Novels written by notable authors in distinct periods can possess many parallels and differences. Indeed, if we were to delve deeper into Zora Neale Hurstons, Their Eyes Were Watching God and Kate Chopin's novel, The Awakening, we can spot many similarities. Now of course there are the obvious comparisons, like Janie being African American and poor, as opposed to Edna being white and rich, but there's more than just ethnicity and materialistic wealth that ties these two characters together. Both novels portray a society where women's rights and their few opportunities in life are strictly governed, usually breaking the mold that has been created for them to follow the cult of true femininity. These novels further explore the relationships and emotions of these women, showing that throughout the centuries of history women have wanted quite similar things in life. Likewise they are interconnected in that the ending of the stories is left to the reader's interpretation. Both women in these novels are awakening to the world around them. Not only are they awakening to an understanding of themselves as women and individuals who are not happy in the domestic world of their peers, but they are also awakening as sexual beings. Once again, although it may not seem like very substantial evidence, there is the comparison between Edna Pontellier and Janie who feel like outsiders. Edna felt like an outsider from the start, she was originally from Kentucky and ended up marrying into a Cajun culture she had no connections or insights into. While spending time with Madame Ratignolle on the beach, Edna begins to remember her childhood in Kentucky, speaking "of a meadow... middle of paper... as if realizing that she cannot survive in a society that imposes such restrictions on women, thus committing suicide, or so we are led to believe. Or it could be seen as an act of enormous courage, walking away from a world that fails to hold her to society's expectations or rules. Both Hurston and Chopin suggest examples of how two women can harbor the same intrigues and fascinations even from contrasting cultures and times. periods throughout history. The story of how temptations, lifestyles and influences on women bring out their true personalities and devotions and corrupt their normal existence is clearly shown in both novels. They represent the little influence women have on their own lives, although some aspects of their lives can completely govern or take control of their surroundings and therefore change them even as individual women..