Their Eyes Were Watching God possesses a unique structure. The story is told in the context of a "frame." The novel both begins and ends with two people, Janie and Pheoby, sitting on the porch of Janie's house. Janie tells the stories contained within the novel to Pheoby during the course of an evening. The novel begins with Janie telling her dear friend, Pheoby, about what has happened in the years since she left Eatonville, along with reflections of her childhood. As the story proceeds chronologically, however, the story is not a first-person narrative. Hurston takes over the narrative with the use of third-person point of view. The reader encounters Janie's experiences as Janie faced them, yet Hurston controls the story.
Within the novel, there are four units to the framework of the story. The first frame exists with Janie's childhood and adolescent years with her grandmother, Nanny. The reader learns that Nanny was forced to care for Janie after her own mother deserted her. This portion of the novel is important as it details Nanny's wish for Janie that she have a better life than she did. This unit also is significant because it emphasizes Nanny's protective love for Janie. It also explores Janie's feelings and desires about love, a theme that continues throughout the novel.
The second unit serves as an interlude where readers learn Nanny's story as well as Janie's loss of childhood after her marriage to Logan Killicks. Nanny's history proves noteworthy as it reinforces her hopes for Janie. Nanny does not want Janie to repeat the mistakes of her mother. She wants Janie to live a secure and comfortable life. Nanny is not as concerned about love as Janie is. Perhaps that is because Nanny has never experienced the kind of love that Janie desires. This unit also emphasizes Nanny's protective love for Janie.
