Literary Device Evaluation
Zora Neale Hurston uses the literary device of foreshadowing frequently in Their Eyes Were Watching God. By using foreshadowing, the plot can contain more complexity and many different links that can be associated with each other. This makes a much more interesting story, in my opinion. It allows the reader to make connections throughout the story and perhaps get a hint of what is yet to come. I believe that symbolism and foreshadowing can go hand-in-hand very effectively, and Hurston also uses this technique to be able to create a more meaningful significance to some of the components and to the story as a whole.
Hurston introduces foreshadowing right away in the story with the first line: “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board” (Hurston 1). Without even being introduced to a character, Hurston already reveals a part of the character’s personality. This foreshadows how Janie’s wishes and desires are never fully satisfied with what she currently possesses. Janie is on this journey to fulfill her desire to be unconditionally loved and cherished. She goes through three husbands to achieve that goal, which proves that she was not satisfied with what she already had. Hurston goes on to say, “The dream is the truth. Then they [the women] act and do things accordingly” (1). Once again, Janie’s character is revealed to be independent and to “act” to achieve her dream of being loved which she does continuously throughout the story.
Since this story was written through Janie describing the events of her life to her friend Phoeby, major foreshadowing can be found in the very beginning of the story. Early on, Hurston introduces Tea Cake to the readers. This is foreshadowing Tea Cake’s presence later on and his relationship with Janie. When Janie returns to her town at the beginning, the people of the town say to one another, “’She’s way too old for a boy like Tea Cake’” (3). And later on when Janie is speaking with Phoeby she says, “’Tea Cake ain’t wasted up no money of mine, and he ain’t left me for no young gal, neither’” (7). By Janie saying, “He ain’t left me,” it foreshadows that Janie and Tea Cake will be in a relationship in the future.
As was stated before, symbolism and foreshadowing can go hand-in-hand, such as the example of the pear tree. The pear tree symbolizes and foreshadows Janie’s life and emotional state. Hurston writes, “She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was marriage!” (11). This passage foreshadows that Janie desires a marriage full ecstasy and delight just as a bee and a blossom delight in each other’s company. It also foreshadows that Janie will stop at nothing to achieve this marriage, which she later does with Tea Cake. Hurston goes on to say, “Where were the singing bees for her?” (11). Janie has had an underlying need to be loved even from a young age. This is seen throughout her relationships as she goes through several husbands until she feels unreservedly loved and cherished.
Another example of a symbol and foreshadowing comes in with the example of the mule. This both symbolizes and foreshadows Janie’s life with Joe Starks. A man of the town, Matt Bonner, owned a mule in which the entire town picked on and no one cared for properly. Bonner says, “’Aw dat mule is plenty strong. Jus’ evil and don’t want tuh be led’” (55). This passage relates to Janie because both she and mule are very independent and “don’t want tuh be led.” Bonner also states, “’Seen ‘im last night but Ah couldn’t ketch ‘im. Ah’m ‘bliged tuh git ‘im in tuhnight ‘cause Ah got some plowin’ fuh tuhmorrow’” (55). This shows how the owner neglects the mule until it suits his needs just like how Joe neglects Janie unless he needs her to do something for him. Later on, Joe buys the mule from Bonner and explains, “’Ah bought dat varmint tuh let ‘im rest’” (58). The mule was set free from his owner just as Janie was after Joe’s death. If the mule and Janie are seen side by side, the mule’s life foreshadows Joe’s further neglect of Janie and Joe’s death which sets Janie free.
The last example of foreshadowing comes in towards the end of the story when Tea Cake decides to teach Janie how to shoot a gun. This foreshadows a future use for Janie to use the gun or else Tea Cake’s teaching her would seem pointless in the plot. One day while Tea Cake and Janie were together, Tea Cake says, “’Tell yuh whut, Janie, less buy us some shootin’ tools…’” (130). After he had taught her the basics, Hurston writes, “Every day they were practicing. Tea Cake made her shoot at little things just to give her good aim” (131). Much later on in the story after the hurricane and once Tea Cake had acquired rabies from the dog bite, he gets angry with Janie, accusing her of cheating on him and not loving him anymore. As a result of his irrational anger, Tea Cake pulled out his pistol from under his pillow. Hurston describes, “the gun came up unsteadily but quickly and leveled at Janie’s breast” (183). In self-defense, Janie removed a hidden gun and aimed it at Tea Cake. Hurston reveals that “the pistol and the rifle rang out almost together” (184). Tea Cake had just missed Janie’s head, but Janie had hit her target spot on. Tea Cake died with his head in Janie’s lap as she wept over him (184). Irony also comes into play in this example because Tea Cake was the one to teach Janie how to shoot and Janie ended up shooting him.
