Zora Neale Hurstons They Eyes Were Watching God Essay -- Hurston Eyes

Zora Neale Hurstons They look Were Watching GodIts no wonder that the hurricane scene in Zora Neale Hurstons novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is a famous one and that other writers have used it in an effort to signify on Hurston (Mills, Hurston). The final, climactic mess of this scene acts as the central metaphor of the novel and illustrates the pivotal interactions that Janie, the protagonist, has with her Nanny and each of her three husbands. In each relationship, Janie tries to go tuh God, andfind out closely livin fuh herself (192). She does this by approaching each surrogate parental figure as one would go to God, the Father she offers her faith and obedience to them and receives their definitions of love and protection in return. When they threaten to annihilate and hush her with these definitions, however, she uses her voice and fights to save her moon and her life. Hurston shows how Janies parental figures transform into metaphorical hurricanes, how a literal hu rricane transforms into a metaphorical image of Janies parental figures, and how Janie survives all five hurricanes. Janies first parental, godlike figure is Nanny, and she is the first to assume the form of a metaphorical hurricane or something resembling a hurricane in force or speed (Hurricane). Nanny establishes her parental, godlike status to Janie when she says, You aint got no papa, you might jus as well say no mama, for de good she do yuh. You aint got nobody but meNeither can you stand alone by yoself (15). While acting as the sole provider of love and protection to Janie, Nanny assumes the speed and force of a hurricane she bolts upright upon witnessing Janies first kiss an... ...er, she uses her voice and fights to save her dream and her life. Because the hurricane scene serves as the central metaphor of Hurstons novel, its not surprising that other writers would want to use the hurricane to signify on Hurston. What may amazement these other writers, however , is that the novel actually includes five hurricane scenes, not just one. Works CitedFill. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 2000 Fourth ed. Bartleby.com. 13 Nov. 2004 .Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York Perennial, (1937) 1965.Hurricane. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 2000 Fourth ed. Bartleby.com. 13 Nov. 2004 .Mills, Elizabeth. Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Eighteenth Class Meeting. English 281. Davidson College. 26 Oct. 2004.