Their Eyes Were Watching God

The entire book is contained within a frame story: Janie telling Pheoby the story of her time outside of Eatonville. The entirety of the story takes place within Janie's description "after the sun and the bossman were gone"; all of the storytelling comes in the evening, when the two women can sit at their own leisure. The story as a whole, then, recalls the long African American tradition of storytelling, songs, and merrymaking after dark. In other words, the whole story is an act of rebellion against the "bossman," a defense of peace and community. 

The frame story begins with Pheoby asking Janie where she's been. Janie decides to tell the story:

"If they wants to see and know, why they don't come kiss and be kissed? Ah could then sit down and tell 'em things. Ah been a delegate to de big 'ssociation of life. Yessuh! De Grand Lodge, de big convention of livin' is just where Ah been dis year and a half y'all ain't seen me." They sat there in the fresh young darkness close together. Pheoby eager to feel and do through Janie, but hating to show her zest for fear it might be thought mere curiosity. Janie full of that oldest human longing––self-revelation. Pheoby held her tongue for a long time, but she couldn't help moving her feet. So Janie spoke. 

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