<P> Their Eyes Were Watching God is a 1937 novel and the best known work by African - American writer Zora Neale Hurston . The novel narrates main character Janie Crawford 's `` ripening from a vibrant , but voiceless , teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny . '' As a young woman , who is fair - skinned with long hair , she expects more out of life , but comes to realize that people must learn about life ' fuh theyselves ' ( for themselves ) , just as people can only go to God for themselves . Set in central and southern Florida in the early 20th century , the novel was initially poorly received , but today , it has come to be regarded as a seminal work in both African - American literature and women 's literature . TIME included the novel in its 2005 list of the 100 best English - language novels published since 1923 . </P>
who was the main character in their eyes were watching god
Janie Crawford