Symbolism Evaluation: Samuel Lucht

5 Symbols in the story:

-          The Tree and the Horizon

-          The Sun

-          Guns

-          The Dog

-          Janie’s Hair

1. The Tree and the Horizon

Through her experiences with the tree and the horizon Janie is given a glimpse at something that she wishes so badly to explore. She very much wishes to continue to explore a world that can create such beautiful scenes as the one she just witnessed with the tree. Her experience with the tree was one of immense beauty as she engaged with nature and watched how truly beautiful nature really is and how undervalued it is. I would say this symbolism is shown throughout the story just not in the same way visually. Janie throughout the story has always pushed to new boundaries and this realization of the beauty of nature is in that same thread.

2. The Sun

            In the case of Their Eyes Were Watching God the sun has a symbolism similar to many other stories. The idea that the sun represents new life and a new day has been a very symbolic theme in other stories but is still very powerful in this one. The sun as symbolism is used heavily in the burial of Tea Cake because it represents that life will go on without him. Janie thinks of the sun as Tea Cake and in that case he can breathe life into her every day and through this give her some comfort as he was always making her happy the same way seeing the sun now makes her happy.

3. Guns

            The symbolism behind guns is actually extremely interesting in regards to Their Eyes Were Watching God. Janie as a character that has so powerfully pushed that she doesn’t want to fill the normal role of a woman takes up shooting while first living with Tea Cake and becomes extremely good at it to the point that she is said to be an even better shot than Tea Cake. Guns in general are viewed as something inherently masculine as they are so dangerous and destructive. Janie is again pushing the idea that she can do all of these things and is not confined to a life of submission. There is even symbolism relating to guns that end the relationship of Janie and Tea Cake. The story say that she is an even better shot than Tea Cake and in the end she is as the have their standoff in the house at the end of the book. Guns were something that really interested Janie but after she was forced to shoot Tea Cake their value was lost on her. Guns turn into something truly evil but just. Tea Cake was going mad and the gun was the only option at the time. Janie did what she was supposed to do she continued her life as she has always done.

4. The Rabid Dog

            The dog in the story accurately symbolizes true evil within the story as it seeks only to harm and destroy what these characters have built together. The true effect of the dog on the story is one of anger and sadness in that it ends up causing Janie to have to kill Tea Cup. The ferocity of the dog is generally scary as most modern readers have only experienced dogs in the state they’re in now. The dog symbolizes the beginning of the end to the relationship that both Janie and Tea Cup have as this true evil come between the two characters. The dog also represents greed in the sense that in the story the dog only becomes truly angry when both characters begin to use that cow as a guide out of the water. This greed ultimately leads to his downfall which can be slightly connected to Joe as he was greedy to have Janie’s looks all to himself earlier in the story.

5. Janie’s Hair

            According to the story Janie has some of the most amazing hair which is even cool enough to attract other men. This hair is truly symbolic of the same idea that was mentioned earlier, she does not conform to the stereotypical role of a woman in that time period. This hair is a symbol of power. Joe attempts to cover up this power and causes extreme resentment to brew within Janie as she is with him. This resentment is shown through the fact that Janie burns all of the head-raps after Joe’s death.