Speech is arguably the primary source of communication for humanity, allowing us to experience and share life with one another through our words. However, we see a different life path in Janie, the main character in the book Their Eyes Were Watching God. Janie's character evolves by using the control of silence to her advantage, helping her find what she has always strived for: individuality and independence. Janie's relationships with her three husbands revolve around three versions of silence, while pursuing what she calls her "handstand," her true love. Logan forces Janie into silence, who becomes an oppressor; Joe exploits Janie's silence and uses her as a manipulator; and Janie's one true love, Tea Cake, allows Janie to control the silence, which becomes her liberator. In the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, silence manifests itself as an evolving source of empowerment and identity for Janie, as her character is shaped not only by her speech but, more importantly, by her silence. In Janie's journey to find herself, she initially has limited control over her own life, being forced into marriage by Nanny. Nanny wants what she feels is best for Janie, wishing her safety and protection. This marriage constitutes the perfect solution in Nanny's eyes; Nanny promises Janie that everything will go well with her marriage, even if it doesn't seem that way at the time. Janie reluctantly agrees, but soon realizes that Logan does not have her best interests at heart, causing her to quickly grow tired of him. Shortly after Nanny's death, the reader sees Logan completely change. He commands Janie by giving her orders, expecting her to do whatever he asks of her. Janie being a child, she is somewhat helpless to defend herself...... middle of paper ...... of the love the reader sees in Tea Cake is the fact that he saved Janie from the dog attack. This unravels the mystery, revealing that Tea Cake truly loves Janie; he is her pear flower on her pear tree. Hurston successfully uses speech and silence to create a compelling story about a young woman who grows to find her individuality and, in the end, her pear blossom. Logan, Joe, and Tea Cake all play a vital role in Janie becoming the strong, independent woman she is, ultimately allowing her to break the chain of abuse suffered by her mother and grandmother. Silence is the barrier she endures in Janie's life; through suffering, Janie emerges to honor the struggles of her life, transformed into a beautiful, mature, and strong woman. Janie is rewarded with the peace and happiness her life now offers, with the pear tree that is hers forever..