As the old adage goes, it is not what one says, but how one says it that matters most. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the novel's protagonist, Janie Crawford, is immersed in a journey to assert her voice and, as a result, shape her own identity. Through a series of failed relationships, Janie finds herself constantly struggling against domineering male figures who attempt to define her into a role of silence and submission. Janie finally achieves a strong sense of self by finding the ability to control her voice and articulate herself openly and confidently. Throughout the novel, Hurston illustrates the duality of Janie's voice – the oppression of her silence and the liberation she feels when she reclaims her voice – and parallels this with her personal growth and maturation. Furthermore, Hurston manipulates narrative structure to enhance this process of self-discovery. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the novel, Janie's silence defines her as a passive individual as she struggles to harness her own voice amid the influence of those around her. In one case, the nanny decides that Janie will be married off to Logan Killicks, and while “Logan Killicks' vision was desecrating the pear tree… Janie didn't know how to tell the nanny. She just bent over and sulked on the floor” (14). By using only third-person narration to convey Janie's internal thoughts, Hurston effectively highlights her lack of voice in such a pivotal moment. Instead of expressing her true desires, Janie simply resigns herself to the fate that her nanny has decided for her. Even as Logan desecrates the pear tree, and with it Janie's growing awareness of her sexuality, he cannot find it within himself to defy the nanny's will. So, in this sense, he has no voice, choosing instead to allow the voices of others to dominate his own. Hurston further demonstrates Janie's passive and timid nature through the depiction of Janie's relationship with Jody, her second husband, and the stronghold she holds. on his every action. From his insistence that Janie constantly keep her hair covered to his reluctance to allow her to engage in even a simple game of checkers with other men, he keeps her voiceless and unable to act on her own thoughts and desires. In one particular instance, after Jody is elected mayor of Eatonville, the townspeople ask Janie to make a speech, to which Jody quickly responds "...but my wife doesn't know anything about not giving speeches"...she she is a woman and her place is at home” (43). In Jody's presence, Janie clearly has no voice and is therefore unable to establish an identity that reflects qualities that are uniquely hers. It is defined in terms of Jody, not her individuality. She objects Janie over and over, but her only response is to remain silent. By exercising virtually complete control over Janie's use of her voice, Jody reinforces the submission that characterizes Janie's typical response early in the novel as "no matter what Jody did, she didn't say anything" (76) . However, it is Janie's marriage to Jody that marks a turning point in her maturation. Janie's individuality and personal growth become evident as she learns to challenge Jody's authoritarian ways. During Jody's subsequent physical death, she finally asserts herself before him as he lay on his deathbed, saying, "All this bowing, all the disobedience under your voice – it's not what I ran down the street to find out ". about you",.