What metaphors are used in Mule Bone by Zora Neale Hurston?

“I thought all of y'all would've done jumped over de broomstick by now.”

Jumping the broomstick is a metaphor for getting married. It is a reference to a ritual in which the bride and groom complete the wedding ceremony by jumping in unison over a broom set on the ground before them. Although often considered an African superstitious rite that became prevalent especially among African-Americans in the South, recent research now presents a strong argument that the ritual originated with another oppressed minority (though not nearly as oppressed as the African-American community) that settled throughout the South: Roma Gypsies from Ireland and Romnichal Gypsies from Wales.