As you know, symbolism occurs when a person, place, or thing (such as hair) represents itself and something beyond itself. Hair, strangely enough, is a symbol in both novels. This is sort of bizarre because, as far as I know, hair is not one of the more common literary symbols. In literature, symbolism of hair is fairly rare, one might say. Another symbol that Hurston and Hemingway share is the weather (rain for Hemingway and the hurricane for Hurston). The cool thing about symbolism is that you have to figure it out. Calling all literary sleuths: How (in the world) is hair a symbol in both novels? How is the weather symbolic in each?
Hair is a symbol in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Nora Zeale Hurston because it represented Janie's strength. Throughout the novel, her hair is described for it's beauty. When Janie marries Joe Starks, he witnesses a man touching Janie's hair without her knowing it. He became jealous and made her tie her hair up. He didn't like the strength her hair showed when it was down. Her hair also hinted to her white features, since it was described as being straight. The hurricane is meant to make the characters question their lives. Tea Cake is worried Janie would rather be somewhere else than with him in the storm, but she denies this. It also makes the characters question God. They ask why He is doing this and if He even cares about them. The hurricane allows Janie to realize how strong she is when she is with Tea Cake.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," I believe that the symbolism behind Janie's hair is her youthfulness. Even though she had a hard life, she still had the view of it as a young child would. She found beauty in the simplest things, such as the trees she sat under, and laughter from the silliest things, such as the mule. I would have to say she was a bit naive because she believed the words of others so easily. Even though what she went through should of made her age a tremendous amount, her hair kept her going like a young girl; it gave her the strength to keep going.
ReplyDeleteAlong with this, I would have to say the the storm was the turning point of her life. The series of events turned her from a child into a wise adult. Once the storm came, she realized that she couldn't rely on anyone to take care of her; she had to be strong and do things on her own.
In Zora Neale Hurstons novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God", I have come to believe that the symbol behind Janie's hair would be her holding on to some form of her youth. Allowing her to have one thing that connects her to some form of her past can help Janie change and mold herself into the image that she has always wanted for her life. It allows her to be naive to things that are confusing about being older. The storm symbolizes herself coming to realize that she is the only one who can really take care of herself. Before the storm came she was relying on her husband(s) to take care of her. But after the storm she learned to how to take care of herself.
ReplyDeleteHair is a symbol in “Their Eyes were Watching God,” because it is shows Janie’s power and her identity. In the beginning of the novel, it is considered undignified for a woman of Janie’s age to wear her hair down. Joe Stark tells Janie to wear her hair up because he was jealous and didn’t like what confidence she had. Janie’s hair can comfort her and also reflect her strong spirits. But since her hair is so straight, it is considered a Caucasian characteristic. The weather is symbolic because it is a destructive force. The hurricane can have a person questioning who they are, and why are they are here. Janie wonders how she could possibly survive in such a chaotic place.
ReplyDeleteHair is a symbol in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" because it is what defines Janie. It it what makes her stand out because it was long, thick and straight and she always had it down when every women had theirs up. When she hid her hair, she became withdrawn, quiet. She was not like herself. When he began to show her hair off again, she became more happy. She was free to be herself again. Her hair is what defines her because it was unique.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in this novel Janie's hair was a huge part of symbolism. I think that it shows how strong and how young she could be. She is not supposed to wear her hair down at all but in the beginning she shows how strong she was and she didn't really care what others thought, until other men started looking at her differently, and touching her hair which made her feel better about herself and gain more self consciousness about herself and the way she looked. That's when Joe (her husband at the time) started making her pin her hair back, and wearing it up so that wouldn't happen anymore. Her hair was considered "white hair" because it was straight. The weather and the storm is considered symbolic because it was a turning point in the way that Janie felt. Before the storm started she was so dependent on her husband and the way that she acted towards them like she couldn't live without him, but then after the storm she was more self dependent and learned that she didn't need help from anyone else and she was capable of doing things on her own.
ReplyDeleteJanie's hair in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" was a symbol for her confidence. When her hair was up, she was withdrawn and shy and very introverted. When her hair was down, she felt strong, free and very extroverted, she spoke her mind more often. The hurricane was a symbol of how easily the good times can end and things that make you happy can be taken away from you just like that.
