Symbolism in Nature
In today's fast paced society, there seems hardly room for peace. Peace, in self, peace in mind, and of course the everlasting peace in love. We may fool ourselves with meaningless gifts of diamonds and rings, but deep down, there's a part of us longing for satisfaction. Unlike Janie Crawford - the principal character in Zora Neale Hurston's heart clenching novel Their Eyes Were Watching God - who will give everything for only one moment of true love, many of us would throw in the towel when it gets too hard. Janie illustrates her amazing vision of nirvana in the simplicity and purity of a pear tree all while embarking on a tremendous journey to find her true self. This paper will examine Janie's metaphorical life and perhaps help uncover a part of ourselves in the process.
Janie, like her mother, was born as an inter-racial rape victim. All her life
she was criticized for this. As a result, she struggled with personal identity. She
knew she was different, but she didn't know how. She knew that there was
something missing in her life and it took her most of her life to find it.
When Janie was a young girl, her mother left home a drunkard and forced
Janie to be raised by her Nanny. Nanny brought her up in a white neighborhood
and dressed her in nice clothes. She didn't know she was black until she looked
at a picture of herself next to all of her white friends. This is where the identity
crisis begins.
As a teenager, she discovered a oneness with nature. There was this
peace that she only knew while sitting under a pear tree by her home. Here she
would dream about being a beautiful tree in bloom. It was under this tree where Janie would discover the image of the woman she wanted to be. All she needed to do was find it; find herself.
When she was 16 years old, Janie kissed a boy for the first time. Her nanny, wanting nothing but the best in life for her...
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