CHAPTER
IV
ANALYSIS
A.
Janie’s characteristic
B.
How the idea of feminism
emerges from Janie
C.
How the idea of feminism
triggers Janie in questing for love
Janie's
Quest for Love and How the Ideas of Feminism Flourish
A. Initial Quest of
Finding Love Resulted in Ideas of Feminism
This
part depicts and analyzes how Janie attains her first ideas of love and how it
implies in a marriage which directs her to build a relationship with a young
man namely Johnny Taylor and disapproved by Janie's grandmother, Nanny.
1.
Self-Definition.
When Janie is sixteen, she sits three days near the pear tree watching for the pear tree to bloom. Watching it blooms, Janie gains the inspiration about what being a woman, love and marriage are about.
When Janie is sixteen, she sits three days near the pear tree watching for the pear tree to bloom. Watching it blooms, Janie gains the inspiration about what being a woman, love and marriage are about.
i) On Becoming a Woman.
Before Janie comes to the definition of love, she has to get through several thoughts. Starting when she sits and stares at the blossoming pear tree, she notices that the blooming pear tree blossom has been through a certain process of nature. The moment when Janie observes the blooming process inspires her to sketch the ideas of a woman's adolescence. "Ever since the tiny bloom had opened. It had called her to come and gaze on a mystery. From banen brown stems to glistening leaf-buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom" (Hurston 23).
The first sentence stated above shows that the first level of the blooming process, which was when "the tiny bloom has opened", captures Janie's attention upon something mysterious and new for her (Hurston 23). “It had called her to come"; the word 'it' obviously refers to the moment where the tiny bloom had opened, and this is where Janie starts to give more interest for the bloom. Janie's interest of the bloom makes her notice that the whole process she sees is a process of nature (Hurston 23).
Furthermore, it leads to her effort in interpreting the moments into her own definition. Like when metamorphosis of the bloom starting "from barren brown stems to glistening leaf-buds". it displays a single process which shows the 'birth' of the buds (Hurston 23). As it can be seen that the initial growing point of the buds are only as ordinary barren brown stems, which then follows by the appearance of the leaf-buds. After that, the final stage is "from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom" which depicts the next level after being leaf buds. Yet, in this final description the leaf buds do not only turn into blooms, the words "snowy virginity" are placed before the word "bloom". This description illustrates that the ultimate level of the blooming, is especially compared to the previous levels. The term osnowy' is taken from the word 'snow' which posses the characteristics of purity, whiteness and delicate. This means that the virginity is claimed to have the 'snow like' characteristics as mentioned above. While the word 'virginity' which is of course from the word 'virgin' has the meaning of a state of being a virgin where usually being a virgin means being pure, intact and mature. In addition, the term 'bloom' is used to symbolize a fully-grown woman for usually the symbol of maturity is a blooming flower. For its readiness to 'welcome' ths bees to enter the main core, therefore bloom resembles the state of being a grolvn up woman. As a result, it can be said that the process of the leaf buds from barren brown stems into the blooms resembles the process of a girl of being a woman. Therefore, Janie adapts the natural process of the blooming buds into her own interpretation of a process of a young girl's birth up to the final stage of her adolescence which can be seen in the combination of the words "snowy virginity bloom" that refer to a mature woman with characteristics of being pure, intact and ready.
Subsequently, after the levels of being a mature woman has been recognized by Janie, she starts to react. Not only does Janie acknowledge the moment as the process of being a mature woman, but she also tries to engage the mature woman stage to her own self. In this part, the moment stimulates Janie to begin questioning her own motivation of being a mature woman and her desires to experience it. She begins to look deeper into herself and asks: "It stirred her tremendously. How? Why? It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again. What? How? Why?" (Hurston 23). These questions show Janie's emotion on how she can experience the process of blooming as well. Janie finds the moment of blooming has inspired her to question herself regarding her own maturity. I find the statement ‘It stirred her tremendously" reflects Janie's feeling on how the moment actually makes her think deeply about her being a fully-grown woman. Yet, even though Janie finds that she is willing to be a mature woman, she does not quite recognize how she can experience the same thing by questioning 'How? Why?'. Her eagerness to be a mature woman continues knocking on her conscience and it is shown from "It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again" (Hurston 23).
After that, again Janie asks herself by wondering "What? How? Why?" to seek answers upon how she can become a woman. In this section, Janie admits that she desires to be a mature woman and she is eager to find out how by wondering to herself. However, the problem of how she can find her own process makes her feel even anxious as well as the awakening of the self-motivation to get through the same thing as the bloom of the pear tree. "This singing she heard had nothing to do with her ears. The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through ail her waking moments and caressed her in her sleep. It connected itself with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh" (Hurston 23).
Before Janie comes to the definition of love, she has to get through several thoughts. Starting when she sits and stares at the blossoming pear tree, she notices that the blooming pear tree blossom has been through a certain process of nature. The moment when Janie observes the blooming process inspires her to sketch the ideas of a woman's adolescence. "Ever since the tiny bloom had opened. It had called her to come and gaze on a mystery. From banen brown stems to glistening leaf-buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom" (Hurston 23).
The first sentence stated above shows that the first level of the blooming process, which was when "the tiny bloom has opened", captures Janie's attention upon something mysterious and new for her (Hurston 23). “It had called her to come"; the word 'it' obviously refers to the moment where the tiny bloom had opened, and this is where Janie starts to give more interest for the bloom. Janie's interest of the bloom makes her notice that the whole process she sees is a process of nature (Hurston 23).
Furthermore, it leads to her effort in interpreting the moments into her own definition. Like when metamorphosis of the bloom starting "from barren brown stems to glistening leaf-buds". it displays a single process which shows the 'birth' of the buds (Hurston 23). As it can be seen that the initial growing point of the buds are only as ordinary barren brown stems, which then follows by the appearance of the leaf-buds. After that, the final stage is "from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom" which depicts the next level after being leaf buds. Yet, in this final description the leaf buds do not only turn into blooms, the words "snowy virginity" are placed before the word "bloom". This description illustrates that the ultimate level of the blooming, is especially compared to the previous levels. The term osnowy' is taken from the word 'snow' which posses the characteristics of purity, whiteness and delicate. This means that the virginity is claimed to have the 'snow like' characteristics as mentioned above. While the word 'virginity' which is of course from the word 'virgin' has the meaning of a state of being a virgin where usually being a virgin means being pure, intact and mature. In addition, the term 'bloom' is used to symbolize a fully-grown woman for usually the symbol of maturity is a blooming flower. For its readiness to 'welcome' ths bees to enter the main core, therefore bloom resembles the state of being a grolvn up woman. As a result, it can be said that the process of the leaf buds from barren brown stems into the blooms resembles the process of a girl of being a woman. Therefore, Janie adapts the natural process of the blooming buds into her own interpretation of a process of a young girl's birth up to the final stage of her adolescence which can be seen in the combination of the words "snowy virginity bloom" that refer to a mature woman with characteristics of being pure, intact and ready.
Subsequently, after the levels of being a mature woman has been recognized by Janie, she starts to react. Not only does Janie acknowledge the moment as the process of being a mature woman, but she also tries to engage the mature woman stage to her own self. In this part, the moment stimulates Janie to begin questioning her own motivation of being a mature woman and her desires to experience it. She begins to look deeper into herself and asks: "It stirred her tremendously. How? Why? It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again. What? How? Why?" (Hurston 23). These questions show Janie's emotion on how she can experience the process of blooming as well. Janie finds the moment of blooming has inspired her to question herself regarding her own maturity. I find the statement ‘It stirred her tremendously" reflects Janie's feeling on how the moment actually makes her think deeply about her being a fully-grown woman. Yet, even though Janie finds that she is willing to be a mature woman, she does not quite recognize how she can experience the same thing by questioning 'How? Why?'. Her eagerness to be a mature woman continues knocking on her conscience and it is shown from "It was like a flute song forgotten in another existence and remembered again" (Hurston 23).
After that, again Janie asks herself by wondering "What? How? Why?" to seek answers upon how she can become a woman. In this section, Janie admits that she desires to be a mature woman and she is eager to find out how by wondering to herself. However, the problem of how she can find her own process makes her feel even anxious as well as the awakening of the self-motivation to get through the same thing as the bloom of the pear tree. "This singing she heard had nothing to do with her ears. The rose of the world was breathing out smell. It followed her through ail her waking moments and caressed her in her sleep. It connected itself with other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside observation and buried themselves in her flesh" (Hurston 23).
Janie tries to
recognize that 'the flute song' which she refers as 'this singing' she hears is
not for real in terms of fact, yet she feels it deep inside her inner self.
That is why she feels that it 'had nothing to do with her ears', because what
Janie hears and feels is her own sensation. Metaphoring her own awareness to
feel determined about being a grown up woman, Janie puts it as'1he rose of the
world was breathing out smell" (Hurston 23). 'The rose of the world' that
being used to indicate herself, Janie aims to describe herself entering the a
phase where she is eager to be a mature woman and also from the statement
'breathing out smell' shows that her motivation is out there. This motivation
of hers is so strong that it is being described that the smell of the rose,
which is Janie's motivation, 'followed her through her waking moments and
caressed her in her sleep'. Janie thinks that the motivation she possesses now
successfully wakes her up from her'sleep'. The sleeping period can be refined
to her stage of girly-ness because Janie feels that by having the motivation,
it feels like she has been 'caressed' during the 'sleep'. During her period of
being a girl, Janie's motivation to be a woman creeps in her and feels it
overwhelms inside, as it is being illustrated: "It connected itself with
other vaguely felt matters that had struck her outside her observation and
buried themselves in her flesh" (Hurston 23). Apart from what Janie has
witnessed about the pear tree, Janie now undergoes a distinctive phase where
she has a strong enthusiasm to be a woman.
These strong enthusiasm and motivation to be a fully-grown woman, at this time, arise in Janie and determined to be brought into play, as suggested in the following statement: "Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness" (Hurston 24).
These strong enthusiasm and motivation to be a fully-grown woman, at this time, arise in Janie and determined to be brought into play, as suggested in the following statement: "Now they emerged and quested about her consciousness" (Hurston 24).
ii)
On Love.
Finally, the next thing that she recognizes after her own willingness to start the quest of being a mature woman, is the question upon how she achieves the state of being mature. This is the most crucial moment whereas Janie finds the definition of love before she starts to seek for it. This part explains furthermore how she finds love as the requirement of being a mature woman. The moment initiates when she enjoys her surrounding and comfortable atmosphere around the pear tree and suddenly she notices something is happening. ..She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her" (Hurston24).
Every time Janie hears the voice in any chances, she is like being summoned to behold significant occurrences. If the previous one was when the voice calls Janie to witness the growth of the blooms, now she is being called again to witness another important moment. "She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet love embrace and... ." (Hurston 24). Janie observes one of the bees approaches the bloom and enters its chamber. As she depicts 'the thousand sister-calyxes' which refer to the bee slowly bend to 'meet the love embrace' in which it refers to the moment where the bee enters the sanctum. Here, this moment obviously signifies the bee as a man and the bloom as a woman, and furthermore, the moment where the bee and the bloom meet is the moment where they embrace love. Hence, love here is a remark given by Janie to describe the meeting of the bee and the bloom. In other words, love is the result of the meeting of the bee with the bloom'. For that reason. Janie observes when the bloom blossoms, it would meet the bee to embrace love together, and again she sets the parallelism of the occasion to her own reflection in being a bloom, or a mature woman. Janie believes that when she becomes a bloom, she can come across to loving'
Finally, the next thing that she recognizes after her own willingness to start the quest of being a mature woman, is the question upon how she achieves the state of being mature. This is the most crucial moment whereas Janie finds the definition of love before she starts to seek for it. This part explains furthermore how she finds love as the requirement of being a mature woman. The moment initiates when she enjoys her surrounding and comfortable atmosphere around the pear tree and suddenly she notices something is happening. ..She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her" (Hurston24).
