadowing at dangers Janie may encounter by running off with Tea Cake.  However, even after Pheoby’s warning, Janie doesn’t change her mind about wanting to leave with Tea Cake.  After leaving with Tea Cake, Janie begins to notice events that are suspiciously similar to the story the Pheoby told her.

2. Tea Cake’s use of Janie’s money (chapter 13)

            In chapter 13, Tea Cake suspiciously took Janie’s money when he left to town in the morning.  This example of foreshadowing relates to the story of Annie Tyler from the previous chapter.  When Janie realized the money was gone, Pheoby’s story of Mrs. Tyler and Who Flung came to mind again, and she began to doubt Tea Cake’s intentions.  However, this situation ends up getting “resolved” when Tea Cake returns to Janie later that day and explains what he did with the money.  Even though Janie seems to forgive him, his story seems to be a bit of a fantasy.  This encounter with Tea Cake rouses more suspicion at his intentions of marrying Janie because it is in line with Pheoby’s tragic story of Mrs. Tyler.

3. Tea Cake and Nunkie’s “relationship” (chapter 15)

            In the beginning of Chapter 15, Nunkie enters the story at the fields.  During the workday, she began playing with Tea Cake in a very suspicious manner.  Janie starts to become jealous of Nunkie and very skeptical of Tea Cake because of how he is playing along with her.  When Janie accuses Tea Cake of playing with Nunkie, they break out into argument over it.  This encounter with Nunkie seems to foreshadow some sort of unfaithfulness from Tea Cake and adds to the suspicion Janie has towards him. Throughout her life, Janie has been with many seemingly uncaring husbands, so this behavior coming from Tea Cake seemed to hit her hard.  Tea Cake and Nunkie’s “relationship” is suspiciously similar to how Joe Starks was very playful with Ms. Tony when he was previously married to Janie. This “relationship” seems to foreshadow about what kind of husband Tea Cake may become.

4. Mrs. Turner’s brother (chapter 16)

            Throughout chapter 16, Mrs. Turner does her best to convince Janie to abandon Tea Cake and hook up with her brother instead.  This seems to foreshadow at conflict between Tea Cake and the Turners that Janie is getting thrown into.  This example of foreshadowing effects the storyline because Tea Cake starts to become a little suspicious of Janie just like how she was becoming suspicious of him and Nunkie.  However, after his suspicions of Janie and Mrs. Turner’s brother, Tea Cake is reassured of Janie’s commitment to him after Janie explains the situation just as he did when she accused him about Nunkie.  Even though these experiences seem to be foreshadowing at forms of dispute and unfaithfulness between Tea Cake and Janie, they seem to also strengthen their relationship and commitment to one another. 

5. The events leading up to the flood (chapter 18)

            Chapter 18 begins with a band of Native Americans passing by Tea Cake and Janie’s home.  When asked why they were heading towards Palm Beach by Janie, they explained they foresaw a hurricane coming.  Along with the Natives, the animals of the ‘glades and Tea Cake’s friend ‘Lias also begin evacuating the area.  Even though Tea Cake and Janie are invited to go along, Tea Cake refuses because he was making good money from working the fields.  These not-so-coincidental events of all sorts of people and animals leaving their homes should have been a warning sign to Tea Cake and are foreshadowing at the storm that is about to come upon those who stayed behind.  The way Tea Cake responds by taking ‘Lias with a grain of salt also foreshadows at how unwise his decision is going to be.  Along with Tea Cake’s response, the way the workers who stayed behind enjoy themselves watching Tea Cake and Motor Boat also seemed to foreshadow that something very bad was about to come upon them.  This example of foreshadowing leads up to the flood which is a very important even in the plot of the novel.