Within the framework of the novel, it appears that Hurston included many similarities that paralleled her own life. Like Janie, Zora grew up without much mothering. Her own mother died when Hurston was quite young. The character of Nanny in the novel seems to parallel Zora's own mother, Lucy Hurston. Like Nanny in the story, Lucy wanted her children to do well in life; she held their ambition for them, just as Nanny did for Janie.
One of the prevalent characters in the novel is Joe Starks, Janie's second husband. This character exemplifies an obvious similarity to Hurston's own life: Joe Clarke owned a store in Eatonville while Hurston was growing up there. As a child, Zora spent a lot of time there, listening to the men telling their tales. Both the store and the group of gossipers can be found in the novel. Joe Starks, in the novel, owns the crossroads store, and the men and women who gather to exchange stories are known in the novel as the porch sitters. Also, the character of Joe Starks resembles Zora's own father. He was a three-time elected mayor of the town of Eatonville, Florida, just as Joe Starks was in Hurston's story.
Janie's romance with a younger man, Tea Cake, also seems to parallel Hurston's life. Hurston also had a relationship with a much younger man, who may have served as the model for Tea Cake.
