Hurston uses nature – the pear tree, the ocean, the horizon, the hurricane – not only as plot device but also as metaphor. How do they function as both
The natural elements symbolize different concepts. The pear tree represents idealized love for Janie. It is everything she dreams love is, from the erotic to the nurturing. Plants and nature generally symbolize the beauty and fertility of the earth which are largely feminine traits. The horizon and ocean seem to represent undiscovered places, longings, and experiences that Janie is yet to have.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
