What Does Janie's Hair Symbolize In Their Eyes Were Watching God

In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, symbolism and imagery are prominent throughout the story. Often, they are essential to fully understanding the narrative. They help understand characters, especially Janie, on a much higher level. But what exactly do they mean? What are they? In this paper, these questions and more will be explored. One of the most important symbols in the novel is Janie’s hair. Her hair is “a symbol of her power and unconventional identity; it represent her strength and individuality” (SparkNotesEditors). She wears her hair down in the beginning of the novel, a sort of taboo for her age, showing her desire to break from norms (SparkNotesEditors). Her hair also can be interpreted as a “phallic symbol”, “her braid is constantly described in phallic terms and functions as a symbol of a typically masculine power and potency, which blurs gender lines and thus threatens Jody” (SparkNotesEditors). Her hair also represents her Caucasian side/heritage; “Her hair contributes to the normally white male power that she wields, …show more content…
The hurricane can be summed up as “the destructive fury of nature” (SparkNotesEditors). It is the direct contrast of the other natural symbols that beautify nature; it is a force of sheer destruction (SparkNotesEditors). It compels the characters to ask existential questions and ponder their place in the universe (SparkNotesEditors). It forces them to question whether their god really cares about them and their lives (SparkNotesEditors). “The hurricane symbolizes the all-powerful force of nature, which trumps even the most intense exertions of power by humans, such as Jody’s abusive need for control, or Mrs. Turner’s sense of racial hierarchy, or Tea Cake’s physical strength” (Florman and Kestler “LitChart on “Their Eyes Were Watching God.””). The novel gets its very name from this scene, and is a very important event in the