Gilded, by definition, is to be thinly covered in gold. This seems to be the perfect way to describe Joe and Missie May’s relationship. At the beginning of the story, Joe and Missie appeared to have a very strong and loving relationship (Hurston 1). Even the setting of the story appeared to be beautifully detailed and quaint. As the story progressed, however, the thin gold layer peeled away and we were able to see the ugly inside that was their relationship. Missie’s infidelity was a massive part of the darker less appealing side of their marriage. Overall, their marriage appeared to be strong and beautiful as gold is, but the core was much was much less lustrous.
2 thoughts on “What does the Gilded Coin Symbolize”
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Your point about the gilded coin alluding to Joe and Missy’s marriage is very strong. Even though they showed affection at times, they clearly did not have a truly loving relationship. It is also worth considering where the coin and wealth rank amongst priorities to Joe. In my opinion, money is more important to him than having a healthy relationship.
I strongly agree with your point that a gilded coin is an illusion to its real value underneath. With closer inspection, we see that May’s lust for a “rich man” like Slemmons has no value to its substance like this gilded coin, due to his fake persona. Same goes for May’s marriage. Initially, she was fascinated with her husband like the gold exterior, but later we see cracks in the marriage, like the value underneath the gild, since she wasn’t satisfied with the expectations from him.