Their Eyes Were Watching God Topic Tracking: Nature

Topic Tracking: Nature

Chapter 2

Nature 1: Janie associates herself with the pear tree that was in Nanny's yard. She sees the tree in bloom, and she wants a similar experience for herself. She wants bees to come and fertilize her, like they do the tree. She thinks of marriage like the relationship between bee and tree.

Nature 2: Because Janie has negative feelings towards the idea of marrying Logan, the image of being married to him betrays the image she has of the pear tree in bloom.

Chapter 3

Nature 3: Janie looks to the pear tree when she needs to make a decision. She is the most in touch with herself when she is by the pear tree.

Nature 4: Janie wants marriage to feel like what she feels when sitting under the pear tree and just thinking. She thinks that the state of bliss she feels, when under the tree, should be felt in a marriage as well.

Nature 5: Janie understands nature in a way that not many people do. She can talk to nature and she thinks that it talks to her. She thinks that she knows things about God and nature that others do not know nor understand.

Chapter 4

Nature 6: Joe Starks does not represent the blooming pear tree with singing bees either. However, he does represent change and chance, and because of that, Janie decides to leave Logan for Joe.

Chapter 6

Nature 7: Joe Starks is not the husband Janie thought he could be and he definitely does not fulfill her. She says she is "not petal open with him anymore." She realizes that waiting for singing bees to greet her in this marriage is a waste of time.

Chapter 11

Nature 8: Tea Cake represents what Janie has always wanted in a marriage - singing bees to fill her blossoms. She says that he could be a bee to a pear tree blossom.