Thomas Dean

Mr. Figliola

Communication Skills Honors

Their Eyes Were Watching God Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, an important symbol is introduced: Janie’s moment under the pear tree

starts to define her life. This experience seems to tend to relate with Janie’s sexuality of the

springtime moment. Although the tree seems to mirror traditional gender stereotypes which the

female, or the tree, waits passively for a bee (male) to penetrate its blossoms. I think that how

Hurston’s worded things changes stereotypical concept of the female role. It seems as though

the love embrace between the tree and bee is reciprocal. Even from the opening of the chapter

the men and the women are seen as different. Janie doesn’t want a male identity but rather a

female one to parallel a male one where each gives the other what the other needs but does not

yet possess. I feel like this idea of love and fulfillment is going to continue throughout the whole

story.