Their Eyes Were Watching God Symbols

Nothing feels as liberating as lifting the heavy binders that tie your spirit down- or keep your highly treasured hair in place. At least this is how it felt for the protagonist, Janie, as she embarked on a long journey toward self fulfillment. In “Their Eyes Were Watching God’, by Zora Neale Hurston, the author uses symbols such as flowers and a head rag to contribute to the meaning of the work that in order to live a fulfilling life, one must cease to live in accordance with other people’s ideals and instead pursue freedom and happiness for oneself.

In the novel, flowers are used to symbolize maturity and becoming a woman. They represent Janie’s lust for life and the beautiful moments that make it all worth living. In the first chapters

She recalled the first time she made love under a pear tree, “The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through all her waking moments and caressed her in her sleep. It connected itself with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh.” (Hurston 43). At that point in time, Janie’s life was filled with pleasure and the freedom- to a certain extent- to be her own person, to have fun, and to be young and careless. Without the lingering shadow of a controlling man, Janie could enjoy life’s dearest gifts. Ever since the moment under the pear tree, Janie saw the beauty of life in flowers. Several months later, she had gotten into a situation where she no longer was living of her own accord. She made the decision to put an end to her unhappy life with Logan Killicks, and she married Joe Starks. Janie vowed that “From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and

This time, while living with her second husband. The head rag covered something she loved about herself- her hair. It concealed her beauty and her womanhood, making her feel less desirable. Janie’s hair symbolized her free spirit and her defiance of the town’s expectations. By covering it up, as her husband, Joe, demanded her to do, she also covered up her individuality. Janie felt,“This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But [Joe] was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn’t seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was.” (Hurston 91). Because her husband didn’t feel comfortable with her hair being down, she was forced to cover it up. No other women her age were made to do so, and Janie slowly began to realize that she truly wasn’t in control of her own life. However, once Joe died, she reclaimed her power and sense of self. The act of defying the people of the town made her feel a little like the rebellious young girl of her youth again. The day of Joe’s death,“Before [Janie] slept that night she burnt up every one of her head rags and went about the house next morning with her hair in one thick braid swinging well below her waist.” (Hurston 129). By discarding her head rag and letting her beautiful hair flow freely, she was once again her own person- no longer under the control of her husband.