AP Lit Ultimate Study Guide:

Their Eyes Were Watching God:

Theme: Personal freedom - people must be free to pursue their own dreams, not those of others

Social criticism on: Gender, racial identity (from both white and black communities), social class

Motifs:

  • Pear tree = new beginnings, janie’s dream

  • hair = letting hair down symbolizes freedom (joe forced her to keep her hair hidden)

Tess of the D’Urbervilles:

Theme: