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In the book “Their Eyes Were Watching God” Zora Neale Hurston uses many literary terms in an attempt to give the reader a better understanding of Janie’s perspective on her life. She uses terms such as metaphors, similes, hyperboles, and many other assorted terms to better convey certain things in the novel. A metaphor is used to compare things, or as a saying. Zora Neale Hurston uses a metaphor such as “no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you – and pinched it into such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter’s neck tight enough to choke her.” A literary device such as a metaphor is used constantly to emphasize certain objects or events in Janie’s life to make them more significant. A hyperbole is a use of exaggeration to increase emphasis. Ms. Hurston uses a hyperbole in the first sentence of the passage I was provided with to emphasize the grandeur of Jody’s funeral. “Joe’s funeral was the finest thing Orange County had ever seen with Negro eyes.” My last example of Ms. Hurston’s ingenuity is her amazing use of similes. A simile is used to create emphasis or symbolize something of importance in a story line, or compare two things to eachother. In the passage, Zora uses a simile to compare her veil that she wore to Jody’s funeral to a wall of stone and steel. “It was like a wall of stone and steel. Because of how masterfully Ms. Hurston uses these literary terms, her book is very well written, and very influential around the world. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I hope to continue getting the privilege of reading her amazing works.