Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel by American writer Zora Neale Hurston and it is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance. Set in central and southern Florida in the early 20th century, the novel explores protagonist transformation from teenage girl into a woman. Janie Crawford, an African-American woman in her forties, returns to her old town after a year-long absence, and recounts her life story, starting with her sexual awakening.