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ReplyDeleteIn the novel "Their Eyes were Watching God" Janie's hair shows major symbolism for her strength and independence. Her hair reoccurs over and over because everyone resents her for how beautiful it is. One of her husbands forces her to tie it back because he does not want anyone else admiring it. The husband made it clear he did not like the courage Jodie’s hair gave her. Her hair was looked at as a “white characteristic” due to the fact that it was long and straight, unlike blacks. When her hair was back or up, Janie became unusually low confident, and shy. When her hair was down, Janie became confident and proud. Janie’s hair also kept her young and full of youth, it was one element that kept her from aging. The hurricane was a force of destruction. In the story the hurricane represents chaos. It makes the characters realize who they are and question their identity and place in the world. The hurricane pushes the characters to being to wonder if even God really cares about them, and if or if not they will be able to survive the fierce storm that is just beginning. The times are going to get tough and they can begin to sense that all from the chaotic events of the capricious hurricane.
ReplyDeleteIn the second story, “A Farewell to Arms,” hair is also an important key symbol. Catherine’s hair shows isolation from the world with Henry. In one portion of the novel the couple is lying in bed and Catherine allows her hair to tumble around Henry’s head. This represents being inside of a tent to me, or maybe somewhere private and alone. The two show that even with the terrible war around them they can have privacy and protection from something as simple as hair with each other. They learn from this that love is meaningful but also very delicate. In this book the weather or the rain more importantly is symbolic. It symbolizes the unavailability of happiness. Henry and Catherine lie listening to the storm and the rain at night and Catherine confesses something to Henry. She states that she is afraid of the rain and that somehow it always causes things to be damaged with her loved ones. Then later Catherine dies and afterwards Henry walks home, in the rain. The rain makes him realize the fretfulness of Catherine and the fact that no matter what love can never proceed, somehow it will terminate.
Hair is a symbol throughout the novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” of Janie’s strength and individuality. When Janie’s hair is down at the beginning of the novel it is considered improper to the society because of her age. This symbolizes Janie’s desire to do what she wants even if it’s frowned upon by society. When Janie is married to Joe Starks he forces her to put her hair in a braid. This symbolizes Janie being trapped by society’s beliefs that men are in control of women. When Janie’s hair was in a braid she was controlled by Joe Starks and felt held back and not as free. Lastly, Janie’s hair, being straight, allows Janie to gain some advantages. While Janie was married to Tea Cake she got to do what she wanted. Her hair symbolizes her freedom gained while married to him. She also gained respect from some whites due to her hair. The hurricane symbolizes destruction in the world. The hurricane tests Janie as to whether or not she could live in this world alone. It shows her that there is more to the world and that not everything is easy. It also shows her how important it is to be reliant on herself rather than only her husband.
ReplyDeleteHair is a symbol in Their Eyes Were Watching God because it showed how Janie was feeling. With her hair pulled back Janie felt restricted, controlled, and unable to do what she wanted to do. That is what her marriage was like with Joe. When her hair was down, Janie felt freedom, and being young again. This describes her marriage with Tea Cake. The hurricane symbolizes destruction. Janie had to push herself forward and be independent since you can't always rely on others to help you. You have to support yourself as a person. Life isn't easy, and the hurricane symbolizes this.
ReplyDeleteHair is a symbol in "There Eyes Were Watching God" because it symbolizes Janie's personality, freedom. With each setting she was in with her husbands, her hairstyle changed. More with her second and third husbands because she was the one who chose them. When she was married to Joe Stark, she started the relationship with her hair down,(which is what he loved about her) but as time progressed in their relationship, the more controlling he got, the more she kept her hair back. He wanted her to keep her hair up so no other man could touch it without her knowing. Having her hair back made Janie feel belittled,and controlled. Tying up her hair was almost equivalent to having her youth swept away from her. In her next relationship, her hair and personality changed. Tea Cake loved her youthfulness she had when her hair was down almost as much as she did. When her hair was down it showed how she felt she was able to be a free spirit. The weather symbolized destruction, but not destruction that most might think of. It was the destruction of her having to rely others. Before the storm, she depended on others to support her but after the storm she had a new independence growing inside her.
