Janie does not have a traditional mentor, she has several that shape her opinions about life. Initally there was Nanny who tried to get Janie to only care about wealth. As a result of this blind pursuit, Janie grew to resent her grandmother. Janie's next mentor was Phoeby, who was a much better listener and give better advic
e. However, Phoeby seemed to care more about Janie's financial status than her emotional statues. Phoeby continually warned Janie about potential gold-diggers. Janie's latest mentor is Mrs. Turner. Like Nanny, she teaches Janie the opposite of what Janie needs to continue on her Hero Journey. Mrs. Turner spews racism towards black people, even though she herself is black. These mentors teach Janie many important things, just not what she needs to continue on her journey. For Janie to finish her journey, she must realize her true potential and stop being subservient and allowing herself to being relegated to poor conditions both emotionally and physically.In addition, Janie has an amazing propensity to run away from life. Whenever she is tired of a location or feel that it does not suit her, she runs away. If she were to stay and begin to confront the problem then she could feel better about herself. Instead Janie marries a new man and moves away to a new home and starts all over again. If Janie continues on this path then she will never complete her Hero Journey. Conversely, it is possible that all of the turmoil and pain Janie has gone through has made her a stronger person and might confront and defeat her demons along the Hero Journey with ease when she is ready for it.
Great Pic
ReplyDeleteI liked how you backed up your comments but I have to disagree with you on the fact that she was stuck in the first four stages of the hero journey. I think that by deciding to go with Tea Cake and completely disregarding society she was crossing the threshold and therefore moving on in the hero journey. Nice idea and well supported though.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting point you make here! I never thought of it, but it does seem as though she just returns back to the ordinary world every time a marriage doesn't work out the way she wanted it to. However, I don't exactly see it that way. I see Logan as the Ordinary World, since Janie's grandmother suggested Logan. Then comes Joe, who brings her into the Special World. Tea Cake is deep in the Special World, and then Janie is brought back into the Ordinary World through his death.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting perspective, Newman. While I agree that Janie's journey is anything but unique, I'm not sure that she never crosses the threshold. I think you might be able to argue that she does so on multiple occasions and goes through the journey more than once. Meeting Logan she leaves her old world, then meeting Tea Cake she does so again. Each time she learns new lessons and pull value out of her journey.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with this idea, although i can see what you mean. I do not believe that janie's moving is running away from life, but rather because of her submissivness when it comes to men and other peope bossing her around, like Nanny, Joe, Logan, and Tea Cake.
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