Every time Janie hears the voice in any chances, she is like being summoned to behold significant occurrences. If the previous one was when the voice calls Janie to witness the growth of the blooms, now she is being called again to witness another important moment. "She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet love embrace and... ." (Hurston 24). Janie observes one of the bees approaches the bloom and enters its chamber. As she depicts 'the thousand sister-calyxes' which refer to the bee slowly bend to 'meet the love embrace' in which it refers to the moment where the bee enters the sanctum. Here, this moment obviously signifies the bee as a man and the bloom as a woman, and furthermore, the moment where the bee and the bloom meet is the moment where they embrace love. Hence, love here is a remark given by Janie to describe the meeting of the bee and the bloom. In other words, love is the result of the meeting of the bee with the bloom'. For that reason. Janie observes when the bloom blossoms, it would meet the bee to embrace love together, and again she sets the parallelism of the occasion to her own reflection in being a bloom, or a mature woman. Janie believes that when she becomes a bloom, she can come across to loving'
iii) On Marriage.
Still in the same tone as the previous one, the next idea Janie obtains is the idea of a marriage. The process of where the bee meets the bloom inspires Janie to the definition of a marriage. "She saw a dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!" (Hurston 24)
After Janie sees the bee and bloom united with love, she notices that the unity of the bee and the bloom resulted a reaction to the tree. As it can be seen, 'the ecstatic shiver of the tree from the root to the tiniest branch' is the tree's reaction upon the meeting between the bee and the bloom. Janie interprets this moment as a depiction of a sexual intercourse of the bee with the bloom and therefore the tree 'shivers' as the meeting occurs. In addition, the fact is not only shown from the tree's reaction but also the other blossoms' response that is 'creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight'. Thus, she perceives the sexual intercourse of the bee and the bloom along with responses of the tree and blooms, Janie gets this moment as a reflection of marriage and it is also strengthened with the following statement of hers: "So this was a marriage!" (Hurston 24).
Still in the same tone as the previous one, the next idea Janie obtains is the idea of a marriage. The process of where the bee meets the bloom inspires Janie to the definition of a marriage. "She saw a dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!" (Hurston 24)
After Janie sees the bee and bloom united with love, she notices that the unity of the bee and the bloom resulted a reaction to the tree. As it can be seen, 'the ecstatic shiver of the tree from the root to the tiniest branch' is the tree's reaction upon the meeting between the bee and the bloom. Janie interprets this moment as a depiction of a sexual intercourse of the bee with the bloom and therefore the tree 'shivers' as the meeting occurs. In addition, the fact is not only shown from the tree's reaction but also the other blossoms' response that is 'creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight'. Thus, she perceives the sexual intercourse of the bee and the bloom along with responses of the tree and blooms, Janie gets this moment as a reflection of marriage and it is also strengthened with the following statement of hers: "So this was a marriage!" (Hurston 24).
***Further
conducts which lead Janie to the emerging ideas of feminism. This section shows
the course of Janie's reaction upon what she has witnessed with the pear tree
and her quest to find the imitation of the bloom and bee process in herself.
This quest she conducts is directing her to her Nanny's response, which
eventually imposes her ideas of feminism.
(i) Janie's relationship with Johnny
Taylor
After what she has seen
from the bloom and the bee, she has concluded that in order to be in a
marriage, she has to experience love, and in order to experience love, she
ought to have a lover. However, Janie feels that she does not have a lover for
everything she wants to share with. Janie starts to again question her self and
her surrounding on how she should begin her quest. “She felt an answer seeking
her, but where? When? How?”. The atmosphere seems to support her and keeps on
reminding her about what she has experienced, like in this line: “In the air of
the room were flies tumbling and singing, marrying and giving in marriage” when
she enters her house's kitchen. Janie's desire to marry brings the image of the
pear tree and how its blooms meet the bees as well as how the tree reacts and
responses upon the marriage between the bloom and the bee. Furthermore, the
image of the pear tree stimulates Janie to be keener in welcoming a marriage
for herself. “Oh to be a pear tree-any pear tree in bloom! With kissing bees
singing of the beginning of the world!”
(1978: 25). That sentence displays
Janie’s desire to marry, therefore she wants to be any pear tree since in her
opinion, and becoming pear tree can make her get through a marriage. The
following lines also proves that Janie’s excitement to get married is getting
intense, which reflects that she also feels ready to get through one. “She was
sixteen. She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle
with life but it seemed to elude her.” (1978: 25).
Nevertheless, Janie's eagerness to get married collides with another question, which she should answer by herself. In order to get married or at least to have a relationship with a man, she ought to have a lover first. Here in this moment, Janie realizes that she does not even have a lover to share a marriage with. “Where were the singing bees for her? Nothing on the place nor in her grandma’s house answered her” (Hurston 25). Since Janie metaphors herself as a woman with a pear tree with the blossoms as the symbol, she also acknowledges the bees as the representation of man. Therefore, again she throws her wondering feelings with the intention of attaining answers of the man she has to find.
Nevertheless, Janie's eagerness to get married collides with another question, which she should answer by herself. In order to get married or at least to have a relationship with a man, she ought to have a lover first. Here in this moment, Janie realizes that she does not even have a lover to share a marriage with. “Where were the singing bees for her? Nothing on the place nor in her grandma’s house answered her” (Hurston 25). Since Janie metaphors herself as a woman with a pear tree with the blossoms as the symbol, she also acknowledges the bees as the representation of man. Therefore, again she throws her wondering feelings with the intention of attaining answers of the man she has to find.
As
the result of the over-excited feeling that Janie has to have a marriage, she
becomes unselective in finding man to be her lover. Since after she wonders
about the man she wants to have, she runs away to the road so she can find any
man she desires.
”She searched as much of the world as she could from
the top of the front steps and then went on down to the front gate and leaned
over to gaze up and down the road. Looking, waiting, breathing short with
impatience. Waiting for the world to be made” (1978: 25).
In
a split of a second, not long after Janie arrives at her gate, she finds Johnny
Taylor passes by her house. Her impulsive act causes her to consider him as a
perfect man for her to taste the water of love and marriage. “Through
pollinated air she saw a glorious being coming up the road. ln her former
blindness she had known him as shiftless Johnny Taylor, tall and lean. That was
before the golden dust of pollen had beglamored his rags and her eyes” (1978:
25). It is clear enough, that Janie as stated with her ‘former blindness’,
caused by her over-excited feeling in finding a man makes her sense perceives
Johnny as a 'glorious being'. Subsequently, they hook up with each other and
spot each other with blissful teasing as it shows through ‘the golden dust of
pollen’ that ‘beglamored’ them.
ii) Nanny's anger and the
imposition of ideas of feminism.
The
issue that the Nanny brings about to her grand daughter is exactly related with
her past life as a slave. Her flashback memory material-lizes the matter of
what she has been through, both as a black slave and as a black woman slave.
Along with the moments when Nanny tries to comfort Janie after she slaps her,
Nanny shares her notion about black people during slavery, which was shaped
when she was a black slave:
"You know, honey, us colored folks is branches without roots and that makes things come round in queer ways. You in particular. Ah was bom back due in slavery so it wasn't for me to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be and to do. Dat's on of the hold back slavery" (1978: 31).
"You know, honey, us colored folks is branches without roots and that makes things come round in queer ways. You in particular. Ah was bom back due in slavery so it wasn't for me to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be and to do. Dat's on of the hold back slavery" (1978: 31).
As
it being stated above, the condition of the black people as slaves were so
severe that Nanny metaphors them like ‘branches without roots’. As if for a
tree, the branches grow along on the trunk and the trunk keeps itself rigidly
steady and strong to bear the wind as well as rain by spreading its roots
underneath. Thus, the metaphorical statement of ‘branches without roots’ means
that the black people are the smallest part of a tree and do not have anything
to hold on. Since the trunk does not have roots, it means the trunk would be unsteady
from the branches to bear the wind and the rain. In this case, the black people
have nothing to hold on because they practically have nothing to rely on except
their own slave-ness. In addition, because of her slave-ness status, Nanny
feels that her chances have been taken away at that time. Even though she has
dreams as a woman to fulfil, she cannot realize it due to her destiny as a
slave. What Nanny utters as a slave is not just a matter of speech in view of
the fact that it is also supported by Bell Hooks. “Black people are indeed
wounded by forces of domination....we are all wounded by white supremacy,
racism, sexism, and a capitalist economic system that dooms us collectively to
an underclass position” (Bell Hooks: 11). Therefore, the non-existing element
to rely on as well as possessing no chances at all, especially as a woman,
makes it one of the supportive factors that ‘hold back’ slavery. Yet, Nanny
subsequently adds: “But nothing can’t stop you from wishin’. You can’t beat
nobody down so low till you can rob em of they will" (Hurston 31). Here,
it is strengthen by Nanny's statement 'you can't beat nobody down, shows what
Nanny has been through as a slave was ruthless since she depicts the situation
as if she was beaten so hard. Nevertheless, she thinks that no matter how harsh
the treatment she accepts, she feels that the power of hoping or ‘wishin’ can
still exist even if it cannot be realized. Thus, the so-called 'will' cannot be
taken away even if a slave is beaten and treated harshly and ruthless.
Since Nanny was one of the
slaves that she tells Janie about, of course she also is the owner of her own
will and wish or dream. Moreover, through out her story and its details, Nanny
asserts her next feminist idea based on her background back then. It has been
acknowledged that Nanny too, has her own wishes. First one, after she totes her
idea of the hope that each of the slaves has, Nanny utters her own wish:
”Ah didn't want to be used for a work-ox and brood-sow... “ (1978: 3l). As slaves do, including the women ones, they are forced to do never ending and back breaking tasks. Thus, it is normal when Nanny wishes not to be exploited to work like an ‘ox’ and ‘brood-sow’. Furthermore, the feminist thought is well shown when Nanny does not want to do hard work but also refuses to be the slave of black man. The situation of double jeopar-dy, a common situation which usually faced by black woman, in which she has to suffer the treatment from the white but also from the black man. As Nanny depicts it:
”Ah didn't want to be used for a work-ox and brood-sow... “ (1978: 3l). As slaves do, including the women ones, they are forced to do never ending and back breaking tasks. Thus, it is normal when Nanny wishes not to be exploited to work like an ‘ox’ and ‘brood-sow’. Furthermore, the feminist thought is well shown when Nanny does not want to do hard work but also refuses to be the slave of black man. The situation of double jeopar-dy, a common situation which usually faced by black woman, in which she has to suffer the treatment from the white but also from the black man. As Nanny depicts it:
”So
de white throw down de load and tell the nigger man tuh pick it up. He pick it
up because he have to, but he don't tote it. He hand it to his women folks. De
nigger woman is the mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see” (1978: 29).
Clearly
shown above, the behavior of black man to black woman is recognized to be
exploitative. ‘The mule’ symbolizes a state where the wo-man does hard work,
since usually mules are used in fields. Using woman as one of production
factors like mules signifies the condition of unequal and exploitative
man-woman relationship. For information, not only by Nanny, the woman-as-mule
image would also be kept on use later on in another part of analysis which
studies Janie’s first and second marriage. Stevi Jackson has signified that this
exploitative domestic system is a result of treating man and woman as “social
groups” (1998: 135). Hence, Nanny’s wish in this case is that she desires an
equal man-woman relationship without either of them trying neither to exploit
nor to use one another. The second wish that Nanny makes and shares to Janie is
that she wishes for woman to be in a high status.
Nanny’s
statements above become the main root of all her wants toward her grand
daughter- Nanny, having a painful background as a slave, eventually shapes a
feminist thought which pinpoint how colored women should have a better life,
opportunity, and equal with men. This main notion of hers then materializes
into demands to Janie so Janie can be a colored woman that Nanny wants her
exactly to be. In other words, Nanny's main feminist thought extends into a
demand for Janie to get married and this demand comes up earlier when Nanny
catches Janie rend handed kissing a man, before she eventually comes up with
the main feminist notion. Nanny, as Janie's grandmother in this case is
concentrating her attention to her grand daughter when it comes for Janie to
know a man. The imposing ideas of feminism come up because Nanny catches Janie
red-handed fooling around with Johnny Taylor. Disapproving Janie's misconduct,
Nanny then promptly draws Janie from the situation and expresses her
disapproval by eventually imposing her ideas of feminism on Janie. Before Nanny
conveys her reasons why she does not approve what Janie does with Johnny
Taylor, she first shows Janie her disappointment upon the 'gate-post' incident
by yelling at Janie. Then the first time she totes about Janie, is how her
grand daughter is now & woman and ready to get married. “Janie, youse
uh'oman, now, so-“ (1978: 26). Nanny, after witnessing the incident where Janie
is about to be kissed by Johnny Taylor, concludes the happening as an
affir-mation of Janie's maturity even though Janie tries to deny it. “Naw,
Nanny, naw Ah ain’t no real ‘oman
The
thought was too new and heavy for Janie. She fought it away. Nanny closed her
eyes and nodded a slow, weary affirmation many times before she gave it voice.
