The Meaning of Symbolism and Imagery in the Writings of Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston uses symbolism and jutry to capture emotions and steer the reader through the taradiddle through the eyeb alone of the characters. In her ill-judged fiction story, The Gilded Six-Bits, Hurston entertains the unrestrained and visual senses of the reader by using some(prenominal) symbols and im historic periods to give light to the story and character settings.Hurston starts step forward the story by portraying a couples relationship and giving it a sense of security, love and trust. However, as the story develops it is take a shit that whop matter how genuine love is avaritia can falter love. symbolization is shown strongly through colors in Hurstons story. refreshed-living is used as a symbol of purity. It portrays the relationship between Joe and Missie whitethorn as a clean and untouched relationship as exposit by Hurston, The fence and house were whitewashed. The porch and steps scrubbed white. (252) Joe thinks of the image of his white house on the focussing domicil from work right before he discovers Missie may and Slemmons together. Gold is used frequently through forbidden the short story as a symbol of mixer circumstance and greed.Otis D. Slemmons is respected by Joe in the beginning of the story and depicted as universe of great importance because of his property teeth, a five-dollar gold flake for a stickpin and a ten-dollar gold piece on his watch chain. Slemmons character is later disemboweled because he is caught in the act of having sex with Joes wife. The gold symbolizes mistrust, misfortune, greed and falsehood after Slemmons, Missie whitethorn and the gold are revealed. Silver as well symbolizes a social status to all in all three of the main characters and a ad hominem symbol to Joe and Missy May.It is clear a brusk over half way through the story that Slemmons was in the same social class as Joe and Missie May because he did not really set virtually any more money than they did. For Joe and Missie May fluent was a symbolof there relationship. It was a ritual in their relationship for Joe to give Missie May the silver medal dollars every Saturday. The moon is described by Hurston as a silver image on Joes nark home from work, a lean moon rode the lake in a silver boat. If anybody had asked Joe about the moon on the lake, he would nourish said he hadnt remunerative it any attention. But he apothegm it with his tinges. (255) Joe saw the lake with his feelings and he saw the silver moon it is clear that he associated his relationship with his wife with silver.Numbers are also used as symbols to make a statement without actually stating it. Joe and Missie Mays magic number is gild. This stands for the nine silver dollars that Joe would throw into the house every Saturday. later on she and Slemmons were caught together Joe no longer threw the coins into the house on Saturdays. Slemmons is told to cave in two gold pieces on him in the amounts of five and ten which is the amount of coins that Joe throws into the house at the end of the story. Slemmons uses numbers in an abstract way to describe people. He associates the number forty with the give-and-take forte and Joe doesnt understand what he means by it.Slemmons ironically opens an ice picking shop. Ice cream is a universal symbol for something that is sweet exclusively cold. Slemmons was seen as sweet and suave as was Missie May until the two got together then Joe viewed them as being cold.Clothing is other social status symbol. Slemmons is described as someone who wore fine habit. Later in the story Joe calls them rags. When Joe took Missie May to the ice cream living room he wanted her to wear her Sunday clothes so that he could show her off to Slemmons. He wanted him to see his woman since Slemmons talks about all of the women that he has. Hurston writes that Joe considered Missie May to be the best(p) dressed woman at church, church on Sunday nights when Missie outdressed any wo man in township (255) This quote also brings upthe symbol of religion. When Joe asked Missie May to go to the ice cream parlor for the early time Hurston writes that he tells her, put on yo Sunday-go-to-meetin things. (253) Hurstonwrites in other quotes that refer to images from the Bible. Like Samson wake after his haircut. (256) Dont look back lak Lots wife and flip over to salt. (257) The imagery from these quotes make it know that Joe is a ghostly man in the story and Hurston herself has a ghostly background.Laughter is used to portray and hide feelings in Joe. Laughter shows the happiness between Joe and Missie May when they have their playful game on Saturdays. Later in the storyHurston writes that Joes laughter is shown as an unsure feeling when he finds Slemmons with his wife, So he just loose his mouth and laughed. and before bed that night, and took a severe laugh and went to bed. (256) At the end of the story Joe was laughing in the store when he turned in the 4- bit piece that he pulled off of Slemmons neck for candy. The salesclerk states after Joe leaves, Wisht I could be like these darkies. Laughin all the time. Nothin worries em. This was surely not Joes case at all notwithstanding his character tells otherwise. Hurston also uses laughter as a private symbol in another one of her writings. They made burning statements with questions, and killing tools out of laughs. (Their Eyes Were Watching God 2) Pearl gemstone opened her mouth and laughed real hard because she didnt know what else to do. (Their Eyes Were Watching God 2-3)Hurstons real heart is story is a mystery according to Ann Duciles phonograph record review in The New York Times. She has conflicting age and birth date documents due to her habitual lying. although she gave the twelvemonth of her birth as 1910, rather than 1891, as scholars have now determined. (The New York Times) Literature and The Writing bear upon has her birth date listed as 1901. Her birthplace is also not certain. She has said that she was born in Eatonville but it is assumed that she was born in Notasulga, Alaska. Nonetheless, Hurston has made a mark in the history of writing with her pagan relations and peers. According to The New York Times bind there are festivals, foundations, literary societies, endowed chairs, journals, honors and awards in the name of Zora.