ReplyDeleteIn “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston, hair is a symbol because it affects Janie’s personality and freedom. When Janie was married to Joe, he had her keep her hair tied up so no other man could touch it without her knowing. After Joe had forced Janie to tie her hair up, Janie felt shy and timid. After Joe had passed away, Janie met Tea Cake. Tea Cake was different from the first two men Janie married because he wanted her to be herself. With Tea Cake, Janie was encouraged to wear her hair down for everyone to see. It seems to me that when Janie’s hair was up she was more conservative and when her hair was down, she felt younger and more energetic. The hurricane symbolized the reality of Janie’s independence. Before the storm, she was highly dependent on Tea Cake and everything he did for her. But I noticed that as Janie lived with Tea Cake, she was more willing to help him in the swamps than she was with her past relationships. After the hurricane hit, and Tea Cake had passed away, Janie gained the independence she needed to thrive on her own.
ReplyDeleteHair is a symbol in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" because it represents how Janie feels and acts. When Janie's hair was down she was confident in her actions and did not care what people thought. People in the town thought Janie was too old to have her hair down, but she continued wearing it how she wanted. When Janie’s hair was up she did not express her own will and often did what others wanted her to do. The hurricane showed Janie she could be independent and do things on her own.
ReplyDeleteHair is a major symbol in "Their Eyes Were Watching God". How Janie had her, it represented not only her personality, but reflected her attitude. She was a completely different person. When her hair was down, she was more herself. She had more confidence and expressed her feelings. When she had her hair up, she did not seem content. She would do of what she was asked, but her personality and attitude was completely different.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has a characteristic that defines them, Janie’s is her hair. Her long and straight hair that all the townspeople envy in the beginning of the novel symbolizes her strong personality. Janie went through a lot throughout the novel and when she wears it down she is most comfortable and confident because it is a part of her. The hurricane is also a symbol that supports showing how independent and strong Janie is. Whether it be searching for love or surviving without Tea Cake, Janie needed to stay independent and keep going and move on with her life, not always relying on others.
ReplyDeleteHair symbolizes Janie's marriages in the novel. During her first marriage, it isn't mentioned and really goes unnoticed. This is the same as how she is treated, unappreciated. In her second marriage, it is tied up, not because she wants to, but beacause she is forced to. This is the way she is treated in her marriage to Starks, wanting to be let loose, but being forced to be contained. In her marriage with Tea Cake, she wears her hair down and free, which is the way she feels inside, like she can be herself.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel "Their Eyes were Watching God" hair is a symbolic feature throughout the book to the main character, Janie. To other people hair is a big deal and can’t stand not to have it look pretty, in some cultures you aren't allowed to show your hair or any piece of skin other that your face and hands, and represents faithfulness to that culture. To Janie, her hair represents freedom. Throughout the novel, she goes through three marriages and three different hair styles. The first hair style she goes for isn’t really mentioned and she is treated with the least respect for a woman in the world, he told her she was too “spoiled”. The second marriage she goes through starts out when she leaves her first husband and they move to a new town, where there is no mayor and no stores. Her and her new husband, Jody, buy 20+ acres of land and Jody becomes the new mayor. They decided that since there wasn’t a store in town, to build one. Janie has to stay at the store and is almost tied up staying there while Jody goes out and talks to other girls and explores the town. Her hair for this marriage is tied up with sometimes a scarf around her hair. Jody dies, and she feels a little part of her is set free. The third marriage happens after she is done half mourning about Jody, when a new guy walks into the store. They socialize for a long time and play checkers. She feels like she can be free with this guy. They run off and go to the Everglades and work in the fields. At this point she feels free again and can finally let down her hair. The weather on the other hand, the hurricane, symbolizes as a test for Janie. To show her that she can be strong, and that having a husband doesn’t define who you are, it’s who you make of yourself.
ReplyDeleteA major symbol in he novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is Janie's hair. At the beginning, her long straight hair symbolized her beauty and her freedom. As The novel progressed her hair seemed to symbolize her strength and power. When Joe made her tie her hair up it was because he was diminishing her power and beauty as if he had her tied up as well. When he died one of the first things she did was let her hair down to show that she was free and strong again. Another major symbol in the novel is the hurricane. This symbolizes Janie's strength and independence. It challenges her and in the end shows her that she can be strong enough to make hard decisions and be on her own.
