Many believe that finding love is more valuable than your independence. In most cases this may be true, but if the person you seek and expect love from does not treat you with respect, why is love more important? The journey to find love might be great, but if deep down you are aware of your unhappiness, then YOUR independence should be what matters. Zora Neale Hurston's message with the theme Love and Relationships vs. Independence is to never rush into finding love until you are ready. Your independence can give you happiness that you may not be able to have in a relationship. Janie never wanted to get married, she wanted her independence, but her grandmother thought differently. Janie's grandmother was aware that she was getting old and that when she died there would be no one there to take care of Janie. Janie's grandmother told her, “Oh, I'm not kidding, honey. Ah, I'm done. One early morning now, the angel with the sword will come and stop here. The day and hour are hidden from me, but it will not last long. Ah, you asked Law, when you were a child in my arms, to let me stay here until I grew up. It saved me from seeing the day. My daily prayer now is to let these golden moments continue for a few more days until I see you safe in life. (Hurston, pg. 15) Overall the nanny just wanted to see that Janie was safe before she died, this was why she wanted to marry Janie. The nanny thought that with Janie married she wouldn't have to see Janie go through the same incidents her mother experienced. Janie's mother was raped and once Janie was born she ran away. When you think of independence, the first thing that comes to mind is freedom and the desire to live… middle of paper… a key role for numerous reasons. Janie might have been an independent woman if she hadn't been forced into marriage at such a young age. Marriage put her independence on hold because Janie was forced to wait hand and foot for men she didn't love. She soon found her independence when her second husband Joe Starks died. She became the Janie who would have fun and not worry about the repercussions or the gossip behind it. But love found her again and she took advantage of it, hoping it was different from her past experiences. In the end, Janie's last chance at love turned out to be better than the others. Finding love could lead to your independence, but it is up to the driver to determine whether that love is for him or not. Works Cited Hurtson, Neale, Zora: Their Eyes Were Watching God