The Community plays a big part in Their Eyes Were Watching God. It influences a lot of things that some of the characters do. Nanny, Janie's grandmother, is influenced somewhat by the community to believe that marrying someone that is rich and is a good provider is the only way to find a good suitor. Therefore, Nanny sets Janie up with Logan Killicks. Logan is a good provider for Janie, but she just does not love him.
Janie soon leaves Logan after Nanny's death, and she finds Jody Starks. Jody soon becomes the mayor of the town they move too, and everyone absolutely adores him and Janie. The community starts to play a role in how Jody acts and how he treats Janie. Jody soon starts to treat Janie like a material object. He does not let her take part in community events. He does not let her even talk with the community on their store's front porch. The community helps to develop Jody into a crazy bussiness man who is only concerned with money and material possessions.
Soon, Janie leaves Jody and marries Tea Cake. The community highly frowns upon Janie even talking with Tea Cake. He is a lot younger then she is, and the community thinks that their relationship is a little scandelous. Many people try to talk Janie out of marrying Tea Cake, but by this time in her life, Janie has stopped listening to others. She now does what she wants to do. She does not take orders from other people, especially the community who barely knows the real Janie.
Throughout the novel Janie is influenced by the community. From the very beginning of the novel the community is talking and gossiping about her. They continue to talk about her for the rest of the book. They talk about the good and the bad things about her. They love her hair and her looks, but they sometimes question her character. At the end of the novel though, Janie learns to not listen to what the community thinks, so she finally finds the horizon.
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