“Yeah, Janie, youse got yo’ womanhood on yuh. So Ah mout ez well tell yuh whut
Ah been savin ‘up for uh spell. Ah wants to see you married right away.” (1978:
26). After Nanny concludes that Janie is now a woman, she states another
decision to Janie that she should get married. As it can be seen from the lines
above, Nanny seems to have to notion that as soon as a girl has turned into a
woman, she should get married. Janie, of course keeps on fighting her
grandmother's decision by naggrng over and over again for not being
ready and for not knowing what a husband is for her.
However, the next naggtng question is why Nanny wants Janie to get married when she has turned out to be a woman. This question would be investigated furthermore in this part when Janie still keeps on countering her grandmother's decision, When Janie totes that she does not know a thing about a husband, her grandmother answers: “Whut Ah seen just now is plenty for me, honey....” (1978: 27). The idea suggested by this statement is that Nanny feels that what she has seen in Janie at the gatepost with Johnny Taylor, is enough to make her decide that Janie should get married. This means, according to Nanny that their kiss reflects her maturity and readiness to get married. In other words, Nanny feels when a girl begins to interact with a man, whatever the relationship is, she is considered to be mature enough to have husband. Later on, however the reason why Nanny wants Janie to get married is not just maturity. Nanny notices that Janie only fools around with Johnny Taylor as well as expects him to be her lover. In addition, due to Nanny's sufferings in the past, she is afraid that the same thing might happen to her beloved granddaughter. Since Nanny is afraid that fooling around or having a lover might put Janie in trouble, as it is shown in the following statement “So you don't want to marry off decent like, do yuh? You just wants to hug and kiss and feel around with first one man and then another, huh?” (1978: 28). Nanny expects decent things to happen with Janie in order to make her happy, and she thinks that getting married with a decent man means she would have a better life. This statement of Nanny: “Ah wanted you to school out and pick from a higher bush and sweeter berry", shows that Janie is expected to be blissful in her life. ‘Pick from higher bush’ means getting things from high places in which high places usually refer to comfortable and good status, while ‘sweeter berry’ means better life. As it can be seen from the word ‘sweeter’ which means in condition of more sweet in taste and ‘berry’ refers to life since berry is a kind of fruit which owns varied taste such as sour and sweet like life does. Doing things for her grand daughter's sake can also be seen from Nanny's reaction as Janie insults the man she has arranged to marry Janie: “Tain't Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it's protection” (1978: 30). Obviously this idea signifies that Nanny wants her granddaughter to be protected, she forces her to get married since marriage, according to her, is a safe institution.
However, the next naggtng question is why Nanny wants Janie to get married when she has turned out to be a woman. This question would be investigated furthermore in this part when Janie still keeps on countering her grandmother's decision, When Janie totes that she does not know a thing about a husband, her grandmother answers: “Whut Ah seen just now is plenty for me, honey....” (1978: 27). The idea suggested by this statement is that Nanny feels that what she has seen in Janie at the gatepost with Johnny Taylor, is enough to make her decide that Janie should get married. This means, according to Nanny that their kiss reflects her maturity and readiness to get married. In other words, Nanny feels when a girl begins to interact with a man, whatever the relationship is, she is considered to be mature enough to have husband. Later on, however the reason why Nanny wants Janie to get married is not just maturity. Nanny notices that Janie only fools around with Johnny Taylor as well as expects him to be her lover. In addition, due to Nanny's sufferings in the past, she is afraid that the same thing might happen to her beloved granddaughter. Since Nanny is afraid that fooling around or having a lover might put Janie in trouble, as it is shown in the following statement “So you don't want to marry off decent like, do yuh? You just wants to hug and kiss and feel around with first one man and then another, huh?” (1978: 28). Nanny expects decent things to happen with Janie in order to make her happy, and she thinks that getting married with a decent man means she would have a better life. This statement of Nanny: “Ah wanted you to school out and pick from a higher bush and sweeter berry", shows that Janie is expected to be blissful in her life. ‘Pick from higher bush’ means getting things from high places in which high places usually refer to comfortable and good status, while ‘sweeter berry’ means better life. As it can be seen from the word ‘sweeter’ which means in condition of more sweet in taste and ‘berry’ refers to life since berry is a kind of fruit which owns varied taste such as sour and sweet like life does. Doing things for her grand daughter's sake can also be seen from Nanny's reaction as Janie insults the man she has arranged to marry Janie: “Tain't Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it's protection” (1978: 30). Obviously this idea signifies that Nanny wants her granddaughter to be protected, she forces her to get married since marriage, according to her, is a safe institution.
Yet, the most
important thing implied is the suggested indication, which refers to the first
idea of feminism imposed by Nanny. When Nanny utters “Ah don’t want no trashy
nigger, no breath-and-britches, lak Johnny Taylor usin’ yo’ body to wipe his
foots on”, she tries to assert the notion that she does not want Janie to be
‘used’ by Johnny Taylor. The words ‘yo’ body’ refers to Janie physically, since
she talks about Janie’s body as well as the using of the words ‘to wipe his
foots on’. ‘His foots’, referring to Johnny Taylor’s foot, is used to depict
how ‘foots’ is usually used to describe man’s lowest degree of body that
generally get through the hardest as well as the dirtiest field. In addition,
‘to wipe foots’ is the phrase that describes the act of wiping feet on the mat
in order to clean shoes or sandals from dirt or any unwanted materials. Therefore,
the complete meaning of the statement is to show that Nanny does not want Janie
to be treated nasty physically by John-ny Taylor
The
explanation above justifies Nanny's following demands to Janie. Due to her
limitation as black woman slave, Nanny does not have too many choices to
improve her life at that time. Therefore, even though she has a feminist
notion, which is to refuse to be subordinated by men, Nanny then shows some
steps, which according to her, is a right thing to do for black woman in order
to avoid in being subordinated by men. Those steps are her unfulfilled wishes
when she is still a slave, and she wants Janie to fulfil it. The wishes are the
extension of the main feminist notion that Nanny has. Having Janie for Nanny to
raise as well as the substitute of her lost daugh-ter, she sees Janie as
another chance to continue her wishes. “It sho wasn't mah will forthings to
happen lak they did. Ah even hated de way you was born. But, all de same Ah
said thank God, Ah got another chance” (1978: 3l).
Therefore, she manages it somehow for Janie to carry on her wishes after trying to impose it to her, which is going to be explained furthermore in this part. Of Nanny’s first wish in which she does not want to be exploited by men, she asserts her expectation to Janie as follows: “De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. Ah been prayin’ fuh it tuh be different wid you” (Hurston 29).Later on, not only does Nanny share the expectation but also imposes it to Janie: "Ah didn't want to be used for a work-ox and a brood-sow and Ah didn't want my daughter used dat way neither” (Hurston 3l). Clearly depicted, Nanny wishes for Janie to stay away from life, which involves a man to exploit her. Like the first imposition, the second one regarding the woman 'sittin' on high', Nanny does not leave it remains an expectation but as well as imposes it to Janie in the following statement: “Ah been waitin’ a long time Janie, but nothin’ Ah been through ain’t too much if you just take a stand on high ground lak Ah dreamed” (1978: 32). Plainly yet with a certain tone, Nanny requires that her granddaughter fulfil her dream, which is to be a woman in high status or ‘high ground’. At last, at the end of her sorrowful memory sharing, Nanny again asserts her final prospect to Janie: “Ah wanted you to look upon yo'self. Ah don't want yo' feathers always crumpled by folks throwin' up things in yo' face. And Ah can't die easy thinkin' maybe de menfolks white or black is makin' a spit cup outa you"
(Hurston 37).
Because Nanny does not want Janie to be subordinated by men like what happens to Nanny and Janie's mother, therefore Nanny denotes her some of her wishes. Nanny's main idea is to get Janie out of white and black men subordination and to realize this, Nanny loads her with her demands. Because Janie's mother and Janie herself were born as the result of rapes, Nanny thinks that marriage is the safest institution for Janie, for she cannot be touched by other men besides her own husband. Marrying a rich husband prevents her to be exploitated physically by her husband. Having a marriage and a good decent life in terms of physical exploitation are things that Nanny does not have and thus she wants Janie to have it.
Therefore, she manages it somehow for Janie to carry on her wishes after trying to impose it to her, which is going to be explained furthermore in this part. Of Nanny’s first wish in which she does not want to be exploited by men, she asserts her expectation to Janie as follows: “De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. Ah been prayin’ fuh it tuh be different wid you” (Hurston 29).Later on, not only does Nanny share the expectation but also imposes it to Janie: "Ah didn't want to be used for a work-ox and a brood-sow and Ah didn't want my daughter used dat way neither” (Hurston 3l). Clearly depicted, Nanny wishes for Janie to stay away from life, which involves a man to exploit her. Like the first imposition, the second one regarding the woman 'sittin' on high', Nanny does not leave it remains an expectation but as well as imposes it to Janie in the following statement: “Ah been waitin’ a long time Janie, but nothin’ Ah been through ain’t too much if you just take a stand on high ground lak Ah dreamed” (1978: 32). Plainly yet with a certain tone, Nanny requires that her granddaughter fulfil her dream, which is to be a woman in high status or ‘high ground’. At last, at the end of her sorrowful memory sharing, Nanny again asserts her final prospect to Janie: “Ah wanted you to look upon yo'self. Ah don't want yo' feathers always crumpled by folks throwin' up things in yo' face. And Ah can't die easy thinkin' maybe de menfolks white or black is makin' a spit cup outa you"
(Hurston 37).
Because Nanny does not want Janie to be subordinated by men like what happens to Nanny and Janie's mother, therefore Nanny denotes her some of her wishes. Nanny's main idea is to get Janie out of white and black men subordination and to realize this, Nanny loads her with her demands. Because Janie's mother and Janie herself were born as the result of rapes, Nanny thinks that marriage is the safest institution for Janie, for she cannot be touched by other men besides her own husband. Marrying a rich husband prevents her to be exploitated physically by her husband. Having a marriage and a good decent life in terms of physical exploitation are things that Nanny does not have and thus she wants Janie to have it.
B.
Janie's Unmatched “Love Property" Expectation Resulted in the Recognition
of Male Oppressions.
In this second part, the analysis would go further to Janie's first marriage in which she begins to assess that the self-definitions have been attained in the first place. In addition, this part also investigates how Janie's loveless marriage leads to her recognition other husband's oppressions.
In this second part, the analysis would go further to Janie's first marriage in which she begins to assess that the self-definitions have been attained in the first place. In addition, this part also investigates how Janie's loveless marriage leads to her recognition other husband's oppressions.
1.
Janie's love expectations.
After Janie agrees with Nanny to be match-made with Logan Killicks, she spends some time with herself asking and wondering around. She has experienced under the pear tree at the first time brings her into the cycle of self-definition which involves first a lover, then love itself and then marriage. Yet, since Janie has to get married without undergoing the first and second stage, she feels anxious with the marriage and starts to ask her self whether she would love her husband or not.
After Janie agrees with Nanny to be match-made with Logan Killicks, she spends some time with herself asking and wondering around. She has experienced under the pear tree at the first time brings her into the cycle of self-definition which involves first a lover, then love itself and then marriage. Yet, since Janie has to get married without undergoing the first and second stage, she feels anxious with the marriage and starts to ask her self whether she would love her husband or not.
”There are years that ask questions and years that
answer. Janie had no chance to know things, so she had to ask. Did marriage end
the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? Did marriage compel love like the sun the
day?”(1978: 38)
It can be spotted from the
lines above that Janie feels this is the time when she needs to ask questions.
Janie does not have much time either to get to know her husband or even feel
what love is; yet she has to get married. Thus, she seeks for hints and clues
in order to find affirmation that she has done the right thing in marrying
Killicks.
