Their Eyes Were Watching God

Zora Neale Hurston, the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God, uses symbolism and metaphors, also known as motifs, frequently throughout the novel. Motifs are unifying ideas that are recurrent elements in a literary work, and are used in this novel for numerous reasons. The main reason is that they convey the story’s themes and their purposes. A few examples of motifs introduced in Their Eyes Were Watching God include a blossoming pear tree, …showed first 75 words of 656 total…

…showed last 75 words of 656 total…metaphors that Hurston portrays force the reader to use their imagination. The motifs that are presented throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God aid the reader to see how Janie grows and matures through each life experience. The combination of various types of motifs, such as the blossoming pear tree, the horizon, death, spouse abuse, and the mule, work hand in hand to reveal Janie’s ideas, thoughts, dreams, and the future that she longs for.