A Motif?

Throughout this novel, Hurston refers to all of the groups of men and women Janie encounters as "the people". The first time Hurston uses this phrase is when we meet the men and women sitting on their porches in the beginning of the novel: "The people all saw her come because it was sundown." She also uses this phrase to refer to the inhabitants of Eatonville: "They, all of them, all of the people took it up and sung it over and over until it was wrung dry..." and also "...the people sat around on the porch and passed around the pictures of their thoughts..."

I think Hurston uses this phrase to accentuate the fact that Janie is different from "the people." Although I am less than halfway through the book, I have already encountered two situatuions in which Janie exhibits progressive behavior. Her behavior is a reflection of her personal opinions, and it is those opinions which separate her from "the people".

The first instance of progressive behavior is when she leaves her first husband, Logan Killicks. Their marriage was arranged, and Janie didn't like him very much. Also, he believes in the cult of domesticity. In other words, he is sexist and thinks Janie should simply do his bidding and remain inside. Most women of the period accepted this as normal, and put up with it. Janie does not, and she leaves him for Joe Starks. Unfortunately, Mayor Starks is sexist too. When Janie is asked to make a speech, Starks tells her she can't before she has any say in the matter. If Janie was one of "the people", she probably wouldn't have thought much of it. But she is different:

"Janie made her face laugh after a short pause, but it wasn't too easy. She had never thought of making a speech, and didn't know if she cared to make one at all. It must have been the wat Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom out of things. But anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold."

Janie is not willing to accept that her place is in the home, and that sets her apart from everyone else.

Another one of Janies beliefs that sets her apart is her belief in animal rights. ( I know. This is a bit of a stretch. ) In chapter six, "the people" are abusing a fractious mule. Janie says to herself:

"They oughta be shamed uh theyselves! Teasin' dat poor brute lak they is! Done been worked tuh death; done had his disposition ruint wid mistreatment, and now they got tuh finish devilin' 'im tuh death. Wisht Ah had mah way wid 'em ali"

Meritorious Joe then buys the mule, but only because he overheard Janie. He too is part of "the people", and would not have done anything if Janie had been silent. Her views are different from those of the people she interacts with, and Hurston accentuates that difference by referring to them as "the people".