The Hurricane: Nature as a Leveler

The hurricane at first seems contradictory to the way nature is originally depicted in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Throughout the text, natural elements appear in forms that are rejuvenating or enriching to Janie's life in various ways. The blossoming pear tree is associated with Janie's blooming sexuality, and the muck seems to represent Janie's freedom from many social barriers that existed in Eatonville.
It is impossible, though, to view nature as a purely positive element in Janie's life. The hurricane undermines this simplistic reading most obviously. Its destructive force brings ruin to the happiness that she has forged with Tea Cake. Instead, the natural world (as opposed to towns/civilization) acts as a levelling force in this novel. As we discussed in class, the muck covers the people who work there, and in many ways it seems to erase skin color.
Mrs. Turner acts as a foil to the muck. She runs an eatery, one of the few places of business mentioned in this section of the story. This business, and Mrs. Turner herself, are obviously out of place in this environment. The muck, which creates equality, is juxtaposed to Mrs. Turner who wants to "class off."
The hurricane also works in a similar way. Men, women, and even animals make a singular movement to higher ground. Tea Cake even comments that some of the dead have been so mangled by the storm that it is impossible to know their race. At the same time, the white men of an established town insist on the importance of color. These men appear ridiculous against the Armageddon-like backdrop that Hurston has created.
Throughout the novel, Hurston sets up a binary between civilization and nature, portraying both the positive and negative aspects of each. Finally, however, she reveals, through this opposition, the absurdity of many social structures.