A major theme present in the novel is humanity versus nature. As the title suggests, in the novel we see that no human desires, whether for money or love, can win against God or any forces of nature.

“Naw it ain’t, it’s nature, cause nature makes caution. It’s de strongest thing dat God ever made, now. Fact is it’s de onliest thing God every made. He made nature and nature made everything else.” Sam, Chapter 6

Focusing on the hurricane that Janie and Tea Cake experience, we see where the title comes from. In this scene, we see a hurricane, which is controlled by nature, not man, wreck havoc on Janie and Tea Cake. Its title echoes the theme of humanity's struggle against the natural world as Janie and Tea Cake struggle through the hurricane’s destruction. As Janie and Tea Cake are tasked with surviving, there is another reminder that the natural world and humans struggle together. 

“The wind came back with triple fury, and put out the light for the last time. They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God.” Chapter 18

In Walker’s second essay, “In Search of Our Mothers’ Garden”, Walker represents nature and women as more harmonious compared to Hurston. She writes, “I notice that it is only when my mother is working in her flowers that she is radiant, almost to the point of being invisible-except as Creator, hand and eye.” (Walker, 241) In Walker’s essay, nature represents courage, strength, and fearlessness.