In the novel Their Eyes are Watching God Zora Hurston tells a story of a woman life as she goes on a journey of finding herself and true love. The themes of The Eyes are Watching God would be interpreted in different ways because of factors such as the age and gender. These factors help to enhance the meaning of the text but at the same time it also hinders the reader’s analysis of the text.
One major overarching theme the novel’s overarching theme was Janie’s rebellion against silence. Janie's literal voice and ability to speak symbolize her freedom and empowerment as a woman. With Logan and especially with Jody, her voice is suppressed, but with Tea Cake she is able to speak. The men in Janie life constantly try to dwindle Janie’s presence …show more content…
Zora Hurston develops this by using metaphor and similes referencing to fruit. Janie’s body is compared to fruit such as her “firm buttocks shaped like grape fruits”(Hurston 2). or how her hair “swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume” (Hurston 2). The men are lusting over Janie which may be obvious to a wide range of ages but the understanding of the fruit as sexual symbols may only be understood by those of older age and more maturation. A 10 year old would most likely not make the connection with how the shape of the fruits described resemble the shape of a woman or how the taste of a grape fruit is sweet bitter, and strong. Another prominent symbol of Janie’s awaking to becoming a woman was the pear tree. As the narrator describes the tree she says, “From barren brown stems to glistening leaf buds to snowy virginity of a bloom” (Hurston10). Janie while under the tree also sees “dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom” (Hurston 10). This text has an abundance of sexual overtones used to describe her sexual awakening but different ages reading this book may not catch on as easily and pass by this passage. Instead of seeing the classic birds in the bee’s scenario with the “bearing bee” or how the “snowy virginity bloom’’ was a symbol of her losing her innocence to puberty and sex he or she may interpret the book as being appreciative towards nature. They could also being on a surface level and not having mature minds just think that Janie is relaxing for her own pleasure of
One major overarching theme the novel’s overarching theme was Janie’s rebellion against silence. Janie's literal voice and ability to speak symbolize her freedom and empowerment as a woman. With Logan and especially with Jody, her voice is suppressed, but with Tea Cake she is able to speak. The men in Janie life constantly try to dwindle Janie’s presence …show more content…
Zora Hurston develops this by using metaphor and similes referencing to fruit. Janie’s body is compared to fruit such as her “firm buttocks shaped like grape fruits”(Hurston 2). or how her hair “swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume” (Hurston 2). The men are lusting over Janie which may be obvious to a wide range of ages but the understanding of the fruit as sexual symbols may only be understood by those of older age and more maturation. A 10 year old would most likely not make the connection with how the shape of the fruits described resemble the shape of a woman or how the taste of a grape fruit is sweet bitter, and strong. Another prominent symbol of Janie’s awaking to becoming a woman was the pear tree. As the narrator describes the tree she says, “From barren brown stems to glistening leaf buds to snowy virginity of a bloom” (Hurston10). Janie while under the tree also sees “dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom” (Hurston 10). This text has an abundance of sexual overtones used to describe her sexual awakening but different ages reading this book may not catch on as easily and pass by this passage. Instead of seeing the classic birds in the bee’s scenario with the “bearing bee” or how the “snowy virginity bloom’’ was a symbol of her losing her innocence to puberty and sex he or she may interpret the book as being appreciative towards nature. They could also being on a surface level and not having mature minds just think that Janie is relaxing for her own pleasure of