Setting & Location

I think that when Janie starts to describe her childhood, it is very important to how she grew up to be the woman she is at the beginning of the novel. Janie tells Pheoby about how she used to live with her Nanny in West Florida on the Washburn's land. She goes on to say that she was six before she even knew that she was not white. I think that growing up on the Washburn's land and being with all of the white children and being treated equal by them throughout her childhood greatly impacts how she views blacks and equality throughout the novel. She was never treated any worse then the white children and so she never knew racism throughout her childhood. Once she goes to school this is a different story. Janie is teased about living on the Washburn's land once she goes off to school, and to protect her, Nanny moves to her own land so Janie will stop being teased. This is important because Janie has to leave her childhood home and the place she loved because of the fact that she and her Nanny were living on white people's land, and this is the first moment in her life that Janie realizes she is different from white people. Janie also does lots of thinking under a blossoming pear tree in her new house's backyard. It is here that she first thinks about life and love and without this moment of thought her "childhood" would not have ended because of her first kiss and then her forced marriage.

Author's Biographical Information

As soon as Joe's character was introduced in the novel, I began to make connections between Janie and Zora Neale Hurston. Most important of these similarities, is the idea that both women felt as though they were being hindered by the men in their lives. Originally, Joe served as a convenient alternative to Logan. In Janie's mind, being with Joe meant the promise of a life in which she could someday find her true self. Janie believes that this is the love she has been searching for.When Joe and Janie later move to Eatonville and Joe takes up position as mayor, Janie soon comes to regret her decision to be with Joe. With his new found power, Joe becomes a new person. His attitudes become selfish and chauvinistic. He suppresses Janie's ideas and stifles her voice. It is not until Joe's deathbed that Janie finally confronts him and releases all of her bitterness towards him, but by that point it was too late. Janie could never get back that wasted time that she spent with Joe.

Zora Neale Hurston, like Janie, geared towards a very individual lifestyle. She married Herbert Sheen and their marriage lasted a mere four years. Her second marriage was to Albert Price was equally as unsatisfying to her and she ended it after just months. Both Hurston and Janie could not be tied down by men. They believed that they could not reach their ultimate potential when hindered by any one person.

As a side note: I truly dislike Joe's character. What I don't understand is why he abused his power when he knew what it was like to be the one whose ideas and voice was suppressed. The reason why Joe and Janie moved out the Eatonville in the first place was because he wanted a voice. He was unable to speak out and be heard in white-dominated neighborhood, yet when he is given power in Eatonville, one of the first things he does is suppress the opinions of others, but more signicantly, Janie.

Language Interpretation and Appreciation

"All things concerning death and burial were said and done. Finish. End. Nevermore. Darkness. Deep hole. Dissolution. Eternity. Weeping and wailing outside. Inside the expensive black folds were resurrection and life. She did not reach outside for anything, nor did the things of death reach inside to disturb her calm. She sent her face to Joe's funeral, and herself went rollicking with the springtime across the world. After a while the people finished their celebration and Janie went on home" (88).

Hurston uses a genius touch of irony to transform the death of Joe into a festivity. She starts out the passage using somber words such as "darkness", "black", and "weeping". However, the reader realizes that these are not words of mourning, but rather of celebration. This is actually the end of "darkness", because Janie is now free of her husband. Hurston puts up Janie's "calm" face as a facade, behind which is in fact a joyous celebrating. Rather than weeping, Janie is "rollicking with the springtime", a time of verdant rebirth. Hurston suggests that Janie's body, clothed in somber "black folds", should really be dancing at this "celebration". The townspeople don't seem sad at all, as the Elks band is playing a funeral song rather pompously and happily as well. Janie is tired of the years of silently listening to Joe. She is willing to don a veil for the last time at his funeral, but she has really been free ever since his death. She doesn't have to tolerate his overbearing demands anymore, and she is free to live life on her terms. She is done with her grandmother's advice, because even though her grandmother meant to give Janie a happy life, Janie was never happy in comfort and luxury. Janie has to trade her freedom for this comfort, and she would very much rather break free and suffer a little for true happiness.

