Conflict: Janie and Tea Cake vs. Society

In class today, Barbara changed the idea of a conflict between Janie and Tea Cake to both characteras against society. I agree with this and would like to reflect on the pressures which went against Janie and Tea Cake's relationship.

First of all, at the beginning of the novel we see the disapproval of Janie and Tea Cake's relationship. This comes from the porch sitters who sit and gossip on a porch. Seeing Janie coming back to town gives the porch sitters a lot to gossip about. Especially Janie going out with Tea Cake. The gossip starts of with questions and then slowly turns to statements like on page 3 which states "She's 'way too old for a boy like Tea Cake." Every statement spoken by these gossipers are against their relationship. Even with the pressure of society to not be with Tea Cake, Janie still left the town with him and returned still in love with her lost Tea Cake.

Also, when in the mucks we see the interesting character of Mrs. Turner who completely disapproves of Janie and Tea Cake's relationship. Interested only in talking to people who resemble white folks, Mrs. Turner immediately is drawn to Janie's straight hair and creamy skin. Throughout their "friendship" Mrs. Turner tries to lead Janie away from Tea Cake on account of him being so black. The narrator reflects Mrs. Turner's ideals with "She didn't forgive her for marrying a man as dark as Tea Cake, but she felt she could rememdy that. That was what her brother was born for." (p 140). Just like the gossipers, Mrs. Turner wants to split Janie away from Tea Cake. Her and her brother were both born with white traits, so Mrs. Turner wants Janie to marry her brother to keep the white characteristics. This of course is not successful because Tea Cake makes her husband tell Mrs. Turner to stay away from the couple.

At the end of the novel we see the conflict of Janie and Tea Cake versus society with the death of Tea Cake. after being bitten by a rabid dog, Tea Cake progressively gets sicker and sicker. After a while Tea Cake becomes crazy and not like his real self. Janie "saw a changing look come in his face. Tea Cake was gone. Something else was looking out of his face." (p 181). Ultimately Janie shoots Tea Cake in defense because he was trying to kill her. This is the final seperation of Janie and Tea Cake. It seems society won this battle, yet on the last page of the novel Janie describes how Tea Cake never really left with "Of course he wasn't dead. He would never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking." (p 193). This shows Tea Cake and Janie will always be together, even if Tea Cake had already died. No matter what the society presses against their relationship, Tea Cake and Janie will always be together.