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Thematic statement of janie's growth in their eyes were watching god
Love in their eyes watching God
Thematic statement of janie's growth in their eyes were watching god
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In the novel Their eyes were watching God Janie feels safe in her relationship with Tea Cake because he cares for her, he shows her off, and he always stays with her, this is important because she can finally see her full potential. Tea Cake always takes care of Janie and makes her feel wanted. “Feels jus’ lak underneath uh dove’s wing next to mah face.” (103) This is important because he took the time to sit down and brush her hair and show her that she is important to him. He also is not afraid to show her off to his friends and that shows her that she is important to him. “Me scrambled ‘round tuh git de money tuh take yuh…” (108) This is important because he wanted to take her and show her off to his friends and he worked hard to make sure
When they are caught in the storm, Janie does not question Tea Cake’s decision to stay, but instead watches attentively as to what he decides to do next. Her love for him rids her of powerlessness, and she regards him as God, because she loves him and is ready to leave at his command. After Tea Cake’s death, Janie still clings to her love for him, which empowers her.
If Ah ever gits tuh messin’ round another woman it won’t be on account of her age. It’ll be because she got me in de same way you got me—so Ah can’t help mahself." Tea Cake professes his love to Janie by saying that she is the only woman he thought of marrying. Tea Cake knows that he will be loyal to Janie, but can not control other women's urges to flirt with him. When Tea Cake tells Janie that he is the man in her life he says:"You don’t have tuh say, if it wuzn’t fuh me, baby, cause Ah’m heah, and then Ah want yuh tuh know it’s uh man heah." (Ch.18). Tea Cake wants Janie to know that he is nothing like her other husbands, but is perfect for her. Tea Cake is essentially perfect for Janie because he helped her accomplish her her ultimate dream of love. Janie and Tea Cake’s marriage is the key to a good marriage because they treat each other with equality and
Janie Crawford’s Quest in Their Eyes Were Watching God Janie Crawford, the main character of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, strives to find her own voice throughout the novel and, in my opinion, she succeeds even though it takes her over thirty years to do it. Each one of her husbands has a different effect on her ability to find that voice. Janie discovers her will to find her voice when she is living with Logan. Since she did not marry him for love, tensions arise as time moves on and Logan begins to order her around.
Self-esteem is confidence in one’s own worth or abilities or self-respect. Janie from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston and Jefferson from A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines both struggle with establishing a positive self-esteem or a sense of self-worth. Both characters get so overwhelmed by the supremacy of someone or something around them that they doubt their own power, thus, creating a feeling of doubt for themselves and the voice that they have. In order to gain a sense of high self-esteem, a person must endure points of self-doubt.
Hurston did not design her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God with the intent of creating a protagonist figure in Tea Cake Woods. Hurston’s characters just naturally fit into the roles and personalities that African American women have been socialized to expect and accept from black men. The good over the bad; turn the other cheek; don't let it get you down. Forever taught that the road ain't gonna be easy and that a ain't-half-bad man is better than no man, African American women have been instilled with the belief that abuse, bitterness, and sadness can be ignored if there is something else to focus that energy on. In Janie's case, we are moved to accept Tea Cake, who is at times abusive, because of the way he makes Janie feel - young and happy.
Janie were pretty well off and had the privilege to live in the yard of white
Their Eyes Were Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurston, revolves around the small town world of Janie, a vibrant yet oppressed woman. The reader is taken through Janie’s experiences, which elicit tremendous emotional growth in the heroine. Their Eyes Were Watching God is teeming with symbols; however, one of the most prevalent symbols is Janie’s hair. Her hair conveys far deeper themes that the novel is imbued with. Described as long and flowing, Janie’s hair symbolizes her vivacity and free will; however, it also conveys the theme of being ostracized from a community you belong in. Janie’s hair, although lauded, gives her an appearance that is of stark contrast to the rest of her community.