All in all, Hurston uses word choice excellently by using grim words such as "stone", "steel", "end", and "deep hole" to make Joe's funeral seem like a somber event. However, reading more carefully reveals a joyous celebration and a rebirth freedom.

Symbols & Imagery

In chapter 2, Hurston reveals the image of the pear tree.
" Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone."
The image of the tree is a symbol in the novel. As Hurston introduces the tree, she relates it to a relationship. Janie sees it as a marriage between the bee and the tree. I think the pear tree represent love, relationships and dreams. Janie seemed to find peace and daydream thinking of the tree. And felt like herself as she described the interaction between the tree and the bee. The symbol of the pear tree then segwayed into the scene with Johnny Taylor, which seemed fitting and right on time. It seems like the pear tree overall symbolizes the passion Janie wants in her life and her own fulfillment and being.
In the novel, parts of nature seem to function as symbols. Another symbol that appears is the vision of the horizon or the sun rising.
"But when the pollen again glided the sun and sifted down on the world she began to stand around the fate and expect things. What things? She did not know exactly."
Janie is unsure of what the horizon will entail for her. However she is waiting and expecting to reach it without knowing what her future may be. The sun was a fresh beginning, a catalyst for change. This change can be seen later when Janie marries Joe Starks. she admired the form the sun took but is being held back by a gate. This gate is acting as a blockade. I think the sun represents Janie's goal to reach and achieve her fulfillments.

The imagery of nature almost everytime reminded me and made me think of transcendentalism.

Internal Conflict (Blog 3)

Conflict is what runs a story, and one instance in particular is Janie’s insecurities with regards to her marriage. In both marriages, Janie has been unhappy and dissatisfied. In her first marriage with Logan Killicks, there was a lack of love, not to mention the fact that she was told what to do and she was unable to do the things she wanted. When she got involved with Joe Starks in her second marriage, she had no clue that he was going to leave her with short of independence and satisfaction. She was trapped and subdued by her husband, unable to speak up or say what’s on her mind. Both marriages caused Janie to feel this way, and the internal conflict of self-fulfillment arose from it.
Janie struggles with these new feelings of confinement and she doesn’t know what to do with herself. There are many possibilities for her, such as she could leave Joe. Then, she would promise herself that she will not marry unless she truly knows the person for some time, because she jumped into her marriage with Joe. Then she should also make the decision to not marry and be tied down until she is self-fulfilled. Before she finds love and settles down, she must achieve her personal dreams and goals, or else she won’t ever feel like a whole person.
Janie is struggling with the internal conflict of whether marrying Joe was a good idea and if she feels happy, “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 way Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom off things. But anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold. He strode along invested with his new dignity, thought and planned out loud, unconscious of her thoughts” (Hurston, 43).
Janie is being suppressed by Joe, and she recognizes that fact, but doesn’t know how to deal with it. She thought this marriage was right for her, but in chapter six she begins to have qualms. She doesn’t feel self-fulfilled, independent, or goal-driven. She is being forced, just like in her previous marriage, and she begins to abominate Joe after about twenty years of supression. She is always looking for adventure, but she continues choosing the wrong one. She cannot discover who she is when she is being forced to be quiet, reserved, and when your wants and needs are pushed out of the way. She isn’t able to do the things she wants to do and Joe orders her around. She cannot possibly concentrate on her dreams and be sedulous with her goals when there is someone else in the picture to worry and think about and to care for. She went into this marriage to fast and early, and she thought it was her calling, but she was wrong. Janie thought marriage and love was what she wanted and what she was supposed to do, but it was the wrong road to take, but possibly, this road will lead her to a path that will then bring her to success and self-fulfillment.