ReplyDeleteIn “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, hair is a powerful symbol referring to Janie. Her hair has certain characteristics about it that make it stand out. First, her hair is long and straight. Many people in the community respect her for her long, straight hair because it resembles the hair of a white person. She gains respect from people like Mrs. Turner because of it. It also shows her power and her rebellious personality. At the beginning of the book, it shows that the women on the porch are gossiping about her and saying it is wrong for someone of Janie’s age to wear her hair down. When she was forced to pin her hair up by Joe Starks, she began to lack confidence and personality. The hurricane symbolizes destruction. It makes the characters question each other and who they are themselves as a person. When Tea Cake gets bit by the dog to save Janie and becomes sick and dies, it shows Janie that he showed her what true happiness was. They didn’t care what happened to them during the hurricane, as long as they were together. When Tea Cake passes away, she proved to herself that she could be independent and happy on her own and to be herself no matter what.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, throughout Janie’s life her hair is a constant symbol of her freedom and youth. Janie’s beautiful, straight hair allows her to stand out among the other women. Jody, her second husband, orders her to tie her hair up to hide her beauty from the other men. This upsets Janie, and when Jody passes away she lets down her hair in relief and this serves as a symbol that she is free. Janie’s hair is also a constant reminder of her youth. The porch sitters often make comments on how it is not right to have her hair always hanging down like a young girl. The hurricane symbolizes a turning point in the novel. Janie’s life with Tea Cake is drastically changed after the storm and she comes to the realization that she is able to be her own, independant woman.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie's hair represents her uniqueness. She is different than all the other women in the south. Her long flowing hair represents here freedom and when Jody makes her tie it up in the store, that represents her freedom being bound up just like her hair. When she is with Tea Cake she is free and wears her hair down. The hurricane represents the chaos and the destructive nature of the world. This makes Janie question herself and after she loses Tea Cake she realizes she can be an independent woman.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Janie's hair reperesents her strength to go against the convential way of thinking and also shows her feelings. Her hair is like an identity bracelet. Instead of wearing her emotions/heart on her sleeve, Janie wore it one her head. When Janie's hair was down and free flowing she was herself and was a standout among women. At the start of the book people reprimand Janie for being her age and still wearing her hair down. When Janie's hair is up she is a conventional lady: reserved, hard-working, and listened to her authority (men). When her hair is up, it restains Janie from being her true person, she puts on an act for society. The hurricane symbolises destruction and doubt. The hurricane shows how destructive nature can be and how everything can change before your very eyes. After the hurricane Janie and others begin to doubt their faith in God or if God really loves them.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie's hair symbolizes how Janie feels. When her hair is up is shows that Janie is holding back part of who she is. When Janie had to wear her hair up in a scarf in the store she was not outgoing. When Janie had to work in the store with her hair up she did not talk and laugh with the people on the porch. With Janie's hair up she had to be careful of what she said and how it will come back to bite her. However when she lets her hair down she is friendly and nice to people. When she lets her hair down she talks to the people on the porch and laughs with them. Janie's hair is a symbol of freedom to be herself.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel Their Eyes were Watching God, Janie's hair represents her independence and freedom. When Janie was married to Joe Starks he always made her wear her hair up. He had control over her and she had no say in that. Once Joe passed away she let her hair down. She was able to be who she wanted to be. She was free from being in control of someone. The hurricane is a turning point in Janie's life. It brings even more independence in her life and shows her she does not need to rely on someone else. She finally realizes she does not need Tea Cake to live and becomes much stronger.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes were Watching God" Janie's hair is used to represent her strength and beauty. When Janie was married to Joe Starks, all of the men in Eatonville admired her hair, and so Janie was forced to tie it up. When Janie's hair was tied up she herself seemed to be hidden from the world. When the hurricane comes late in the book it is used to symbolize doubt. Janie and Tea Cakes both had to question everything that was happening around them once it happened.
