Mules
Mule
Mules are used to represent the role of women in the world and then changes to represent Jody.
Nanny says, "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world" (Hurston 14). She explains to Janie that throughout history African American women have been forced to work similar to mules. This comes true when Janie marries Logan Killicks and is forced to do many chores and is treated like a mule.
The men of Eatonville give an intricate funeral for a mule that they believe has died heroically, but in reality it has died from fat. Only the buzzards are able to recognize what had killed the mule.
The buzzards repeat, "'What killed this man?' 'Bare, bare fat'" (Hurston 62). They are able to recognize that the mule is not heroic, while the people cannot. The mule now represents Jody and foreshadows the fact that Jody will also die from fat and not in a heroic way that one would expect a mayor would.
Nanny says, "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world" (Hurston 14). She explains to Janie that throughout history African American women have been forced to work similar to mules. This comes true when Janie marries Logan Killicks and is forced to do many chores and is treated like a mule.
The men of Eatonville give an intricate funeral for a mule that they believe has died heroically, but in reality it has died from fat. Only the buzzards are able to recognize what had killed the mule.
The buzzards repeat, "'What killed this man?' 'Bare, bare fat'" (Hurston 62). They are able to recognize that the mule is not heroic, while the people cannot. The mule now represents Jody and foreshadows the fact that Jody will also die from fat and not in a heroic way that one would expect a mayor would.
Horizon
Horizons represent hopes and dreams in the novel.
After Jody's death, Janie begins to resent Nanny because she feels she has been unfairly sheltered and unable to experience the world. She says:
"Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon-- for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you-- and pinched it in to such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck tight enough to choke her" pg 89
Horizons are also present at the very end of the novel when Janie is self-fulfilled. She feels that she has reached the horizon and has gone on a journey and returned. She was content with her life and no longer needed to reach the horizon.
When she returns to Eatonville at the end of the novel "She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder" (Hurston 193).
After Jody's death, Janie begins to resent Nanny because she feels she has been unfairly sheltered and unable to experience the world. She says:
"Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon-- for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you-- and pinched it in to such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck tight enough to choke her" pg 89
Horizons are also present at the very end of the novel when Janie is self-fulfilled. She feels that she has reached the horizon and has gone on a journey and returned. She was content with her life and no longer needed to reach the horizon.
When she returns to Eatonville at the end of the novel "She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder" (Hurston 193).
Trees
Trees, more specifically pear trees represent nature and how Janie wants to connect with her natural self. The pear itself is very feminine because it represents a woman's body figure.
She compares herself and life to this tree showing her connection with nature. "Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone" (Hurston 8)
Janie's first sexual experience occurs under the pear tree as she is surrounded by nature. After this, she feels so happy that she believes that she should feel this same happiness in marriage, and believes that marriage should be based on love.
This occurs when Janie "Was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze... So this was a marriage!" (Hurston 11)
She compares herself and life to this tree showing her connection with nature. "Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone" (Hurston 8)
Janie's first sexual experience occurs under the pear tree as she is surrounded by nature. After this, she feels so happy that she believes that she should feel this same happiness in marriage, and believes that marriage should be based on love.
This occurs when Janie "Was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze... So this was a marriage!" (Hurston 11)
Hair
Janie's hair represents her freedom in the novel. Jody always forces her to wear her hair wrapped up in a rag making her feel very unnatural and oppressed.
She says, "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly" (Hurston 55), showing the hatred she felt toward acting in an unnatural way.
After Jody's death she was able to regain her freedom and be her natural self that she had hidden from Jody for many years. As soon as he died:
"She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there" (Hurston 87).
She says, "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly" (Hurston 55), showing the hatred she felt toward acting in an unnatural way.
After Jody's death she was able to regain her freedom and be her natural self that she had hidden from Jody for many years. As soon as he died:
"She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there" (Hurston 87).
Lamp Post
Lamp posts represent Jody's need to change Eatonville into a white society. Before Jody had arrived, the people of the town were happy, living their lives in a lazy way without much structure. The people were not educated, but enjoyed their lives in ignorance. Lamp posts are also a reference to the Bible in that God is the one that brings light to the community. When Jody brings lamps to Eatonville, it shows that he believes he is as important as God, and wants the people to treat him in the same way. Jody explains the need for light: "Tain't no use in scufflin' over all dese stumps and roots in de dark. Ah'll call a meetin' bout de dark and de roots right away" (Hurston 44).