Hurston effectively uses foreshadowing throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God, and it is evident that it adds a whole new layer of meaning and purpose to the components of this story and to it as a whole. Many connections can be made by foreshadowing that allows the reader to have deeper sense of understanding of the plot and characters. Foreshadowing contributes so much to literary works, and this story is a prime example of that.
Hurston introduces foreshadowing right away in the story with the first line: “Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board” (Hurston 1). Without even being introduced to a character, Hurston already reveals a part of the character’s personality. This foreshadows how Janie’s wishes and desires are never fully satisfied with what she currently possesses. Janie is on this journey to fulfill her desire to be unconditionally loved and cherished. She goes through three husbands to achieve that goal, which proves that she was not satisfied with what she already had. Hurston goes on to say, “The dream is the truth. Then they [the women] act and do things accordingly” (1). Once again, Janie’s character is revealed to be independent and to “act” to achieve her dream of being loved which she does continuously throughout the story.
Since this story was written through Janie describing the events of her life to her friend Phoeby, major foreshadowing can be found in the very beginning of the story. Early on, Hurston introduces Tea Cake to the readers. This is foreshadowing Tea Cake’s presence later on and his relationship with Janie. When Janie returns to her town at the beginning, the people of the town say to one another, “’She’s way too old for a boy like Tea Cake’” (3). And later on when Janie is speaking with Phoeby she says, “’Tea Cake ain’t wasted up no money of mine, and he ain’t left me for no young gal, neither’” (7). By Janie saying, “He ain’t left me,” it foreshadows that Janie and Tea Cake will be in a relationship in the future.
As was stated before, symbolism and foreshadowing can go hand-in-hand, such as the example of the pear tree. The pear tree symbolizes and foreshadows Janie’s life and emotional state. Hurston writes, “She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was marriage!” (11). This passage foreshadows that Janie desires a marriage full ecstasy and delight just as a bee and a blossom delight in each other’s company. It also foreshadows that Janie will stop at nothing to achieve this marriage, which she later does with Tea Cake. Hurston goes on to say, “Where were the singing bees for her?” (11). Janie has had an underlying need to be loved even from a young age. This is seen throughout her relationships as she goes through several husbands until she feels unreservedly loved and cherished.
Another example of a symbol and foreshadowing comes in with the example of the mule. This both symbolizes and foreshadows Janie’s life with Joe Starks. A man of the town, Matt Bonner, owned a mule in which the entire town picked on and no one cared for properly. Bonner says, “’Aw dat mule is plenty strong. Jus’ evil and don’t want tuh be led’” (55). This passage relates to Janie because both she and mule are very independent and “don’t want tuh be led.” Bonner also states, “’Seen ‘im last night but Ah couldn’t ketch ‘im. Ah’m ‘bliged tuh git ‘im in tuhnight ‘cause Ah got some plowin’ fuh tuhmorrow’” (55). This shows how the owner neglects the mule until it suits his needs just like how Joe neglects Janie unless he needs her to do something for him. Later on, Joe buys the mule from Bonner and explains, “’Ah bought dat varmint tuh let ‘im rest’” (58). The mule was set free from his owner just as Janie was after Joe’s death. If the mule and Janie are seen side by side, the mule’s life foreshadows Joe’s further neglect of Janie and Joe’s death which sets Janie free.
The last example of foreshadowing comes in towards the end of the story when Tea Cake decides to teach Janie how to shoot a gun. This foreshadows a future use for Janie to use the gun or else Tea Cake’s teaching her would seem pointless in the plot. One day while Tea Cake and Janie were together, Tea Cake says, “’Tell yuh whut, Janie, less buy us some shootin’ tools…’” (130). After he had taught her the basics, Hurston writes, “Every day they were practicing. Tea Cake made her shoot at little things just to give her good aim” (131). Much later on in the story after the hurricane and once Tea Cake had acquired rabies from the dog bite, he gets angry with Janie, accusing her of cheating on him and not loving him anymore. As a result of his irrational anger, Tea Cake pulled out his pistol from under his pillow. Hurston describes, “the gun came up unsteadily but quickly and leveled at Janie’s breast” (183). In self-defense, Janie removed a hidden gun and aimed it at Tea Cake. Hurston reveals that “the pistol and the rifle rang out almost together” (184). Tea Cake had just missed Janie’s head, but Janie had hit her target spot on. Tea Cake died with his head in Janie’s lap as she wept over him (184). Irony also comes into play in this example because Tea Cake was the one to teach Janie how to shoot and Janie ended up shooting him.
Hurston effectively uses foreshadowing throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God, and it is evident that it adds a whole new layer of meaning and purpose to the components of this story and to it as a whole. Many connections can be made by foreshadowing that allows the reader to have deeper sense of understanding of the plot and characters. Foreshadowing contributes so much to literary works, and this story is a prime example of that.