ReplyDeleteI think Janie's hair in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" is a symbol of Janie's freedom. At the beginning of the book all the men and the women of her town were jealous of her long, flowing, straight hair. At this point in the novel her hair is always down showing her care-free attitude and freedom to do as she pleases. When she marries Joe he forces her to put her hair up so that other men wouldn't look it. At this point in the novel her hair being tied up is also her freedom being tied up. When she's married to Joe he is very controlling and doesn't let her do what she wants. So when he orders her to tie up her hair it is also as if he's tying up her freedom. I think the hurricane symbolizes Janie's independence. The hurricane tests Janie to her limits and at the end she realizes that she can be an independent woman who doesn't need a man.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie's hair is a symbol of her freedom. In the beginning, her hair and her attitude are defiant of the town and society's standards, deeming her 'undignified.' Janie is a rebellious spirit but this is tested when she marries Joe Stark and he forces her to tie up her hair; her freedom is symbolically taken away. The hurricane represents destruction. It is used to symbolize chaos and as a result, it forces Janie to question her life and for her to realize that she can go on.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Janie's hair is a symbol not only for her strength and freedom, but also her courage. I think of courage because she keeps carrying on after all the rough events in her life. In her first marriage she is more defiant and her hair is down,but as the novel progresses and Jody makes her put her hair up she becomes slightly more submissive and holds her tongue. Once Jody dies though she goes back to her fiery personality. The hurricane symbolizes the rough parts of life and how you have to strive forward. Janie just this as she takes care of Tea Cake while he is sick, and then goes onto another part of her life after his death.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" I believe that Janie's hair is a symbol of her freedom. While she was married to Joe Starks Janie was forced to keep her hair hidden from everyone, along with her opinions. Janie held her tongue and did what she was told in the duration of her and Stark's marriage. Once he passed, Janie was free to do what she pleased. She burnt all of her head wraps and decided to be the woman she wanted to be. The hurricane can symbolize destruction and new beginnings. Janie can be free and understand that she is an independent woman.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Janie's hair symbolizes her free will and individuality; Jody forces Janie to tie up he hair when she is in the shop, as he fears that other men will attempt to court her if she displays her long, beautiful hair. The tying of Janie's hair represents her lack of freedom when married to Jody; when Jody dies, she begins to let her hair down once again, symbolizing her rediscovered independence. The hurricane, in my opinion, symbolizes the hardships that may test a couple's love for one another. The love between Janie and Tea Cake survives through the many hardships they face, such as the ordeal with Mrs. Turner, the hurricane, and even the disease that ultimately ends Tea Cake's life.
ReplyDeleteIn both books hair and weather are critical symbols; some would even go far enough to call them motifs. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, hair is symbolic of the protagonist, Janie’s, individuality. As long hair is not made normal by society’s standards, the hair shows Janie’s defiance towards social norms. This sets Janie apart- therefore uplifting her individuality. In A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, hair is symbolic of Henry and Catherine’s isolated relationship. When Catherine lets her hair cascade down her shoulders and onto Henry he describes it as if the hair was a tent or waterfall that kept him locked safe in her grasp. Thus, just as Catherine’s hair acts a sanctuary to Henry, the couples love acts as a sanctuary in the midst of the ongoing war; isolating them from the violence going on in the world. On the other hand is the weather. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, the weather is mainly symbolized through the use of the big hurricane. The hurricane represents uncertainty as it causes Tea Cake and Janie to questionnot only their relationship, but also their faith in God. Tea Cake fears that Janie will want to leave him as he has brought her into such unfavorable circumstances. Then the characters wonder why God is putting them through such turmoil and begin to feel uncertain about the trust they uphold in their Great Maker. Once the storm has passed over though the characters are able to regain a greater grasp on their relationship and their faith in God. In A Farewell to Arms, weather is chiefly symbolized by the use of rain, which represents the on-and-off cycles doom and gloom in the characters lives. In such novel, Catherine tells of how she fears the rain due to the misfortune it often brings, soon this fear is brought to life when Catherine dies and Henry is forced to walk home in the rain. This proves that just as the rain falls every once in a while, so too will tears fall from the crinkles of one’s eyes every so often. These are the major symbols of the two summer novels.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” Janie’s hair merely changes with her marital and social status. When Janie was young her hair was let down to show that she was not yet taken and represented her “freedom”. Then soon after she married Joe Starks, he had Janie braid her hair and wear a bandanna to conceal her beautiful tresses, symbolizing their marriage (not to mention her suppression). Then once again, lets her hair down when she realizes that Tea Cake is the right man for her. The Hurricane is symbolic of Janie’s individuality and the strength of her relationship with Tea Cake, she sees that Tea Cake is willing to die for her and together can overcome anything. Also, the hurricane tests Janie whether she is worthy enough to live in this world independently without a man to guide her.
ReplyDeleteIn " Their Eyes Were Watching God", hair is a major symbol. It mainly symbolizes Janie. It symbolizes her beauty, personality, happiness , and freedom. For example, when she is married to Joe Starks, he makes her wear her hair up and cover it. This shows how Joe controlled her and contained her. She wasn't happy and surely wasn't free. But after Joe died, she let her hair down and she was happy, and free. Once she let her hair down literally it helped her let her hair down metaphorically too. She was allowed to explore new places, and by “letting her hair down” she created a very meaningful relationship with Tea Cake despite what the town thought about it.
