Imagery and Symbolism

Imagery in Their Eyes Were Watching God
Example of Imagery (p. #) Brief interpretation in your words
1,Janie’s first dream was dead Janie’s dream of true love was no more
so she became a woman… p25 She was married to a man she didn’t love
2.She thought a while and decided She knows that her first memories
That her conscious life began at and her entire childhood was spent
Nanny’s gate… p10 under Nanny’s protection
3.What she doin back here in dem She lived her life as a worker
Overalls? p2
4.Its a whole heap of litter than Joe and Janie were disappointed because
I thought p34 there is little anything at all
5.Go fetch me de checkerboard It shows that Joe thinks women are to be
And de checkers servants
6.Strain? You must be cookin and Joe thinks and imagines his wife as a
Waitin on folks slave or a maid
7.Ah didn’t know Ah was colored Janie imagined herself as white because
Till Ah was 6 she was growing up with whites
8.Yeah Janie, youse got yo Nanny thinks Janie is old enough to marry
Womanhood on yuh
9.You married, You aint hardly Joe is complimenting the youth of Janie
Old enough to be weaned
10.Dat man talks like the section Coker thinks that Joe is acting like a
Foreman a town leader, and he just got there

Symbolism Meaning
1.Joe Stark’s white house Joe is like the plantation owner, and the people are his slaves
2.Janie’s head rage Joe is the jealous type, and does not And does not want other men around her
3.Janie’s long hair Her hair symbolizes her freedom
4.Overalls She is a worker that was treated like
A queen until Joe turned sexist
5. Pear tree Janie was beginning to blossom
6.Nanny’s gate Nanny is shielding Janie from harm
For her early life. Janie does not
Know of the race boundaries.
7.horizon Janie’s future, or what she expects to
happen
8. checkers Joe thinks that Janie is there to get what he wants all the time, and is his
Slavish wife
9.Tabacco spittoon Joe spits in something that the people
Of the town would dream of having on
Their table. He is showing that he is
Rich, and the town is poor.
10.High Chair Joe wants to seat Janie up above all
Else, but he really means seat her up
A baby who needs to have her hand
Held all the way