The Desire for Independence and Happiness Individuality is the quality that makes people and things diverse from one another. Individuality is a significant feature for all people. Individuality gives everyone their own unique personality and is achieved with independence. Janie lacks the independence she needs to show her individuality and is longing to earn it back. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie is unhappy and hopeless with her constraints and doesn’t waste any time to express her newfound happiness when she discovers it. Hurston uses Janie’s hair and her head wrap as symbols to show that independence is essential to be happy. Janie’s head wrap is symbolic because it keeps her hair from flowing freely, just like how Joe Starks is keeping her from being free. Joe isn’t fond of the way the other men in the town are drooling over Janie’s hair and decides Janie should wear a head wrap at all times, “This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was not going to show in the store” (Hurston 55). Janie isn’t able to wear her hair the way she prefers now and …show more content…
When Joe dies, Janie feels free as she can now show her hair, “She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there” (Hurston 87). Janie senses the glory of independence when given the chance to let down her hair. It gave her her personality and individuality back. The first characteristic that people notice about Janie is her beautiful hair, “The great rope of black hair swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume” (Hurston 2). Janie’s hair is a major trait to herself and truly made her stand out from the other people. Joe notices this and prompts her to tie it up and causing her to feel as if she has lost her power. Janie’s hair gave her the independence that she desires to be