. . she begins to speculate about how she and Joe could get gold of their own" (Chinn and Dunn 6). She imagines finding money and Joe easily sways her to think of money in a new way. Although she does not think Slemmon is very attractive, she reconsiders her priorities. Knowing that Joe wants the gold money and now unhappy with her modest life, Missie May sleeps with the relentless Slemmon for six bits.
The significance of the gold changes when Joe catches Missie May and Slemmon together. After chasing Slemmon out of the house, Joe is left holding the golden watch charm between his fingers. Joe holds on to the charm for months, placing it between himself and his wife during meals. Slemmon who is resurrected through the golden coin separates them. To Joe, the coin represents his anger, loss of masculinity, and a grudge he now holds against his wife. To Missie May, the coin lies in wait in her husband"tms pants "like a monster hiding in the cave of his pockets to destroy her" (Hurston 257). Joe refuses to let his wife repay him for her wrong. The gold coin is undeniably a grudge, a reminder of
When Missie May finds the coin under Joe"tms pillow the coin"tms symbolic meaning is altered. Missie May first interprets the coin under the pillow as the ending of Joe"tms anger. However, Missie May then angrily considers that Joe has left the coin under the pillow to treat her as if she were a prostitute. This infuriates her. Upon examination, she discovers that the solid gold charm is actually a painted half-dollar and, "As a symbolic symbol of riches and status, it is fraudulent as the happiness they had hoped to find by possessing it" (Chinn and Dunn 8). The fake coin symbolizes Slemmon"tms phony lifestyle of wealth and power. The coin as well as Missie May and Joe"tms expectations for it are gilded.
hen hearing about Slemmon, upon meeting him "Slemmon"tms gilded money captures Missie May"tms imagination when she sees it . . . she begins to speculate about how she and Joe could get gold of their own" (Chinn and Dunn 6). She imagines finding money and Joe easily sways her to think of money in a new way. Although she does not think Slemmon is very attractive, she reconsiders her priorities. Knowing that Joe wants the gold money and now unhappy with her modest life, Missie May sleeps with the relentless Slemmon for six bits.
When Joe finally looses his grip on the coin it is symbolic for him also loosing some of his anger. When the baby boy is born initially, Joe has no reponse. It is only after his mother tells Joe that the baby is, ". . . de spittin"tm image of yuh, so
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