The Significance Of The Road In Their Eyes Were Watching God By Hurston

Hurston illustrates, “She searched as much of the world as she could from the top of the front steps and then went on down to the front gate and leaned over to gaze up and down the road” (11). Their Eyes Were Watching God is full of symbolism. A universal symbol of literature used in this novel is the road. One might use a road to find where they are going or where they are coming from. The road doesn’t have to be a physical road meant for people to travel on; a road can be a mental or emotional road representing a pathway of life. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the symbolism of the road is significant in the physical road, the many different roads possible for one’s life, and the road being a journey. Janie starts

There are so many different roads that a person may go down. The chance that Janie would end up with Tea Cake is low, but she did end up with him. For example Hurston explains what Nanny wants for Janie, “Ah wanted yuh to school out and pick from a higher bush and a sweeter berry. But dat ain’t yo’ idea, Ah see” (13). Nanny wanted Janie to spend her life with a man like Logan Killicks. Nanny thought it would be best for Janie, and much to Janie’s dismay she obliged and married Logan. If she didn’t marry Logan her life wouldn’t be the way it was. She most likely would have never met Jody, or ended up in Eatonville. If she didn’t live in Eatonville she would have never met Tea Cake either. Her life would have been different if she didn’t marry Logan. Debating wether to leave Logan or not Hurston writes, “S’posin’ Ah wuz to run off and leave yuh sometime” (30). Janie is giving the ultimatum to leave Logan and run off with Jody, or stay with Logan. She decides to leave Logan and run off with Jody. If she didn’t run off she might of ended up having kids with Logan, and spend her whole life married to a man she doesn’t

Each journey tells a different story that is unique to a person’s life. Janie may not of had a physical grueling journey of a life, but the road she took lead to a personal awakening type of journey. Janie had to journey through many different dilemmas in her life. Janie comes to a realization when Hurston explains, “She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman” (25). A journey can be a long and often difficult process of personal change and development. Janie’s marriage with Logan was a learning process for her. This part of Janie’s journey helped her realize that she was wrong about marriage. She had previously believed that marriage would fabricate love, but she was wrong. Marriage is just a partnership, and love is a commitment. A big hurdle in Janie’s life is when Hurston writes:

It was the meanest moment of eternity. A minute before she was just a scared human being fighting for its life. Now she was her sacrificing self with Tea Cake’s head in her lap. She had wanted him to live so much and he was dead. No hour is ever eternity, but it has its right to weep. Janie held his head tightly to her breast and wept and thanked him wordlessly for giving her the chance for loving service. She had to hug him tight for soon he would be gone, and she had to tell him for the last time. Then the grief of outer darkness descended.