Since the first stage of experiencing love is that she ought to have a lover, Janie begins to ask her first question which is whether or not she can get into a marriage even if she does not own a lover: “Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated?” (1978: 38). The question is also ad-dressed to the marriage for it can end the loneliness of someone who does not have a lover. In other words, Janie wonders if she does not have a lover to cast away her loneliness, can a marriage do it? In addition for her second question" Janie again asks herself about love, since love was the next stage she was supposed to undergo after owning a lover. "Did marriage compel love like the sun the day?" was the next question she tosses to look into the marriage she is about to have. Like it has been clarified in the first part of explanation, inspired by the pear tree moment Janie has the notion that after she feels love, then she can have a marriage. Therefore, Janie tries to wonder, if she gets married first, would she have love afterwards? Or can a marriage lead her to love as it is being metaphored 'like the sun the day?' in which'the sun' represents the marriage and'the day' represents love. Janie's days of asking questions continue before she is ready to leave for Logan Killick's house:
"In the few days to live before she went to Logan Killicks and his oftenmentioned sixty acres, Janie asked inside of herself and out. She was back and forth to the pear tree continuously wondering and thinking" (Hurston 38).
Thus, Janie's inquiries undo her path to her first marriage to be examined as well as to hope that those questions would be true. Not only does Janie want answers from herself in order to find affirmation of love and marriage, but she also demands answers of the same questions from her Nanny and the elderly. Eventually, herNanny gives her a 'temporary satisffing' answer in order to cover her anxiousness.
"Finally out of Nanny's talk and her own conjectures she made sort of comfort for herself. Yes, she would loveLogan
As it can be seen above, that Janie finds her Nanny's statement comforting and she tries to accept it by force so she would not feel anxious anymore. Nanny's notion that they would love each other after they got married and not to mention the same supportive argument from the elderly make Janie feel that what they have said is true. Although their notion is completely the other way around from Janie's own notion about it, Janie highly regards it for she feels unsure of what she is doing. In the earlier part, Janie has imitated the full cycle of the pear tree which are finding the lover (bee), rnaking love, and then getting married. This time, however, Janie demes her own interpretation by taking her grandmother's words for granted. Janie, at this time, decides to believe that marriage may come first before love even though it is against her belief. Hence, Janie feels sure to marry him since she considers her Nanny's idea of having the love after the marriage is possible and this is the point where Janie's tolerance would fail her later on. "But anyhow Janie went inside to wait for love to begin" (Hurston 39).
Since the first stage of experiencing love is that she ought to have a lover, Janie begins to ask her first question which is whether or not she can get into a marriage even if she does not own a lover: “Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated?” (1978: 38). The question is also ad-dressed to the marriage for it can end the loneliness of someone who does not have a lover. In other words, Janie wonders if she does not have a lover to cast away her loneliness, can a marriage do it? In addition for her second question" Janie again asks herself about love, since love was the next stage she was supposed to undergo after owning a lover. "Did marriage compel love like the sun the day?" was the next question she tosses to look into the marriage she is about to have. Like it has been clarified in the first part of explanation, inspired by the pear tree moment Janie has the notion that after she feels love, then she can have a marriage. Therefore, Janie tries to wonder, if she gets married first, would she have love afterwards? Or can a marriage lead her to love as it is being metaphored 'like the sun the day?' in which'the sun' represents the marriage and'the day' represents love. Janie's days of asking questions continue before she is ready to leave for Logan Killick's house:
"In the few days to live before she went to Logan Killicks and his oftenmentioned sixty acres, Janie asked inside of herself and out. She was back and forth to the pear tree continuously wondering and thinking" (Hurston 38).
Thus, Janie's inquiries undo her path to her first marriage to be examined as well as to hope that those questions would be true. Not only does Janie want answers from herself in order to find affirmation of love and marriage, but she also demands answers of the same questions from her Nanny and the elderly. Eventually, herNanny gives her a 'temporary satisffing' answer in order to cover her anxiousness.
"Finally out of Nanny's talk and her own conjectures she made sort of comfort for herself. Yes, she would love
As it can be seen above, that Janie finds her Nanny's statement comforting and she tries to accept it by force so she would not feel anxious anymore. Nanny's notion that they would love each other after they got married and not to mention the same supportive argument from the elderly make Janie feel that what they have said is true. Although their notion is completely the other way around from Janie's own notion about it, Janie highly regards it for she feels unsure of what she is doing. In the earlier part, Janie has imitated the full cycle of the pear tree which are finding the lover (bee), rnaking love, and then getting married. This time, however, Janie demes her own interpretation by taking her grandmother's words for granted. Janie, at this time, decides to believe that marriage may come first before love even though it is against her belief. Hence, Janie feels sure to marry him since she considers her Nanny's idea of having the love after the marriage is possible and this is the point where Janie's tolerance would fail her later on. "But anyhow Janie went inside to wait for love to begin" (Hurston 39).
2. Janie's process to
recognize her loveless marriage.
No matter how hard Janie tries to convince herself regarding the idea of love coming after marriage, still she finally enters the stage where she recognizes that such idea could not work with her. This part would investigate deeply of the stages in which Janie starts to feel the doubt and put the love to the test again on suggestion by her Nanny until the patience finally runs out.
Janie's awakening of the initating love expectation starts to emerge when she feels that she has waited long enough to have it around. Hoping the love to begin after she got married, she waits sometimes to feel its coming. However, her first definition of love and how it comes to marriage cannot be forsaken by her Nanny's first statement. "The new moon had been up and down three times before she got worried in mind" (Hurston 39). It has been three months since Janie settles her tolerance upon getting married first before entering the stage of loving, yet, as it is seen in the quoted line that after three months Janie starts to worry about love. Janie is beginning to sense that what she expects is apparently too far.
No matter how hard Janie tries to convince herself regarding the idea of love coming after marriage, still she finally enters the stage where she recognizes that such idea could not work with her. This part would investigate deeply of the stages in which Janie starts to feel the doubt and put the love to the test again on suggestion by her Nanny until the patience finally runs out.
Janie's awakening of the initating love expectation starts to emerge when she feels that she has waited long enough to have it around. Hoping the love to begin after she got married, she waits sometimes to feel its coming. However, her first definition of love and how it comes to marriage cannot be forsaken by her Nanny's first statement. "The new moon had been up and down three times before she got worried in mind" (Hurston 39). It has been three months since Janie settles her tolerance upon getting married first before entering the stage of loving, yet, as it is seen in the quoted line that after three months Janie starts to worry about love. Janie is beginning to sense that what she expects is apparently too far.
Janie decides to
ask for her Nanny's second affirmation about her first statement regarding
love, thus she goes to her grandmother's place. Nevertheless, her Nanny who
expects her to marry Logan Killicks because he owns a huge amount of property
does not know that Janie apparently looks forward to a completely different
thing than her. Therefore when Janie denotes her uncertainty of the 'not yet
existing love', "Cause you told me Ah must gointer love him, and, and Ah
don't. Maybe if somebody was to tell me how, Ah could do it", Nanny
refutes it with her opinion (Hurston 4l). Nanny answers:
"You come heah wid yo' mouf full uh foolishness on uh busy day. Heah you got uh prop tuh lean on all yo' bawn days, and big protection, and everybody got tuh tip dey hat tuh you and call you Mis' Killicks, and yuh come worryin' me 'bout love" (Hurston 4l).
Nanny utters it clearly that the 'prop(erty)' owned by Killicks is the thing that Nanny has been aiming for her granddaughter's marriage. Since Nanny's background as a slave leaves her a deep stigma for what the white people have done to her, she does not want Janie to experience the same thing. Thus she wants Janie to marry Killicks who has the property so she does not have to work hard as she used to as well as having a'high' status. As it is symbolized with the words 'everybody got tuh tip dey hat tuh you and call you Mis' Killicks'; it shows how people would respect her because she is the wife of the property owner Mr. Killicks. Because of it, Nanny thinks that Janie might be happy with the status given to her and love is not so important compared to protection from the white people and the status.
At the same time, Janie tries to confront her by insisting that her need for love is highly demanded: 'But Nanny, Ah wants to want him sometimes. Ah don't want him to do all the wantin"' (Hurston 41). Matching the definition on love by Peck that love is when one has "the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth", in this part, Janie clearly shows that she fries to put efforts in nurturing her own spiritual growth toward Killicks (Peck 81). She, however, does not have the will to extend herself into a fuither purpose, which is to love a husband like Logan Killicls. Janie's assertion 'Ah wants to want him sometimes' reflects the truth that the will or the 'want' of hers does not show up when she expects it to exist in order to have love. As a conclusion, the fact that Janie does not love Logan Killicks makes her feel initated. Feeling that her grand daughter is pushing her luclg Nanny's plan to match make Janie at the first time finally is revealed. Nanny gets upset with Janie since she keeps on nagging about the love that she is awaiting to happen. Here, eventually Nanny forces Janie to consider again her ownership of the 'sixty-acres' land by marrying Logan Killicks as well as to press her own definition of love.
"If you don't want him, you sho oughta- Heah you is wid de onliest organ in town, amongst colored folks, in yo' parlor. Got a house bought and paid for and sixty acres uh land right on de big road and...Lawd have mussy! Dat's very prong all us black women gits hung on. Dis love!" (Hurston 41).
Nanny criticizes Janie as being a woman who does not recognizeher own luck by appointing Janie's prosperous condition in owning'a house bought and paid for, and sixty acres land right on de big road'. Furthermore, Nanny condemns the state of being in love that Janie wants by sayrng "Dat's very prong all us black women gits hung on" (Hurston 41). Nanny?s obvious disapproval is shown from her statement that it is very 'prong' (wrong) for the black women to 'gits hung on' or in love. In addition, the emphasis here is when Nanny eventually says "Dis lovel" in which identifies that she forces her own definition of love to Janie. Hence, clearly affi.rmed by Nanny that whatever she believes in the so-called'house and land', according to her, is the actual meaning of love which she believes would meet her granddaughter's protection.
"You come heah wid yo' mouf full uh foolishness on uh busy day. Heah you got uh prop tuh lean on all yo' bawn days, and big protection, and everybody got tuh tip dey hat tuh you and call you Mis' Killicks, and yuh come worryin' me 'bout love" (Hurston 4l).
Nanny utters it clearly that the 'prop(erty)' owned by Killicks is the thing that Nanny has been aiming for her granddaughter's marriage. Since Nanny's background as a slave leaves her a deep stigma for what the white people have done to her, she does not want Janie to experience the same thing. Thus she wants Janie to marry Killicks who has the property so she does not have to work hard as she used to as well as having a'high' status. As it is symbolized with the words 'everybody got tuh tip dey hat tuh you and call you Mis' Killicks'; it shows how people would respect her because she is the wife of the property owner Mr. Killicks. Because of it, Nanny thinks that Janie might be happy with the status given to her and love is not so important compared to protection from the white people and the status.
At the same time, Janie tries to confront her by insisting that her need for love is highly demanded: 'But Nanny, Ah wants to want him sometimes. Ah don't want him to do all the wantin"' (Hurston 41). Matching the definition on love by Peck that love is when one has "the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth", in this part, Janie clearly shows that she fries to put efforts in nurturing her own spiritual growth toward Killicks (Peck 81). She, however, does not have the will to extend herself into a fuither purpose, which is to love a husband like Logan Killicls. Janie's assertion 'Ah wants to want him sometimes' reflects the truth that the will or the 'want' of hers does not show up when she expects it to exist in order to have love. As a conclusion, the fact that Janie does not love Logan Killicks makes her feel initated. Feeling that her grand daughter is pushing her luclg Nanny's plan to match make Janie at the first time finally is revealed. Nanny gets upset with Janie since she keeps on nagging about the love that she is awaiting to happen. Here, eventually Nanny forces Janie to consider again her ownership of the 'sixty-acres' land by marrying Logan Killicks as well as to press her own definition of love.
"If you don't want him, you sho oughta- Heah you is wid de onliest organ in town, amongst colored folks, in yo' parlor. Got a house bought and paid for and sixty acres uh land right on de big road and...Lawd have mussy! Dat's very prong all us black women gits hung on. Dis love!" (Hurston 41).
