Hurston's Journey

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The horizon, the place where the sky meets the earth, where the sun emerges with soft light and retreats to rest, the first one who let us know that the earth was round and what looks to be the destination of migrating birds. The horizon has been our farthest and yet closest neighbor, teacher, and home and in Hurston’s captivating novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, she uses this powerful symbol to represent in its great expanse, a yearning that keeps restless spirits in flight. No one can see over the horizon and so it remains an ambiguous destination characterized only by the feeling of satisfaction. Though few take up in its pursuit, everyone has their own unique horizon; Janie’s is to find love but not just any love as she comes to learn …show more content…

Ah done been tuh de horizon and back and now Ah kin set heah in mah house and live by comparisons.” (Hurston 191). She meant that she has lived life to her satisfaction and because of this satisfaction, she could settle down wherever she pleased and be content on her own. She was independent in every way and no longer had to hide herself away as Hurston so eloquently wrote “She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.”(193) and with the horizon as her cape, as if to show that she was now her own hero, Janie’s quest ended.
In conclusion, The Hurston’s use of the horizon as a symbol represents the ultimate and underrated goal of human endeavour: self satisfaction. Janie was initially in search of people on her journey, and because of this, she was miserable. Only when she had the power to move herself did she start making progress find the person who she was looking for. Hurston demonstrated through Janie that the horizon will always be far until you grab it for yourself and that your happiness will never be ensured unless you ensure it for yourself. As the saying goes, it matters not where you’re going but how you get

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