ReplyDeleteIn Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the symbol of hair represents Janie’s might, usually in regard to her current relationship status. When Janie is married to Joe Starks, he become jealous after seeing another man touch her beautiful hair, which he believed was strictly for him to enjoy, and forced her to tie it up and wear a head scarf. Once Joe dies, Janie lets down her hair again, relieved that she is no longer suppressed by her trying marriage. The hurricane that occurred in the novel forced the characters to analyze different aspects of their lives. Janie questioned whether Tea Cake truly loved her and would always stay with her, at which he showed his love for her when he almost died to save her life. Tea Cake also questions if his spouse really wants to be with him, which Janie makes clear she wouldn’t. During the hurricane, the characters also question God. They wonder if He is really with them, and why he is putting them trough this trying storm.
ReplyDeleteJanie's hair in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" symbolizes her happiness, freedom, and most prominently, her restraint in her relationships. When her hair is down in the beginning of the novel, she is happy and free to do as her will pleases. When her hair is up, such as when she is with Joe Sparks, it represents her unhappiness in her controlling relationship. After Joe, she lets her hair down literally and figuratively. Despite all she went through with Joe, after becoming free of her restraining relationship, she is able to open up and create a lasting, blissful relationship with Tea Cake. The hurricane is a symbol of the chaos life can be. Janie's life was chaotic from the day her grandmother died to the end of the novel. She faces obstacles throughout her life. The hurricane brings the chaos of her life to a point, and though it has tried her, the end of chaos and the beginning of happiness is always in site.
ReplyDeleteJaine's hair is a symbol of her independnce and happiness. When it is lose and unbound, she feels free and happy. When her hair is upheld, she is contaned and unhappy. Joe told her to put it up because it didnt fit the projection of a normal 1800s wife. When he died she let her hair down, she became free to be the person she wanted to be. Her hair symbolizes herself.
ReplyDeleteJanie’s hair represents that she is different. Though she is African American, her straight hair is like that of a white person. Her straight hair establishes that she is different from those around her in both her physical appearance and her beliefs. Just as she does not like binding her hair in a rag when she has to work at the store in Eatonville, she does not like being oppressed as an individual either. On the other hand the hurricane close to the end of the novel symbolizes the climax of the novel and the widespread death that the hurricane causes foreshadows Tea Cake’s upcoming death. It also symbolizes change brought by the end of the old and the start of an uncertain beginning. After the hurricane, Tea Cake dies soon after and with it the life Janie loves is over and she faces an undecided future.
ReplyDeleteJanie's hair represents independence and her desire to be free and herself. This became clear after Jody died, and she let her hair down after the long marriage with Jody. He oppressed everything about her, like telling her to keep her hair up so that no one would want to stare at her in the store. Janie letting her hair down could also represent power. during her marriage with Jody, she has absolutely no power. Letting her hair down was something Jody said not to do, but since she had power now, she could let it down
ReplyDeleteJanie's hair represents her freedom and ability to express herself and her feelings. Everyone knew how beautiful Janie's hair was but Jody made her wear it up to express the control he thought he had over her. Jody was also jealous of other men staring at Janie around town and in the store. Once Jody died, Janie could finally let her hair down. She finally had the strength to realize she was a free woman and would no longer be under the control of her hopeless marriage with Jody.
ReplyDelete“Their Eyes Were Watching God” uses many symbols. Throughout the novel, Janie’s hair symbolizes many things. It represents her identity. Janie’s hair is usually the first thing people notice about her, the feature men desire most, and something that really makes her unique. Her hair’s straightness also represents her mixed heritage and the hardships her grandmother went through after being assaulted by her owner. It later becomes a symbol of her strength and freedom as well.
ReplyDeleteAnother symbol is the horizon. The horizon represents Janie’s dream of fulfillment and happiness. The reason she is attracted to Jody is because he looks to the horizon and is ambiguous. At first, the horizon always seems out of Janie’s reach, but Tea Cake finally brings love, happiness, and fulfillment to Janie and she “pulls in her horizon”.
The symbolism used in the novel "Their Eyes Were Wayching God" through Janie's hair tells the story of Janie and her attitude as she debates for a greater role for women to be different. When Janie wore her hair down she expressed her thoughts and feelings despite many others criticizing her for being to old. When she follows along with the traditional role of wearing her hair up she is more stoical and did not express her opinions.
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