Janie’s character undergoes a major change after Joe’s death. She has freedom. While the town goes to watch a ball game Janie meets Tea Cake. Tea Cake teaches Janie how to play checkers, hunt, and fish. That made Janie happy. “Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought it natural for her to play. That was even nice. She looked him over and got little thrills from every one of his good points” (Hurston 96). Tea Cake gave her the comfort of feeling wanted. Janie realizes Tea Cake’s difference from her prior relationships because he wants her to become happy and cares about what she likes to do. Janie tells Pheoby about moving away with Tea Cake and Pheoby tells her that people disapprove of the way she behaves right after the death of her husband. Janie says she controls her life and it has become time for her to live it her way. “Dis ain’t no business proposition, and no race after property and titles. Dis is uh love game. Ah done lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh live mine” (Hurston 114). Janie becomes stronger as she dates Tea Cake because she no longer does for everyone else. Janie and Tea Cake decided to move to the Everglades, the muck. One afternoon, a hurricane came. The hurricane symbolizes disaster and another change in Janie’s life. “Capricious but impersonal, it is a concrete example of the destructive power found in nature. Janie, Tea Cake, and their friends can only look on in terror as the hurricane destroys the
When Janie is with Tea Cake she feels complete in all aspects of life, and feels no need to depend on anyone else but him. When Tea Cake passes away we see Janie almost dependent soley upon herself, but she still confides in her best friend Pheoby when she returns
When Tea Cake enters Janie's life, Janie really starts to come out of her shell. She lets down her hair that was kept up the entire time with Starks. This symbolizes Janie letting all her inhibitions out. In finding Tea Cake, Janie has "completed her voyage" of self-discovery. Tea Cake allows her to feel exhilarated and young again. She makes more friends and becomes more social. During this time in her life Janie is an excellent role model for other black women. She does not give a second look at what other people think about her, which is very admirable. This is shown when Hezekiah Potts tells Janie that Tea Cake is too low of a man for Janie yet, she stills persists on seeing him. Many people also think that Tea Cake is courting Janie for her money only. Janie pays no regard to these onlookers though.
In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Lora Neale Hurston, the main character engages in three marriages that lead her towards a development of self. Through each endeavor, Janie learns the truths of life, love, and the path to finding her identity. Though suppressed because of her race and gender, Janie has a strong will to live her life the way she wills. But throughout her life, she encounters many people who attempt to change the way that she is and her beliefs. Each marriage that she undertakes, she finds a new realization and is on a never-ending quest to find her identity and true love. Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake each help Janie progress to womanhood and find her identity.
In Their Eyes Were Watching God Janie goes through several marriages in her journey to seek love. As Janie's husbands change so does her wardrobe. Janie's different marriages are symbolized by her very different wardrobes.
color of her eyes. Janie was worked hard by Logan. He made her do all
Janie's relationship with Teacake is the area in the novel where references to God begin to emerge. Janie associates God with love as many people do, calling on religion only in the best and worse times of life. The first two thirds of the novel does not have many points in which God seems relevant to Janie's life. This all changes when Janie falls in love because she feels like she needs to thank God for bringing Janie and Teacake together. The hurricane scene is one area in the novel where love and the relationship between God and nature is brought up. When the hurricane is worsening in severity Teacake guiltily asks Janie if she wishes she were back in her big house instead of with him. Janie feels that "God opened de door" when He brought Teacake into her life (236). Janie also makes reference to God and love when Teacake starts to worsened from the rabies he contracted after getting bit by the dog in the hurricane. Janie tells an ill Teacake "Ah jus' know dat God snatched me out de fire though you" (267). Here it is obvious that Janie believes God is in control and brought Teacake to her to make her life better. It is interesting tha...
Ah jus’ loves dis freedom” (page93). She ran the store as usual and even though she was not looking for it she was still open to the thought of love. Then came along Tea cake the protagonist character who is younger than Janie but charms her with his good looks and a playful spirit. Although he didn't have money and a very high social ranking as Janie's past husbands, she could appreciate his good heart and kind spirit more than the money or social rankings. He treated Janie as equal not as a trophy to be showed off he laughed joked and even played checkers with her the first time he came in contact with her he said “How bout playin’ you some checkers? You looks hard tuh beat.” (Page95) He shows her that his with her because he found comfort in her not because she was wealthy. Janie tells Pheoby “He ain’t never ast de first penny from me” (Page 112). Janie finally fells all the symptoms of true love in Tea cake she felt comfort, listening ears and even jealousy which was something she was not use to as the book tells us on page 136 “Janie learned what it felt like to be jealous”. Their love for one another was proven even though Janie did not leave in a big fancy house like she was use to and did have the finer things she was fine with that because his love and affection was constantly there. Their love is truly proven once Tea cake got bite by a dog with rabies “They fought and somehow he managed to bite Tea Cake high up on his check-bone once” (Page166). After this bite Tea Cake changed he was more aggressive and controlling. Even through this Janie stayed because she knew the actions were from illness not from the heart. Both of these actions ultimately shows their love for one another, and that no matter the social standing or the age that love is love and once you have experienced true love, you will be satisfied no matter the condition of