Language Appreciation and Interpretation

It took me around four chapters to really appreciate the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. In my opinion, her writing is more abstract than direct, which I praise but it takes me a long time to understand some lines. Her use of language is expressive and descriptive, hiding the meaning of her words at times.

One particular line that caught my attention was, "The icy sword of the square-toed one had cut off his breath and left his hands in a pose of agonizing protest" (87). The description in this line is absolutely stunning. I especially enjoy the personification Hurston uses, portraying Death as the "square-toed one". For some odd reason, describing Death as the "square-toed one" amuses me as well. I am unsure as to why Hurston associates square toes to Death, but my guess is that square-toes give the impression of nonhuman characteristics. When I think of square toes, I think of machines. Going along with my idea, machines have no heart which would explain the cruelty of Death Hurston wishes to illustrate. Also, when I read that line, I immediately related it to the song, Death and All His Friends, by Coldplay. The lyrics from that song do not exactly apply to the quote but it does cover the context of the quote. Right before Joe's death, Janie goes to talk to him. She tells him the truth that his health has failed him and he will die. "His eyes buckled in a vacant-mouthed terror and she saw the awful surprise in his face" (86). Clearly, Joe does not want to know that he will die and he is afraid of death. From my interpretation, the lyrics of the song also give the impression of being afraid of death and not wanting to die. The repeated line, "I don't want to follow death and all of his friends" help portray the impression. Also, another line in the song "...we dream of making our escape" shows the fear of death and unwillingness to die. This song is fitting for Joe as both the lyrics of the song and Joe express their reluctance to Death as both the "square toed one" and simply Death with all of his friends.

Another aspect of this line that I thought was clever of Hurston was the way she described Joe's last image - "his hands [were] in a pose of agonizing protest" (87). This phrase relays many characteristics of Joe. Joe was always a character that needed to justify himself until he was deemed correct. Between him and Janie, he would constantly undermine her accusations of his mistreatment towards her. Even up to his last minute of his life, he protested against Janie's accusations in denial. In addition, the word "agonizing" suggests that maybe Joe did regret treating Janie with inequality. Maybe Joe did realize that he was hurting Janie and making her suffer but still continued to retain the power over his wife. Just from those two words, Hurston revealed many possible as well as known characteristics of Joe.

Overall, the single line gives off the chilling feeling of death. Hurston beautifully crafts a line describing the death of Joe Starks all in one line while capturing the mood and feeling of the moment as well as encompassing his personality to be remembered at the time of his death.

External and Internal Conflict

I am writing this at the end of chapter seven because I feel like I need to write about Janie and how she can not succeed with men.

She was first matched Logan and that was a bust. He wanted her work and never treated her the way she wanted. As a result, when Joe Stark came into town, Jaine decided to join him on his emigration south to Eatonville. For a while Jody was a good man and husband. However, like Logan, Joe Stark did not care about what Janie wanted in life. He wanted a trophy wife who would do exactly what he would say. Janie is not a trophy, she is bright and spirited. But for a long time she bottled up all of the insults and hatred thrown at her by Jody. Janie is a human being and has emotions, but Jody wants a wife who will follow his every desire. This difference in opinion builds over time everntually ruining their marriage and results in Jain errupting in an emotional rant in public. In turn, Joe hits her. However, the damage has been done and the citizens of Eatonville have lost all respect for Joe Stark, the once esteemed mayor. For that reason I posted a picture of Bobby Brown. That is who Joe Stark reminds me of.

To me, Jaine is constantly involved with bad men. Logan never loved her and Jody just wants a shell. Jaine wants neither of these. She wants to be a women and a flowering fruit tree. But men and their expectations prevent her from living. Even her own grandmother would rather have Jaine be married for money rather for love. No characters appear to care about love besides Jaine, all of them want material items, be it wealth or food. Janie is alone in her world and everyone wants her to be different or does not understand what she wants.