The Significance of Janie's Hair
As I'm sure many of you may have noticed whilst reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, the subject of Janie's hair is mentioned repeatedly throughout the novel, so much so that I've been inspired to look deeper into the true symbolism behind her hair. After a little bit of investigating, I've come to the conclusion that Jamie's hair is a representation of three things: first, her strength and individuality, second, the overarching theme of power or possession, and third, a reflection of Janie's white characteristics.
Within the first chapter, Janie is described as having a "great rope of black hair swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume" (Hurston 43). Along with her "firm buttocks" and "pugnacious breasts" these characteristics attract the attention of those around her, especially among the male population. Subsequently, the women gossiping at the start of the novel turn their attention towards Janie and resort to speaking negatively about her behind her back. They critique that a woman of Janie's age should not dress as she does, "What dat ole forty year ole 'oman doin' wid her hair swingin' down her back lak some young gal?" (Hurston 43). However, in refusing to adhere to the standards of the time and the confining beliefs of her community, Janie demonstrates her independent and rebellious nature.
Not only is Janie's hair used to reflect her overwhelming strength in an area where she faces the constant judgment of those around her, but it is also manipulated to assert the dominance of her loved ones, in particular Joe Starks. While running the store, Janie is ordered to wear a head-rag by Joe as he is unable to bear the thought of other men appreciating her hair, and believes the only man with liberty to so much as even look at her hair is him, much to the chagrin of Janie "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store," (Hurston 107).
Finally, later on in the novel, once Mrs. Turner is introduced, Janie's hair is used to symbolize her Caucasian features, and as such, her inherent superiority to others (at least in the eyes of Mrs. Turner). Mrs. Turner takes an immediate liking to Janie because of her fair skin, straight hair, and physical appearance, and believes Janie to be better than others, especially Teacake, because of these charcteristics. As such, Janie's hair represents the presence of racial prejudice not only outside of the Black community but within it as well.
Hi, I think you are spot on with the three points of what Janie's hair represents - I agree that it represents so much more than hair, but it's a form of the power she yields but also the means via which people try to control her. I also like how you emphasized the fact that part of the reason why people almost worship her hair is because it's somehow related to white features. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi! I think you did a great job at highlighting how the symbolization of her hair changes throughout the novel. I like that its mainly represented as a form of her power even when its almost being used against her in a way. I really found the last line of your blog post interesting because I haven't thought about her hair symbolizing racial prejudice before. Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! The point you made about her hair representing her Caucasian features really stood out to me. I hadn't really given that point a lot of thought before reading this. I also find it interesting how her hair also represent 2 polar opposite ideas of strength and being controlled.
ReplyDeleteHi Mariam, I think you described this spot on! I feel like there are so many small details throughout the book that the symbolism of Janie's hair was something I didn't ever consider much. It's really interesting to think about how her hair has effected the way other people see and treat her. I think you did a really good job organizing your ideas in this post, and it was very easy and informing to read.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job on this blog entry. You quickly and clearly laid out the ways Janie’s hair connects to different ideas and themes and articulated some of my same thoughts about her hair. It’s interesting to think about how her represents her character, social surroundings and more. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI really like the symbol you chose and think you did a great job clearly articulating each theme it represented! By letting her hair loose, she frees herself from Joe's control and in doing so lets her own identity and individual strength shine. Thanks for the great post!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really interesting analysis of how the ways the various characters view Janie’s hair reflect of them. I think the contrast between Joe Starks, who forces her to keep it wrapped up in a head-rag to satisfy his own jealousy, an extension of how he controls and Tea Cake, who (literally and figuratively) gives her the opportunity to “let her hair down” by chasing adventure spending time among the lower-class people that Joe keeps her apart from.
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrific blog post! I think the topic of Janie's hair and the significance and weight it holds throughout the story is great. Hair, especially in this novel and how you have identified its importance, is a great example of symbolism for conveying emotion or a situation. You do a great job of making claims and using thorough evidence to back them up. I also think it's great that you included the oppressive aspects of her self expression through hair by both men and women. Great work!
ReplyDeleteHi Mariam, you did a really good job of depicting and providing examples of the symbolism of Janie's hair! Janie's hair in this novel almost becomes a character of its own. You did a wonderful job of highlighting how Janie's hair is changing throughout her marriages and how her husbands and other characters respond to it. I think in many ways, Janie's emotions reflect that of her hair. When it is tied up, she too, feels chained and held back. When it is down, she feels more free and in love.
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