Much like the succulent, sweet fruit that this tree produces; the pear tree in the novel ¬Their Eyes Were Watching God represents the growth and sweetness of life for Janie. The pear tree for Janie is simply a basis for love and sexuality; "She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her."" (p11). As a pear tree grows, it begins to grow and produce love and life and love and life are exactly what Janie desires within the relationships that she encounters among three men. Each man held a significant standpoint in Janie's life, however only one demonstrated the life that mirrors her pear tree, and to Janie the pear tree was what made life worth living, to experience life to the largest extent. .
Life that is determined mainly on security and stability is desirable; however life would be not fulfilled through only these qualities. Logan Killicks, Janie first husband was the complete opposite from the life that Janie yearned for, a life like the pear tree. Logan represented everything that the pear tree was not; Janie felt that "the vision of Logan Killicks was desecrating the pear tree."" (p14). Pushed into marriage by Nanny, Janie never felt that life with Logan was even close to what she wanted. Along with growth, the pear tree represents a sexual longing for Janie which Logan did not provide. Janie often times lay still in bed so as not to smell the stench of the man she was supposed to love and care for. Without true love or sex, Logan could never provide Janie with a life that mirrored that of her pear tree. The need to meet her horizon depended solely on whether or not she was able to achieve finding a man to fulfill her vision of life like a blooming pear tree. At the point in the novel where Janie is married away to Logan, Janie has just turned 16 and is just experiencing puberty. Janie is blossoming into a woman and longs "to be a pear tree- any tree in bloom!-(p11).
