Symbolism is prevalent in everyday life: a dove of peace, the black color of death, a red rose romance and a smile of friendship. But the symbols fail to remain broad; they also seem unique to each individual. Janie, the main character, reveals various symbols throughout her growing journey to find a voice for herself. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, symbolism emanates from Janie's life, reflecting her evolution. Throughout Janie's journey, she constantly struggles between freedom and control. Janie grows up protected and controlled by Nanny, but the portal represents a new beginning. When Nanny sees "Janie letting Johnny Taylor kiss her over the pole", she immediately forces Janie to marry Logan Killicks (Hurston 10). Janie fantasizes about love; she believes that love will come with marriage, so she agrees to marry Logan Killicks. Once married, Janie's journey begins when she realizes that her "first dream was dead, so she became a woman" (Hurston 24). Janie's life changes with Logan Killicks: she is forced to do hard manual labor. One day, she meets a strange man named Joe Starks. He convinces her to run away with him, so she “rushed out of the front door and turned south” (Hurston 31). Janie then meets Joe and begins a new beginning. The symbol of the door reflects Janie's growth as she progresses from a controlling environment to one that is capricious, but free. The door also represents the beginning of Janie's own decision-making. Even though she now makes her own decisions, she struggles to find the right times to express them. While married to Jody, she becomes voiceless and is forced to perform hard labor. A citizen named Matt Bonner owns an emaciated mule that others ridicule and taunt middle of paper......all possibilities for Janie. Jody “[speaks] for a distant horizon[,]” and this trait intrigues him; she wants to discover the unknown, and she does (Hurston 28). All her experiences collectively bring her back to the horizon; she “has done all her horizons and is now coming back” and they develop her faith (Hurston 182). Janie looks to the horizon in search of hope, peace and improvement. At the end of its journey, it “[draws] its horizon like a great fishing net. I pulled him around the world's waist and draped him over his shoulder” with all his experiences in the mesh (Hurston 184). The horizon gives Janie her experiences which develop her identity. Each symbol shows Janie's development as she faces freedom, rebellion, authority, destruction, and individuality. These symbols sculpt Janie's journey to success and shape her into the woman she becomes...