This biggest challenge people face throughout their lives is finding true happiness. To many, happiness is defined by monetary and materialistic qualities, however that is not what reveals contentment. It is important to recognize that true happiness exists after overcoming a challenge within our lives. In order to find true happiness and true acceptance within ourselves, we must experience pain and suffering. Zora Neale Hurston validates this claim through Janie Crawford by exemplifying how the challenges she faces shapes her eventually finding true happiness and acceptance within herself.
Janie 's confronts three challenges throughout her life: Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake. After being forced into marriage, she finds that happiness is not defined by marriage. “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (25). At this point, Janie recognizes that happiness is difficult to …show more content…
A compassionate, loving, and more importantly a caring husband. Janie feels that she has truly found happiness not only within herself, but also within Tea Cake. Although all good things must come to an end. As Tea Cake’s life ends, Janie begins a new one. “Janie buried Tea Cake in Palm Beach…Janie had wired to Orlando for money to put him away. The Undertaker did a handsome job and Tea Cake slept royally on his white silken couch among the roses she had bought. He looked almost ready to grin” (227). One of the key defining moments found in this excerpt is the eventual growth Janie has reached in her life. Although Tea Cake, the ideal image of love, has passed, Janie does not forsake her future hopes and dreams. Hurston employs the eminent death of Tea Cake as a passageway for Janie to continue to seek happiness. Although she may have found some true form of happiness, she must continue to search for more throughout her life eventually finding true acceptance within
Janie 's confronts three challenges throughout her life: Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake. After being forced into marriage, she finds that happiness is not defined by marriage. “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (25). At this point, Janie recognizes that happiness is difficult to …show more content…
A compassionate, loving, and more importantly a caring husband. Janie feels that she has truly found happiness not only within herself, but also within Tea Cake. Although all good things must come to an end. As Tea Cake’s life ends, Janie begins a new one. “Janie buried Tea Cake in Palm Beach…Janie had wired to Orlando for money to put him away. The Undertaker did a handsome job and Tea Cake slept royally on his white silken couch among the roses she had bought. He looked almost ready to grin” (227). One of the key defining moments found in this excerpt is the eventual growth Janie has reached in her life. Although Tea Cake, the ideal image of love, has passed, Janie does not forsake her future hopes and dreams. Hurston employs the eminent death of Tea Cake as a passageway for Janie to continue to seek happiness. Although she may have found some true form of happiness, she must continue to search for more throughout her life eventually finding true acceptance within