Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston shows many different controversial topics typical of the era in which the novel was set. By illustrating these topics throughout the story, the author was able to help the reader have a better understanding of the issues of not only that time period, but human nature. The inequality of social class, race, and gender presented throughout the book helps show the underlying message that humans feel the need to achieve happiness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay When a character was introduced in this novel, their social class status was shown in various ways based on position (slave) or rich or poor. The first time this happened was when Janie's nanny, when she introduced her story as a slave, later Janie has an affair with Joe, at first he seems like a man with ambition shown, "How much did they give? " “oh, about fifty acres.” "How much do you have now?" “Oh, more of the same.” “It's not close enough. Who owns the land that joins what you have?" in the first pages of reading Joe's story with Janie starting their life. This immediately makes the reader understand that the topic of "upper class vs. middle class vs. lower class" will be a constant throughout the story. Another time this motif was seen in Their Eyes Were Watching God was when Joe wants to meet the owner of the land Joe then states that he will buy the land on the spot. Some people show him the road, others go to call his bluff. He eventually buys it and begins working on the land they now call their home, as shown in the quote “Then Joe left suddenly Most of them moved on to show him the way and to be there when his bluff was called. The difference between social classes Joe Petraeus“Mrs. Robbins, how can you say you're hungry when Tony comes here every Saturday and shops like a man. Three weeks of shame on you!" and she's the only one who shows it the most besides Mrs. Turner, she just talks about teaching their lesson. But underneath it all Joe lacked love, he showed it at the end of his life whether he kept telling Janie she was old so they could both be close or whether he was taking it more. Many characters have had to endure race in their lives to continue order. Janie was not directly involved in any racial issues, but she learned about them through other people, an example is Mrs Turner "we are mixed people and we all have black relatives and yellow relatives". During the discussion Janie and Mrs. Turner talked Mrs. Turner into teaching their lesson. separating from black and white. But Janie pointed out that their ancestors were both black and white, it would be illogical after Mrs. Turner never gave an answer to the topic. This show Janie has the right mindset about racial issues. This won't be the only time she encounters this racial issue, which will be foreshadowed by Jaine encountering it later in the chapter. “The white man's are good colored people. The ones he doesn't know are bad niggers." During this statement, they are living in the city while a hurricane destroys their old home or they were back in the "Glades". While living in the city they are treated differently than when they lived in their old home. When Tea Cake meets white people, he is treated as a threat to their community even though he has money and a job. They soon discover that having white friends and important people doesn't.