Nanny criticizes Janie as being a woman who does not recognizeher own luck by appointing Janie's prosperous condition in owning'a house bought and paid for, and sixty acres land right on de big road'. Furthermore, Nanny condemns the state of being in love that Janie wants by sayrng "Dat's very prong all us black women gits hung on" (Hurston 41). Nanny?s obvious disapproval is shown from her statement that it is very 'prong' (wrong) for the black women to 'gits hung on' or in love. In addition, the emphasis here is when Nanny eventually says "Dis lovel" in which identifies that she forces her own definition of love to Janie. Hence, clearly affi.rmed by Nanny that whatever she believes in the so-called'house and land', according to her, is the actual meaning of love which she believes would meet her granddaughter's protection.
Learning that there is
something behind her arranged marriage as well as feeling offended with Nanny's
comment, Janie defends herself by throwing a'right on target' disclaimer
regarding Killicks' property. As Janie stands up for it:
o'... At de same time Ah ain't takin dat ole land tuh heart neither. Ah could throw ten acres ofifover the fence every day and never look back to see where it fell. Ah feel de same way'bout Mr. Killicks too. Some folks never was meant to be loved and he's one of 'em" (Hurston 42).
Janie's statement above shows that the confrontation between Janie and her grandmother has reached the climax in which now they argue each other's argument. Nanny wants Janie to be thankful because she can marry Killicks for he owns a house and a land, which, in Nanny's opinion, can be a full guarantee of the marriage's happiness. The other way around, since Janie thinks that the feeling of love might appear during the marriage, she feels that whatever Nanny has been firssing about, has got nothing to do with her quest of love in this marriage. While Nanny believes that wealth is everything, Janie does not even weigh what Killicks has, as a reason to love him. Thus, both the pillars of love definitions by Nanny and by Janie finally collide in this moment.
Feeling depressed and cornered after realizing that she might be marrying someone with the wrong reason, Janie starts to crack up. In the earlier discussion, the previous moment, Janie breaks into doubt when she had to marry L,ogan Killicks and felt unsure for not having love. At that time, Janie decides to bend her own principle stage of 'loving then marrying' into 'marrying then loving'. once again, at this instant, Janie then begins to doubt her marriage and tolerates the dreary relationship she has with Killicks as suggested by her Nanny. Thus, when Janie cries and utters what she wants in her marriage to herNanny: "Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah... " (Hurston 43), her Nanny once more convinces her. "...Better leave things de way dey is. Youse young yet. No tellin' whut mout happen befo' you die. wait awhile, baby. yo' mind will change" (Hurston 43).
o'... At de same time Ah ain't takin dat ole land tuh heart neither. Ah could throw ten acres ofifover the fence every day and never look back to see where it fell. Ah feel de same way'bout Mr. Killicks too. Some folks never was meant to be loved and he's one of 'em" (Hurston 42).
Janie's statement above shows that the confrontation between Janie and her grandmother has reached the climax in which now they argue each other's argument. Nanny wants Janie to be thankful because she can marry Killicks for he owns a house and a land, which, in Nanny's opinion, can be a full guarantee of the marriage's happiness. The other way around, since Janie thinks that the feeling of love might appear during the marriage, she feels that whatever Nanny has been firssing about, has got nothing to do with her quest of love in this marriage. While Nanny believes that wealth is everything, Janie does not even weigh what Killicks has, as a reason to love him. Thus, both the pillars of love definitions by Nanny and by Janie finally collide in this moment.
Feeling depressed and cornered after realizing that she might be marrying someone with the wrong reason, Janie starts to crack up. In the earlier discussion, the previous moment, Janie breaks into doubt when she had to marry L,ogan Killicks and felt unsure for not having love. At that time, Janie decides to bend her own principle stage of 'loving then marrying' into 'marrying then loving'. once again, at this instant, Janie then begins to doubt her marriage and tolerates the dreary relationship she has with Killicks as suggested by her Nanny. Thus, when Janie cries and utters what she wants in her marriage to herNanny: "Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah... " (Hurston 43), her Nanny once more convinces her. "...Better leave things de way dey is. Youse young yet. No tellin' whut mout happen befo' you die. wait awhile, baby. yo' mind will change" (Hurston 43).
When Janie believes her Nanny's convincing
statement, she for the second time decides to accept another tolerance of her
notion, which is to wait for some time. Then again, apparently what Janie has
witnessed with the pear tree is too deep-seated in her inner self. For this
reasorL even though Janie chooses to put one more chance of waiting, she ends
up succumbing after her mind's reflection finds the waiting is worth nothing.
As it is being depicted:
"So Janie waited a bloom time, and a green time and an orange time. But when the pollen again gilded the sun and sifted down on the world she began to stand around the gate and expect things. what things? She didn't know exactly" (Hurston 43).
Another year passes by during Janie's second period of waiting, and even after her Nanny is now dead, Janie still cannot find what she wants in her marriage. As depicted above, Janie begins to 'stand around the gate and expect things' like she first done after she knew that she needed a singing bee or man to get her love and marriage. At that time, Janie runs to her gate and her eyes lurked around at the road, expected the bee would come for her. Now, again she stands in the gate and 'expect things' like she used to expect, love and marriage. However, her waiting phase has gone too long and dull so she does not even know what to expect now in her marriage because she knows no matter how hard she expects love to come it would be a waste of time. Like it is reflected in 'What things? She didn't know exactly', Janie has lost her will to continue seeking for love in this marriage.
At the end, Janie sets her mind to compose a reflection of what she is now doing and has done. As a final point, Janie concludes what is now happening in her marriage and its connection with the love she has been expecting are no longer effort-worthy. She knows exactly no matter how much things and people around her try to convince that love would be in the air, she is still the one who determines when love can or cannot come. Hence, Janie knows the truth of her loveless marriage and she is seffled for a new alternative. "The familiar people and things had failed her so she hung over the gate and looked up the road towards way off. She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman" (Hurston 44).
At this juncture, from the statement 'the familiar people' which refer to her grandmother and the other elderly, reveals Janie's disappointment as they have failed her. She, finally, realizes that what her Nanny has told her about love is completely untrue since Janie still does not support the notion of such property that her husband has, can nurture her love to him. In addition, Janie also mention the word 'things' as one of the elements that had failed her besides the word 'people', and what Janie means as 'things' are time as well as Killicks' property. It is apparent from the evidences given previously, that time is not on her side because Janie feels she had waited for her love to thrive, but she has been waiting too long to feel it does not work. Secondly, the word 'things' may also refers to Killicks' properly that often mentioned by her grandmother. In grandmother's opinion, the 'often-mentioned' property is the source of her marriage's love, which in fact cannot sway Janie to love Killicks, as her gtandmother's expectation. Therefore, the statement'she hung over the gate and looked up the road towards way off shows that Janie now seeks for a new chance; it shows from the words 'towards way off . If it is usually depicted with 'Janie hang over the gate and look at the road' only, now she is looking at the 'road towards way off which means she is seeking for the path or the way 'off from her situation. In this moment, Janie's disappointment is clearly mentioned from 'marriage did not make love' and she feels what she expects at the beginning of her marriage is 'dead'. Hence, 'she became a woman' for knowing things that she did not know at the first place, andrealizes that she is being naive since the very beginning.
"So Janie waited a bloom time, and a green time and an orange time. But when the pollen again gilded the sun and sifted down on the world she began to stand around the gate and expect things. what things? She didn't know exactly" (Hurston 43).
Another year passes by during Janie's second period of waiting, and even after her Nanny is now dead, Janie still cannot find what she wants in her marriage. As depicted above, Janie begins to 'stand around the gate and expect things' like she first done after she knew that she needed a singing bee or man to get her love and marriage. At that time, Janie runs to her gate and her eyes lurked around at the road, expected the bee would come for her. Now, again she stands in the gate and 'expect things' like she used to expect, love and marriage. However, her waiting phase has gone too long and dull so she does not even know what to expect now in her marriage because she knows no matter how hard she expects love to come it would be a waste of time. Like it is reflected in 'What things? She didn't know exactly', Janie has lost her will to continue seeking for love in this marriage.
At the end, Janie sets her mind to compose a reflection of what she is now doing and has done. As a final point, Janie concludes what is now happening in her marriage and its connection with the love she has been expecting are no longer effort-worthy. She knows exactly no matter how much things and people around her try to convince that love would be in the air, she is still the one who determines when love can or cannot come. Hence, Janie knows the truth of her loveless marriage and she is seffled for a new alternative. "The familiar people and things had failed her so she hung over the gate and looked up the road towards way off. She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman" (Hurston 44).
At this juncture, from the statement 'the familiar people' which refer to her grandmother and the other elderly, reveals Janie's disappointment as they have failed her. She, finally, realizes that what her Nanny has told her about love is completely untrue since Janie still does not support the notion of such property that her husband has, can nurture her love to him. In addition, Janie also mention the word 'things' as one of the elements that had failed her besides the word 'people', and what Janie means as 'things' are time as well as Killicks' property. It is apparent from the evidences given previously, that time is not on her side because Janie feels she had waited for her love to thrive, but she has been waiting too long to feel it does not work. Secondly, the word 'things' may also refers to Killicks' properly that often mentioned by her grandmother. In grandmother's opinion, the 'often-mentioned' property is the source of her marriage's love, which in fact cannot sway Janie to love Killicks, as her gtandmother's expectation. Therefore, the statement'she hung over the gate and looked up the road towards way off shows that Janie now seeks for a new chance; it shows from the words 'towards way off . If it is usually depicted with 'Janie hang over the gate and look at the road' only, now she is looking at the 'road towards way off which means she is seeking for the path or the way 'off from her situation. In this moment, Janie's disappointment is clearly mentioned from 'marriage did not make love' and she feels what she expects at the beginning of her marriage is 'dead'. Hence, 'she became a woman' for knowing things that she did not know at the first place, andrealizes that she is being naive since the very beginning.
3. Janie's process to
recognize Killicks' oppressions.
After Janie becomes conscious that her marriage is out of love, she starts to notice that her husband, Logan Killicks, feels the same way also. Logan Killicks, who has been expecting Janie's love since the beginning of the marriage, starts to act differently when he finally knows Janie would never love him back The true character of Logan Killicks as a husband reveals evidently in his treatrnen8 to Janie afterwards, which Janie recognizes as acts of oppressions.
After Janie becomes conscious that her marriage is out of love, she starts to notice that her husband, Logan Killicks, feels the same way also. Logan Killicks, who has been expecting Janie's love since the beginning of the marriage, starts to act differently when he finally knows Janie would never love him back The true character of Logan Killicks as a husband reveals evidently in his treatrnen8 to Janie afterwards, which Janie recognizes as acts of oppressions.
The first trial of
Killicks' is to check the reaction of his wife regarding his oppressions, and
Janie reacts quite tough with her husband's comment. ln this part, both of the
parties are acknowledging each other's crisis by throwing harsh remarks before
later on Janie enters the stage where she spots on her husband's attempt of
patriarchal exploitative dominancy.
"If Ah kin haul de wood heah and chop it fuh yuh, look lak you oughta be able tuh tote it inside. Mah fust wife never bothered me 'bout choppin' no wood nohow. She'd grab dat ax and sling chips lak uh man. You done been spoilt rotten" (Hurston 45).
Testing the water, Logan Killicks asks Janie a 'half-forcing' favor to pick all the woods that he has chopped for her to the kitchen. Furthermore, even implicitly harsher, Killicks asserts a contrast of what his first wife has done, which was even chopping the woods by herself like a man, to Janie. Even it cannot be categorized as oppression yet, the comparison shows that Killicks somehow instructs his first wife to do the wood chopping, even though he knows that is usually done by men. The explanation why Killicks lets his first wife and even asks Janie to handle such works would be explained later on when I discuss his evident oppressions. However, the statement that Killicks utterance effectively irritates Janie's feelings and makes her to give him even an unkind reply:
"Ah'm just as stiffas you is stout. If you can stand not to chop and tote wood Ah reckon you can stand to grt no dinner. 'Scuse mah freezolity Mist' Killicks, but Ah don't mean to chop de first chip" (Hurston 45).
