Symbolism in Their Eyes Were Watching God

1. Janie’s Hair- Janie’s hair represents her freedom. When she lets her hair down and have it in her long braid, she feels free but when her hair is up and hidden she is constricted.




2. Pear Tree- the blossoming pear tree represents Janie becoming her own woman.



3. Gate- the gate represents the barrier between want Janie wants and what she has.



4. Horizon- the horizon represents how far away people’s dreams are and it seems like the life they want doesn’t seem to be reachable



5. Joe’s House- Joe’s house shows how Joe is becoming more like the white man in the town because his house looks like a plantation owner’s and he has control over everything.



6. Head rag- The head rag that represents the dominance that Joe Starks tries to have over Janie. When the head rag is being worn, her hair is tied up. She is not free to be herself because her hair is restrained by the rag.





7. Tobacco Spittoon- The tobacco spittoon symbolizes the wealth that Joe Starks has over the town. It was a gold vase that some people in the town would have liked as an ornament in their house.



8. Lamp-Lighting up town- The lamp lighting up the town symbolizes the new era that is unfolding with Joe Starks as the mayor. He industrializes the city and brings it up to contemporary times.



9. Overalls- The overalls symbolize a working man or woman that is poor. It represents this because typically, a woman would wear a sun dress. Janie was wearing the overalls instead of a sun dress.



10. Mule- The mule that pops up twice in the story represents a laborer or a slave.