Mejia 1

Vincent Mejia
Okada
AP Literature
November 3, 2015
Opened Eyes
Life is a constant lesson. Sometimes it may teach a person more in a day than they
will learn in a week of schooling. Life ardently evokes one's emotions, tugs on their
heart, and bewilders their mind. More importantly, life does not discriminate. It chooses
its contestants regardless of their situation. In Zora Neale Hurston's book, Their eyes
Were Watching God, Janie's character goes through multiple trials in life causing her to
evoke deeper and more reflective thoughts about herself and the people around her. It
is within these moments that Hurston's use of figurative language within the text that
forces the reader to concede to moments of climax, suspense, and excitement.

It was not until Janie is enamored underneath the pear tree that she has her first
realization in the novel. Janie's grandmother would constantly berate her about her
future. Janie was taught that marriage and love was security. However, she is hit with
the realization that both are so much more meaningful while spending time underneath
the pear tree. At that moment she is cognizant of the fact that marriage needs the
"ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch"( Hurston 11). Hurston's symbolism
in this section of the chapter strengthens the reader's understanding of Janie's marital
expectations. She uses the sight of "the thousand sister-calyxes arch" to portray the
sexual side of marriage(Hurston 10). Hurston's symbolic comparison serves to describe

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the female's body positioning during a sexual encounter. This allows the reader to build
the climactic suspense from the text by aiding in the portrayal of the situation. Also,
Hurston's selection of vocabulary lends aid to the excitement of the passage. Hurston
uses Janie's revelation under the pear tree to exaggerate the importance of that
moment for Janie. This being one of the most significant moments in the book, it relies
on Hurstons diction to emphasize its importance and excitement so the readers will be
mindful of this moment throughout the rest of the story. In addition to her revelation,
Hurston's description of Janie feeling limp and languid adds to the reader's
understanding of Janie's physical being in that scene. By doing so, Hurston is
embodying excitement through the passage by allowing the reader to fully receive
Janie's emotional connection to the tree in that moment(Hurston 11). Hurston's symbolic
phrases and precise word choice helps not only creates memorable text, but also adds
to the climax and suspense in the novel.

Janie's second big awakening comes to her when she realized her true feelings for
Nanny. She realized that Nanny had done her wrong by misleading her with mistaken
morals and principles . Hurston's use of personification in this chapter helps ameliorates
more suspenseful reading. Hurston gives life to Janie's house by telling how it creaked
and cried all night under the weight of lonesomeness. Typically a house is where one
may seek safety and shelter, on the contrary Hurston instead isolates it as an empty
and heavy setting for the character and reader through personification. This figurative
language creates the suspense within the reader by allowing them to know that there is
a heaviness in the house however not automatically stating why. This further compels
the reader to continue reading to figure out how and why the house is

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lonesome(Hurston 85). Hurston also incorporates other figurative language such as

metaphors to help add excitement in the novel. Janie states how she had repressed
her true emotions towards her grandmother because she had kept her under a cloak of
pity. Most can relate to Janie's situation which is what makes this moment so exciting.
Hurston uses emotion in the story ,through her metaphor, that the reader can relate to.
Relatable moments, such as this one, is what sparks interest and excitement within
readers because they feel as if they can apply their reading to their own personal
experiences. Then, a book becomes more than a book to an individual causing them to
want to continue reading(Hurston 85). Janie also speaks of Nanny taking away the
horizon and tying it around her neck tight enough to choke her causing suspense to
build within the reader. The actions within the metaphor bring the readers to this
moment of impact where they realize just how much Janie feels her grandmother has
handicapped her life. This helps the reader gather suspense by gaining a stronger
understanding of Janie's resentment towards her grandmother. Hurston's ability to
incorporate figurative language within her writing gives the readers the emotional
connection needed to continue wanting to read.

In the final chapter, Janie talks with Phoebe about her story and speaks of how she
was fortunate to simply find what she was looking for her whole life. Hurston once again
personifies the house to add excitement to the moment. However, in this case she uses
the dichotomy of the house as a static setting by explaining through Janie how the
atmosphere inside the house has changed since earlier in the novel. The author earlier
depicts the house as being very lonesome and heavy, but being that Janie has now
done been tuh de horizon and back , she says the house is full uh thoughts(Hurston

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182). Through Hurston allowing the reader to compare the earlier personification of the
house to the later one, she excites the text by showing the readers Janie's gratefulness
and ease in her situation. Typically, Janie's situation would create a very saddening and
weary mood within the reader. Thanks to Hurston, the audience can now end the
reading with a more positive and uplifting mood. Doing so turns a saddening end into an
exciting finale.

In conclusion, Janie goes through multiple trials forcing her to awaken to the world
around her. It is within these moments that Hurston individually builds climax, suspense,
and excitement to better captivate the reader and create interest in the book. The use of
Hurston's figurative language within the text helps make these important memories in
Janie's life much more memorable to the reader. Without this included, the book would
not be nearly as effective as it was.