Final answer:
The metaphor from Their Eyes Were Watching God suggests an optimistic or imaginative outlook that allows one to envision something beautiful or extraordinary in the mundane.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression "Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships" from the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is a metaphor that suggests that some people have the ability to see beyond the apparent or mundane and envision something greater or more beautiful from it. This ability is a matter of perception and imagination, requiring an optimistic or creative outlook to look at an ordinary situation and envisage something extraordinary.