Gets snapped directly with Killicks' statement, Janie refrrses to chop the wood and threatens him for not making him dinner. The fact that Janie misunderstands Killicks' request to bring the wood herself to the kitchen and not chop it, proves that Janie is acting defensive on what she is doing and what she is not doing. However, in this point Janie knows that Killicks now is pretty aware with her'not-loving' act, thus he acts harshly toward Janie. Knowing that the result of his assumption of Janie's love feed back is right, Killicks gives her another cynical remark to show how snappy Janie is:
"Aw you know Ah'm gwine chop de wood fuh yuh. Even if you is stingy as you can be wid me. Yo' Grandma and me myself done spoilt yuh now, and Ah reckon Ah have tuh keep on wid it" (Hurston 5).
This kind of statement opens the gate of 'ready to blow anytime' path for both of them to keep on arguing. Yet, as it can be seen above that the only point that Janie refutes from Killicks statement is when he asks her to chop the wood, but the statement that Janie is being spoilt by her grandmother remains sfrong and intact until the end of their disagreement, therefore Killicks closes his utterance by saying: "Yo' Grandma and me myself done spoilt yuh now, and Ah reckon Ah have tuh keep on wid it" (Hurston 45). Since this last cynical insult has been uttered by Killicks and the fact Janie did not respond to it, is opening the second path in which Killicks feels free now to denote Janie's harsh remarks.
After the moment of heated disagreement, as it has been mentioned above, Killicks feels more free to throw sarcastic or cynical remarks to Janie. Thus, this kind of act leads Killicks into further conduct in which he would not hesitate to show his real character of being a husband. Since Killicks has denoted that his first wife chops wood like a man and does not ask Killicks to do it for her, Killicks feels that Janie as the second wife needs to undergo similar work division as his first wife does. For information" later on in the following statements of Killicks', it would display hs attempt of asserting the domestic exploitative oppression to Janie. When one morning Janie is having her breakfast, Killicks yells at her to cut up the potatoes' seed because he intends to go out of town. When Janie knows that her husband wants to buy another mule and asks him why, Killicks answers:
"Taters is goin' to be taters in de fall. Bringin' big prices. Ah aims tuh run two plows, and dis man Ah'm talkin' 'bout is got uh mule all gentled up so even uh woman kin handle 'im". Logan held his wad of tobacco real still in his jaw like a thermometer of his feelings while he studied Janie's face and waited for her to say something" (Hurston 46).
The first statement by Killicks reflects his patriarchal way of thinking. As it reflected, obviously he wants to say implicitly that the mule he buys is for Janie to run. [n other words, he says that he wants to harvest the potatoes therefore he needs the soil to be plowed entirely by buying one more mule. By buying the mule, he is intended to make Janie run it, in order to make the land finished faster like he plans.
However, Killicks does not explicitly express it for he has experienced an explicit order to his wife previously regarding the wood chopping and as a result, Janie gets quite irritated at that time. Thus, intending to avoid similar rejection" and expecting an affirmation, not only Killicks denotes the gentle-mule-handling in an implicit way, but also waits for Janie's affirmation by studying'Janie's face and waited for her to say something'. Not to mentioq as it depicted "Logan
Also in this part, when Janie has married Logan Killicks, the image of mule has again emerged in the situation of the mule as a property to work the plow. It is noticeable here, if the Nanny has put at the beginning that woman has the image like a mule, means that the role of Janie as Killicks' wife is the same as the mule. Killicks considers his mule as one of his production assets to run his land, parallel with Janie whom he married as a wife. If Killicks can force Janie to pick wood, tell his frst wife to chop the woo4 and even make Janie to handle a mule, means he does not hesitate to treat woman or his wife as his properfy. For property is categorized as one of the production assets, therefore Killicks uses his wife as a device to assist his process of production.
Julia Cleves Mosse illuminates the logical link that can be derived is that "black women are obviously exploitated" during the process property owning (Mosse 115). "Each man -including black man- is given a small privilege of monopoly" upon womarL and this shows no matter how much their properties are disclaimed, the right upon women will always there (Mosse 115). In addition, in most cases of farming, the working division for women is often in the form of rough sketches. The working division of women becomes unclear when it comes to farming related works, as Cathy Watson noted, the "men and boys" usually deal with caffle in field, and "women and girls" deal not only with the household works but also feed the cattle, washing them, and cleaning its barn and even sometimes they help the men in the field. That is exactly the same thing like what Killicks does to Janie; he wants her to handle the mule so she can work with plow. Moreover, later on in the process of Janie's refusal, again Killicks asserts his oppression to impose on Janie the notion of 'wife-as-factor-of production'by stating:
"Come and help me move dis manure pile befo' de sun gits hot. You don't take a bit of interest in dis place. 'Tain't no use in foolin' round in dat kitchen all day long" (Hurston 52).
The second line after Killicks tells her to help him demonstrates how Killicks feels upset with Janie's passiveness as an act of negative response in being a part of the land. This means, Killicks has the notion that Janie is supposed to be the part of a land itself when the land is supposed to be his object of production process. Not only that, the rough sketch of women's working division in farming is also evidently showed by Killicks' another remark to Janie when she utters that her place is not in the field with him: "You ain't got no particular place. It's wherever Ah need yuh. Git uh move on yuh, and dat quick" (Hurston 52). Killicks does not only want Janie to work in the kitchen, but he wants Janie to work anywhere he wants and needs her.
Thus, Killicks' exploitative oppressions are clearly shown through the evidence and the explanation above. In those points where Killicks affrrms his oppressions, Janie reacts in different ways to show her act of recognizing and disapproval. lt has been discussed above, Killicks shows his dominance by implicitly wanting Janie to work with the gentle mule and ploq however, even though Janie realizes what her husband wants from her, she does not get snapped as before. This action shows that indeed the first moment when Janie refuses to chop the wood is only her spontaneous act of reacting against the insult. Yet, the other moment when Janie keeps silent when her husband desires her to handle the mule is showing her reflective act of recognizing her husband's first exploitative act. For the reason that Janie finally indicates the second act of oppression and she refuses to be treated that way as it reflects in her rebuttals, which would be clarified later on in the part of Janie's actions of refusal.
"If Ah kin haul de wood heah and chop it fuh yuh, look lak you oughta be able tuh tote it inside. Mah fust wife never bothered me 'bout choppin' no wood nohow. She'd grab dat ax and sling chips lak uh man. You done been spoilt rotten" (Hurston 45).
Testing the water, Logan Killicks asks Janie a 'half-forcing' favor to pick all the woods that he has chopped for her to the kitchen. Furthermore, even implicitly harsher, Killicks asserts a contrast of what his first wife has done, which was even chopping the woods by herself like a man, to Janie. Even it cannot be categorized as oppression yet, the comparison shows that Killicks somehow instructs his first wife to do the wood chopping, even though he knows that is usually done by men. The explanation why Killicks lets his first wife and even asks Janie to handle such works would be explained later on when I discuss his evident oppressions. However, the statement that Killicks utterance effectively irritates Janie's feelings and makes her to give him even an unkind reply:
"Ah'm just as stiffas you is stout. If you can stand not to chop and tote wood Ah reckon you can stand to grt no dinner. 'Scuse mah freezolity Mist' Killicks, but Ah don't mean to chop de first chip" (Hurston 45).
Gets snapped directly with Killicks' statement, Janie refrrses to chop the wood and threatens him for not making him dinner. The fact that Janie misunderstands Killicks' request to bring the wood herself to the kitchen and not chop it, proves that Janie is acting defensive on what she is doing and what she is not doing. However, in this point Janie knows that Killicks now is pretty aware with her'not-loving' act, thus he acts harshly toward Janie. Knowing that the result of his assumption of Janie's love feed back is right, Killicks gives her another cynical remark to show how snappy Janie is:
"Aw you know Ah'm gwine chop de wood fuh yuh. Even if you is stingy as you can be wid me. Yo' Grandma and me myself done spoilt yuh now, and Ah reckon Ah have tuh keep on wid it" (Hurston 5).
This kind of statement opens the gate of 'ready to blow anytime' path for both of them to keep on arguing. Yet, as it can be seen above that the only point that Janie refutes from Killicks statement is when he asks her to chop the wood, but the statement that Janie is being spoilt by her grandmother remains sfrong and intact until the end of their disagreement, therefore Killicks closes his utterance by saying: "Yo' Grandma and me myself done spoilt yuh now, and Ah reckon Ah have tuh keep on wid it" (Hurston 45). Since this last cynical insult has been uttered by Killicks and the fact Janie did not respond to it, is opening the second path in which Killicks feels free now to denote Janie's harsh remarks.
After the moment of heated disagreement, as it has been mentioned above, Killicks feels more free to throw sarcastic or cynical remarks to Janie. Thus, this kind of act leads Killicks into further conduct in which he would not hesitate to show his real character of being a husband. Since Killicks has denoted that his first wife chops wood like a man and does not ask Killicks to do it for her, Killicks feels that Janie as the second wife needs to undergo similar work division as his first wife does. For information" later on in the following statements of Killicks', it would display hs attempt of asserting the domestic exploitative oppression to Janie. When one morning Janie is having her breakfast, Killicks yells at her to cut up the potatoes' seed because he intends to go out of town. When Janie knows that her husband wants to buy another mule and asks him why, Killicks answers:
"Taters is goin' to be taters in de fall. Bringin' big prices. Ah aims tuh run two plows, and dis man Ah'm talkin' 'bout is got uh mule all gentled up so even uh woman kin handle 'im". Logan held his wad of tobacco real still in his jaw like a thermometer of his feelings while he studied Janie's face and waited for her to say something" (Hurston 46).
The first statement by Killicks reflects his patriarchal way of thinking. As it reflected, obviously he wants to say implicitly that the mule he buys is for Janie to run. [n other words, he says that he wants to harvest the potatoes therefore he needs the soil to be plowed entirely by buying one more mule. By buying the mule, he is intended to make Janie run it, in order to make the land finished faster like he plans.
However, Killicks does not explicitly express it for he has experienced an explicit order to his wife previously regarding the wood chopping and as a result, Janie gets quite irritated at that time. Thus, intending to avoid similar rejection" and expecting an affirmation, not only Killicks denotes the gentle-mule-handling in an implicit way, but also waits for Janie's affirmation by studying'Janie's face and waited for her to say something'. Not to mentioq as it depicted "
Also in this part, when Janie has married Logan Killicks, the image of mule has again emerged in the situation of the mule as a property to work the plow. It is noticeable here, if the Nanny has put at the beginning that woman has the image like a mule, means that the role of Janie as Killicks' wife is the same as the mule. Killicks considers his mule as one of his production assets to run his land, parallel with Janie whom he married as a wife. If Killicks can force Janie to pick wood, tell his frst wife to chop the woo4 and even make Janie to handle a mule, means he does not hesitate to treat woman or his wife as his properfy. For property is categorized as one of the production assets, therefore Killicks uses his wife as a device to assist his process of production.
Julia Cleves Mosse illuminates the logical link that can be derived is that "black women are obviously exploitated" during the process property owning (Mosse 115). "Each man -including black man- is given a small privilege of monopoly" upon womarL and this shows no matter how much their properties are disclaimed, the right upon women will always there (Mosse 115). In addition, in most cases of farming, the working division for women is often in the form of rough sketches. The working division of women becomes unclear when it comes to farming related works, as Cathy Watson noted, the "men and boys" usually deal with caffle in field, and "women and girls" deal not only with the household works but also feed the cattle, washing them, and cleaning its barn and even sometimes they help the men in the field. That is exactly the same thing like what Killicks does to Janie; he wants her to handle the mule so she can work with plow. Moreover, later on in the process of Janie's refusal, again Killicks asserts his oppression to impose on Janie the notion of 'wife-as-factor-of production'by stating:
"Come and help me move dis manure pile befo' de sun gits hot. You don't take a bit of interest in dis place. 'Tain't no use in foolin' round in dat kitchen all day long" (Hurston 52).
The second line after Killicks tells her to help him demonstrates how Killicks feels upset with Janie's passiveness as an act of negative response in being a part of the land. This means, Killicks has the notion that Janie is supposed to be the part of a land itself when the land is supposed to be his object of production process. Not only that, the rough sketch of women's working division in farming is also evidently showed by Killicks' another remark to Janie when she utters that her place is not in the field with him: "You ain't got no particular place. It's wherever Ah need yuh. Git uh move on yuh, and dat quick" (Hurston 52). Killicks does not only want Janie to work in the kitchen, but he wants Janie to work anywhere he wants and needs her.
