Zachary Bailey
Post 4
March 21st, 2009
Setting & Location
Eatonville & The Everglades
Eatonville and the Everglades are the main locations of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Each one these places was dominated by a main character; Eatonville was the domain of Jody and The Everglades were Tea Cake's. Besides these areas being the occupying main character's place of residence, they also embodied the character that lived there.
Jody was the mayor of Eatonville. When arrived the town was nothing but 50 acres and a few people, but immediately upon arrive Jody purchases 200 additional acres, and announces his plan to build a store, establish a post office, and to bring in more people to the town. Jody turns the stunted little village into a rapidly growing and functioning town. After his initial success, he calls for an election for mayor in which he wins an immediate and undisputed victory. Jody, essentially, becomes the monarch of the town, commanding almost complete authority over the residents living there. He is the ruler of Eatonville, he walked in and paid for it, worked for it and dominated it all within a short period, and built it up as he saw fit.
South of Eatonville, out in the everglades, Tea Cake is in charge. As one of the first people to arrive at the beginning of the rice-picking season, he is one of the few people able to get a hold of a house. Come the beginning of the rice season people begin to flood into the area it is soon a rowdy, ruff-and-tumble playground. In this environment Tea Cake is king. As a career gambler, he rules supreme and there only a handful of people that can win any money off him. Everyone in town knows and loves him, and his house is always the scene of boisterous activity, full of fellow gamblers, friends, observers, and anyone looking for fun. While Jody rules because of money and power, Tea Cake rules because he commands everyone’s love and respect.
Both of these locations were an expression of the main character inhabiting it, Jody's town subdued and structured and Tea Cake'sEverglades , boisterous and fun
Jody was the mayor of Eatonville. When arrived the town was nothing but 50 acres and a few people, but immediately upon arrive Jody purchases 200 additional acres, and announces his plan to build a store, establish a post office, and to bring in more people to the town. Jody turns the stunted little village into a rapidly growing and functioning town. After his initial success, he calls for an election for mayor in which he wins an immediate and undisputed victory. Jody, essentially, becomes the monarch of the town, commanding almost complete authority over the residents living there. He is the ruler of Eatonville, he walked in and paid for it, worked for it and dominated it all within a short period, and built it up as he saw fit.
South of Eatonville, out in the everglades, Tea Cake is in charge. As one of the first people to arrive at the beginning of the rice-picking season, he is one of the few people able to get a hold of a house. Come the beginning of the rice season people begin to flood into the area it is soon a rowdy, ruff-and-tumble playground. In this environment Tea Cake is king. As a career gambler, he rules supreme and there only a handful of people that can win any money off him. Everyone in town knows and loves him, and his house is always the scene of boisterous activity, full of fellow gamblers, friends, observers, and anyone looking for fun. While Jody rules because of money and power, Tea Cake rules because he commands everyone’s love and respect.
Both of these locations were an expression of the main character inhabiting it, Jody's town subdued and structured and Tea Cake's
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