Thus, Killicks' exploitative oppressions are clearly shown through the evidence and the explanation above. In those points where Killicks affrrms his oppressions, Janie reacts in different ways to show her act of recognizing and disapproval. lt has been discussed above, Killicks shows his dominance by implicitly wanting Janie to work with the gentle mule and ploq however, even though Janie realizes what her husband wants from her, she does not get snapped as before. This action shows that indeed the first moment when Janie refuses to chop the wood is only her spontaneous act of reacting against the insult. Yet, the other moment when Janie keeps silent when her husband desires her to handle the mule is showing her reflective act of recognizing her husband's first exploitative act. For the reason that Janie finally indicates the second act of oppression and she refuses to be treated that way as it reflects in her rebuttals, which would be clarified later on in the part of Janie's actions of refusal.
4. Janie's actions as her
refusal.
Feeling fed up with loveless marriage with Logan Killicks, Janie keeps on encountering what her husband's does and says. However, what Killicks has been upset about Janie supposedly, seeing at the time context, was quite 'normal' for a black man to get angry when he finds his wife is not obedient. Since during that era, black women are still considered to be men's possession in the case of domestic exploitative relationship, and as an ordinary black husband, Killicks treats his wives like labors. Nevertheless, in this novel, Janie behaves like a totally different woman for she has the courage to make her own definition of love and marriage intact and defends it against her husband. Then again, this kind of behavior does not come out of nowhere, yet Janie acts like this as a result of her background when she was raised among children of a white family. Logan Killicks, knowing this fact, considers it as Janie's shameful background as well as the cause of her disrespectful deeds to him.
"Considerin' youse born in a carriage 'thout no top to it, and yo' mama and you bein' born raised in de white folks back-yard." "You didn't say all dat when you wllz begging Nanny for me to marry you."
Feeling fed up with loveless marriage with Logan Killicks, Janie keeps on encountering what her husband's does and says. However, what Killicks has been upset about Janie supposedly, seeing at the time context, was quite 'normal' for a black man to get angry when he finds his wife is not obedient. Since during that era, black women are still considered to be men's possession in the case of domestic exploitative relationship, and as an ordinary black husband, Killicks treats his wives like labors. Nevertheless, in this novel, Janie behaves like a totally different woman for she has the courage to make her own definition of love and marriage intact and defends it against her husband. Then again, this kind of behavior does not come out of nowhere, yet Janie acts like this as a result of her background when she was raised among children of a white family. Logan Killicks, knowing this fact, considers it as Janie's shameful background as well as the cause of her disrespectful deeds to him.
"Considerin' youse born in a carriage 'thout no top to it, and yo' mama and you bein' born raised in de white folks back-yard." "You didn't say all dat when you wllz begging Nanny for me to marry you."
"Ah thought
you would'preciate good treatment. Thought Ah'd take and make somethin' outa
yuh. You think youse white folks by de way you act." (Hurston 51).
Logan Killicks uses the
metaphor of how Janie was born without 'no top to it', meaning Janie was born
poor and without any belongings. Killicks then adds that Janie 'raised in de
white folks back yard' which by the means even though Janie was born poor, she
was raised by the white family which makes her changed. It is also then
clarified furthermore by Killicks himself that he has treated Janie well and
'make something out of her' where he thinks that by owning such a big land and
making her as his wife, she should feel fortunate. Yet, the main point of the
statement is where Killicks tries to spot why Janie refuses his so-called'good
treatment' is because he thinks Janie regards herself as a white folk by the
way she acts. It is clear that Janie's disobedience to help him in the field
and to anything he wants concerning the job, is being valued by Killicks as
style of white people. In Killicks mind white people are the ruler and of
course refrises to do the hard work since the white people want their black
slave to do the jobs. Actually, Janie's nerve in daring what her husband
denotes to her is perfectly true like Killicks says, as it is also strengthened
by Mosse that "Black women within white society are most likely to feel
they are far equal with black men... " (Mosse 8). And since Janie is
raised by a white family, she tends to have more courage to dare her husband's
comments and insults. Thus, Janie's behavior as a woman and as a wife
apparently is pretty much influenced by the way she grows up, which wrn
sulrounded and treated equally by her Nanny's white family employer- In
addition, this kind of behavior is the main cause why Janie dares to stand up
before her husband, for it naturally comes up in Janie character as she once a
part of a white family.
As it can be observed from the previous analysis, Janie has recognized the act of her husband's oppression. Janie's recognition is the result of her feeling for not loving her husband and leads to her awareness of her husband's flaws. However, if in the earlier stage Janie chooses to stay quiet and does not utter any comments, now Janie feels too irritated for not defending herself upon the oppression. This part is analyzing the beginning of Janie's first step in fighting back her husband. Yet, for information, during Janie's disappointment of her marriage, she is seeing another man that offers her promises and sweet tallq Joseph "Jody" Starks. Janie begins to show her refusal of her husband's treatment right after Jody offers her to elope with him, and at the same night, Janie intends to talk about her relationship with Killicks. In this point, Janie has determined to fight back when Killicks insults her for her 'white-family' background and how ungrateful she is of becoming his wife: "Ah thought you would'preciate good treatment. Thought Ah'd take and make somethin' outa yuh. You think youse white folks by de way you act." "S'posin Ah wuz to run off and leave yuh sometime" There! Janie had put words to his held-in fears. She might run offsure enough" (Hurston 51).
Intending to discuss the relationship, Janie turns out releasing her true want of running away, after they debate. Because of the insult, Janie releases his fears of telling the truth concerning her emotion. She has the plan in mind to accept Jody's offer in eloping with him and leaving Killicks. In this point, after Janie feels she has released her fear, she becomes more spirited in letting her husband know how much she dislikes her marriage. Janie keeps on probing his husbands with her offensive statements even when Killicks decides not to talk about it anymore:
"Ah'm getting sleepy, Janie. Let's don't talk no mo'. 'Tain't too many mens would trust yuh, knowin' yo' folks lak dey do" " Ah might take and fins somebody dat did trust me and leave yuh" (Hurston 51)
Janie againthreats him to run away from Killicks and as it can be seen that Janie's threat emerges whenever her'white-family' background is being insulted. Therefore, the more Killciks insults Janie, the more offensive Janie's statement is. In addition, Killicks is getting angrier every time Janie threats and insult him baclq like Killick's next remark:
"shucks! 'Tain't no mo' fools lak me. A whole lot of mens will grin in yo' face, but dey ain't gwine tuh work and feed yuh. You won't git far and you won't be long, when dat big gut reach over and grab dat little one, you'll be too glad to come back here"
"You don't take nothin' to count but sow-bellv and corn bread"
As it can be observed from the previous analysis, Janie has recognized the act of her husband's oppression. Janie's recognition is the result of her feeling for not loving her husband and leads to her awareness of her husband's flaws. However, if in the earlier stage Janie chooses to stay quiet and does not utter any comments, now Janie feels too irritated for not defending herself upon the oppression. This part is analyzing the beginning of Janie's first step in fighting back her husband. Yet, for information, during Janie's disappointment of her marriage, she is seeing another man that offers her promises and sweet tallq Joseph "Jody" Starks. Janie begins to show her refusal of her husband's treatment right after Jody offers her to elope with him, and at the same night, Janie intends to talk about her relationship with Killicks. In this point, Janie has determined to fight back when Killicks insults her for her 'white-family' background and how ungrateful she is of becoming his wife: "Ah thought you would'preciate good treatment. Thought Ah'd take and make somethin' outa yuh. You think youse white folks by de way you act." "S'posin Ah wuz to run off and leave yuh sometime" There! Janie had put words to his held-in fears. She might run offsure enough" (Hurston 51).
Intending to discuss the relationship, Janie turns out releasing her true want of running away, after they debate. Because of the insult, Janie releases his fears of telling the truth concerning her emotion. She has the plan in mind to accept Jody's offer in eloping with him and leaving Killicks. In this point, after Janie feels she has released her fear, she becomes more spirited in letting her husband know how much she dislikes her marriage. Janie keeps on probing his husbands with her offensive statements even when Killicks decides not to talk about it anymore:
"Ah'm getting sleepy, Janie. Let's don't talk no mo'. 'Tain't too many mens would trust yuh, knowin' yo' folks lak dey do" " Ah might take and fins somebody dat did trust me and leave yuh" (Hurston 51)
Janie againthreats him to run away from Killicks and as it can be seen that Janie's threat emerges whenever her'white-family' background is being insulted. Therefore, the more Killciks insults Janie, the more offensive Janie's statement is. In addition, Killicks is getting angrier every time Janie threats and insult him baclq like Killick's next remark:
"shucks! 'Tain't no mo' fools lak me. A whole lot of mens will grin in yo' face, but dey ain't gwine tuh work and feed yuh. You won't git far and you won't be long, when dat big gut reach over and grab dat little one, you'll be too glad to come back here"
"You don't take nothin' to count but sow-bellv and corn bread"
"Ah'm sleepy. Ah
don't aim to worry mah gut into a fiddle-string wid no s'posin"'. He
flopped over resentful in his agony and pretended sleep. He hoped that he hurt
her as much she hadhurt him." (Hurston 52).
Feeling that he has done so many things to be a good husband, Killicks senses that there is something wrong with his wife. While Janie, for not having her love toward Killicks as well as she has to endure his oppressions, stands up and fights back. In addition, in this part Janie attains her courage to threat her husband and finally discharge her fear to show that she is fed up with Killicks and the marriage.
Feeling that he has done so many things to be a good husband, Killicks senses that there is something wrong with his wife. While Janie, for not having her love toward Killicks as well as she has to endure his oppressions, stands up and fights back. In addition, in this part Janie attains her courage to threat her husband and finally discharge her fear to show that she is fed up with Killicks and the marriage.
Additionally, Janie
reaches the point of no return in terms of having the nerve to express what is
in her mind. If in the previous debates, Janie only refutes her husband's
insults and conceals her disappointment, now she has the nerve to start
expressing her opinion about the core of her problem, which is marriage.
Furthermore, Janie's statement successfully hurts Killicks' feelings when she threats him to leave and also when Janie denotes that 'sow-belly and corn bread' are the daily food she gets everyday which makes her feeling bored. Thus, the act of hurting her husband becomes one of Janie's characteristics in expressing her disappointment, which also happens later on in her second maniage.
After Janie finally lets loose her fear in expressing her feelinp about the relationship, one thing for sure is that the gate of free-mind expression opens and makes her more confidently denotes her ideas. Therefore, when her husband's oppression is getting intense, she reaches the final refusal. Janie's final refusal are expressed in two ways, the first is when she relates her husband's oppression of working with him in the field, with the failure of proving how owning such a large property can produce love. It happens when Killicks wants her to get down with him in the field as soon as possible and Janie rejects it:
"You don't need mah help out dere,Logan
"You ain't got no particular place. It's wherever Ah need yuh. Git uh move on yuh, and dat quick."
"Mah mama didn't tell me Ah wuz born in no hurry. So whut business Ah got rushin' now? Anyhow dat ain't whut youse mad about. You mad 'cause Ah don't fall down and wush-up dese sixty acres uh ground yuh got. You ain't done me no favor by marryin' me. And if dat's what you call yo'self doin'. Ah don't thank yuh for it. Youse mad 'cause Ah'm tellin' yuh whut you already knowed" (Hurston 52-53).
It is clearly stated above that Janie has been keeping her problem about her unmatch 'love-property' expectation in a marriage. She bursts out by not only refusing to work but also conveying to him that marrying him does not give her 'any favor' of having love around. In addition, Janie also adds that there is no use for Killicks to feel so kind in being a good husband by owning land, and having a house, because she does not expect that in the marriage. Moreover, Janie states in her closing that the only reason that Killicks becomes angry is because Janie lets him know the truth that their marriage does not come offwith the land working.
As an additional point, without Janie's consciousness, her refusal statement above not only caused by her 'notJoving' feeling to her husband but it is also caused by the reflection of her Nanny's imposing idea of feminism. Janie rejects Killicks' order to do the 'back-braking' work in the field because Nanny imposes an idea of feminism before she gets married with Killicks. As it is being discussed in the earlier part of the analysis, Nanny is used to be a slave with dreadful encounters with white people for their treatments to Nanny and the 'back-breaking work' they give to their slaves. In addition, most black men slaves who receive such treatment from the white tote the work to their wives. Based on this experience, Nanny attains a feminist notion that women are not supposed to be treated that way, both by white people and black men. Therefore, Nanny does not want Janie to get through such treatments and works like she used to, and as a result, Nanny match-make Janie with Killicks. ln Nanny's consideration, marrying a man with a large amount of property like Killicks, is going to make Janie comfortable enough for she does not have to work too hard as well as having a high status. However, when Janie realizes that love cannot materialize in her marriage, she begins to recognize her husband's oppressions through his orders to work with the mule and in the field. Those oppressions that Killicks enforces to Janie, is clearly against Nanny's main goal in marrying Janie with Killicks. Janie's refusal statement above is the reflection of Nanny's feminism notion regarding women are not suppose to be subordinated by men. Thus, what Janie says to show her ref,sal to work, proved that the first idea of feminism imposed by her Nanny, is being taken into action. Janie is not supposed to be either underestimated or oppressed by mean in terms of working, therefore when Killicks insists her to do both, she rejects it.
Next, Janie 's second refusal takes place when Killicks becomes very emotional with Janie's last too fair and offensive statement. In this part, Janie go through a process of reflection before she eventually decides to depart. As Killicks cracks up:
"Don't you change too many words wid me dis mawnin', Janie, do Ah'll take and change ends wid yuh! Heah, just as good as take you out de white folks' kitchen and set you down on yo' royal diasticutis and you take and low-rate me! Ah'll take holt uh dat ax and come here and kill yuh! You better dry up in dere! Ah'm too honest and hard-workin' for anybody in yo' family, dat's de reason you don't want me!" The last sentence was half a sob and half a cry. "Ah guess some low-lifed nigger is grinnin' in yo' face and lyin' tuh yuh. God damn yo' hide!" (Hurston 53).
Furthermore, Janie's statement successfully hurts Killicks' feelings when she threats him to leave and also when Janie denotes that 'sow-belly and corn bread' are the daily food she gets everyday which makes her feeling bored. Thus, the act of hurting her husband becomes one of Janie's characteristics in expressing her disappointment, which also happens later on in her second maniage.
After Janie finally lets loose her fear in expressing her feelinp about the relationship, one thing for sure is that the gate of free-mind expression opens and makes her more confidently denotes her ideas. Therefore, when her husband's oppression is getting intense, she reaches the final refusal. Janie's final refusal are expressed in two ways, the first is when she relates her husband's oppression of working with him in the field, with the failure of proving how owning such a large property can produce love. It happens when Killicks wants her to get down with him in the field as soon as possible and Janie rejects it:
"You don't need mah help out dere,
"You ain't got no particular place. It's wherever Ah need yuh. Git uh move on yuh, and dat quick."
"Mah mama didn't tell me Ah wuz born in no hurry. So whut business Ah got rushin' now? Anyhow dat ain't whut youse mad about. You mad 'cause Ah don't fall down and wush-up dese sixty acres uh ground yuh got. You ain't done me no favor by marryin' me. And if dat's what you call yo'self doin'. Ah don't thank yuh for it. Youse mad 'cause Ah'm tellin' yuh whut you already knowed" (Hurston 52-53).
It is clearly stated above that Janie has been keeping her problem about her unmatch 'love-property' expectation in a marriage. She bursts out by not only refusing to work but also conveying to him that marrying him does not give her 'any favor' of having love around. In addition, Janie also adds that there is no use for Killicks to feel so kind in being a good husband by owning land, and having a house, because she does not expect that in the marriage. Moreover, Janie states in her closing that the only reason that Killicks becomes angry is because Janie lets him know the truth that their marriage does not come offwith the land working.
As an additional point, without Janie's consciousness, her refusal statement above not only caused by her 'notJoving' feeling to her husband but it is also caused by the reflection of her Nanny's imposing idea of feminism. Janie rejects Killicks' order to do the 'back-braking' work in the field because Nanny imposes an idea of feminism before she gets married with Killicks. As it is being discussed in the earlier part of the analysis, Nanny is used to be a slave with dreadful encounters with white people for their treatments to Nanny and the 'back-breaking work' they give to their slaves. In addition, most black men slaves who receive such treatment from the white tote the work to their wives. Based on this experience, Nanny attains a feminist notion that women are not supposed to be treated that way, both by white people and black men. Therefore, Nanny does not want Janie to get through such treatments and works like she used to, and as a result, Nanny match-make Janie with Killicks. ln Nanny's consideration, marrying a man with a large amount of property like Killicks, is going to make Janie comfortable enough for she does not have to work too hard as well as having a high status. However, when Janie realizes that love cannot materialize in her marriage, she begins to recognize her husband's oppressions through his orders to work with the mule and in the field. Those oppressions that Killicks enforces to Janie, is clearly against Nanny's main goal in marrying Janie with Killicks. Janie's refusal statement above is the reflection of Nanny's feminism notion regarding women are not suppose to be subordinated by men. Thus, what Janie says to show her ref,sal to work, proved that the first idea of feminism imposed by her Nanny, is being taken into action. Janie is not supposed to be either underestimated or oppressed by mean in terms of working, therefore when Killicks insists her to do both, she rejects it.
Next, Janie 's second refusal takes place when Killicks becomes very emotional with Janie's last too fair and offensive statement. In this part, Janie go through a process of reflection before she eventually decides to depart. As Killicks cracks up:
"Don't you change too many words wid me dis mawnin', Janie, do Ah'll take and change ends wid yuh! Heah, just as good as take you out de white folks' kitchen and set you down on yo' royal diasticutis and you take and low-rate me! Ah'll take holt uh dat ax and come here and kill yuh! You better dry up in dere! Ah'm too honest and hard-workin' for anybody in yo' family, dat's de reason you don't want me!" The last sentence was half a sob and half a cry. "Ah guess some low-lifed nigger is grinnin' in yo' face and lyin' tuh yuh. God damn yo' hide!" (Hurston 53).
Killicks'
disappointment to Janie reaches the peak as he utters that he has done the best
to be a good husband: "the last sentence was half a sob and half a
cry" (Hurston 53). He even senses the existence of 'the other guy' as he
calls it the "lowJifed nigger" who "grinning" to Janie's
face and "lyin' fuh" her (Hurston 53). Hence, all of the arguments
about the relationship and each other's flaws are revealed since now there is
nothing to hide. Janie has acknowledged that she does not want her love to
result from owning a land; therefore, she refused to work because she
recognizes it as oppressions, while Killicks thinks that he does everything
what a good black husband usually does yet Janie remains stubborn. Janie takes
Killicks long last speech into deep thinking and reflection before comes to a decision
"Janie turned from the door without answering, and stood still in the
middle of the floor without knowing it. She turned wrongside out just standing
and feeling. When the throbbing calmed a little she gave Logan Logan
The sow-belly in the pan needed turning. She flipped it over and shoved it back. A little cold-water in the coffee pot to settle it. Turned the hoe-cake with a plate and made a little laugh. What was she losing so much time for?" (Hurston 53-54).
The sow-belly in the pan needed turning. She flipped it over and shoved it back. A little cold-water in the coffee pot to settle it. Turned the hoe-cake with a plate and made a little laugh. What was she losing so much time for?" (Hurston 53-54).
In this reflection that
Janie has after hearing Killicks' statement, she realizes that sho should not
blame Killicks for being himself. As it is described: "she gave L,ogan's
speech a hard thought and placed it beside other things she had seen and
heard", for Janie sees his husband works very hard in his land and for she
also listens to every single insults he throws to her, yet she places Killicks'
last speech in the other place beside anything else (Hurston 54). In other
words, because of Killicks' last speech, Janie now thinks in a different way
about her husband, therefore she "wasn't even angry",because now she
understands what Killicks expects from her and the marriage they share (Hurston
54). Thus, when she tums the hoe cake, Janie becomes conscious that she is now
wasting time in expecting something that can never really happen. Janie wants
love and she does not think she can love Killicks since he thinks that the only
way love takes form is that Janie works in the field for him. Killicks believes
he is doing his best like other black men do, works in the field, own a house,
and he does not feel bothered to even think what love is and how important it
is in a marriage for Janie. Hence, as Janie comes to a decision: "Janie
hurried out of the front gate and turned south" (Hwston 54). Since she
feels there is no other reason to stay in her marriage circle, she rushes to
her'front gate' which always symbolizes her new spirit of lurking for a new
expectation. In other words, Janie runs away from Killicks and the marriage. In
addition, because she is seeking for a new expectation, the line: "Even
Joe was not there waiting for her, the change was bound to do her good"
displays the idea of Janie's escapticism, Janie does not care whether or not Joe
is waiting for her, yet one thing for sure she desires a change in her life.
Janie cannot hold the feeling of freedom any longer:
"The morning road air was like a new dress. That made her feel the apron tied around her waist. She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet" (Hurston 54).
"The morning road air was like a new dress. That made her feel the apron tied around her waist. She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet" (Hurston 54).
The new dress that
she metaphors for the morning road air, depicts how Janie is about to begin her
new life, apart from Killick and their marriage. Her apron that she usually
wears during the house-work and resembles all of the works she does in the
kitchen, are flung by her which means by flinging the apron, she let go her old
marriage bind. While she picks flower and makes it as a bouquet, blooming
flowers give her the idea that now she is blooming again and ready to welcome a
new bee.
Subsequently, she meets
Joe who waits for her for eloping together: "So they were married there
before sundown, just like Joe had said, with new clothes of silk and wool"
(Hurston 55).
C. Janie's Unmatched “Love
Status" Expectation Resulted in the Recognition of Male Dominance
When Janie finally elopes with Joseph "Jody" Starks or Joe, he is offering her different kind of treatments as a wife. This third part analyzes how far her first definitions of love and marriage attained by Janie are reflected in this second marriage with Joe Starks. Furthermore, the analysis would include how the unmatched expectation of "Love-Status" directs Janie to recognize and eventually reflects her husband's patriarchal dominance.
When Janie finally elopes with Joseph "Jody" Starks or Joe, he is offering her different kind of treatments as a wife. This third part analyzes how far her first definitions of love and marriage attained by Janie are reflected in this second marriage with Joe Starks. Furthermore, the analysis would include how the unmatched expectation of "Love-Status" directs Janie to recognize and eventually reflects her husband's patriarchal dominance.
1. Janie's recognition of
her role as a wife.
Before Janie decides to elope with Jody Starks, she is being offered and promised, to be treated in different ways from her first husband does. The offers take place when Janie is still married with Logan Killicks. However, this part of analysis will cover how Janie recognizes her role as a wife, not only during her marriage with Killicks but also during her own marriage with Starks, which will be divided into two kinds of roles. This part will be the preliminary part of how Janie does not fond with her roles as Jody's wife.
i) On Status.
In the earlier part of the analysis, it has been explained that Nanny wishes Janie to be 'on a high gtound' or having a high status as a wife. However, after Janie knows that apparently Nanny's first idea of feminism is not reflected in her first marriage, Janie seeks for another alternative and runs away. For Nanny wants Janie to stay away from hard working and being under estimated, yet the other way around, Killicks as her first husband treats her exactly like what Nanny despises, thus Janie elopes with Jody. He promises Janie to treat her exactly like Nanny's secondwis
Still in her first marriage, when Janie notices a man passes by her house, who later on is known as Jody Starks, she has the first impression of Jody as well as information about his background. Both the impression and the background identifu Starks as a man with some existing white-man elements in him. The moment when Janie spots Jody passes by her house, she depicts him as a stylish, different and determined ma4 who makes Janie's mind pinpoints a certain image. "He was sealbrown color but he acted like Mr. Washburn or somebody like that to Janie" (Hurston 47). This depiction conveys one idea that from the words "He was seal-brown" obviously describes Jody as black man. Yet, the following description "he acted like Mr. Washburn or somebody like that to Janie" displays an image that even though Jody is a black man, the way he acts reminds Janie of Mr. Washburn, her white employer who raises her. In addition, when Janie eventually is successful in getting his attention, Jody shares his background with her. "Joe Starks was the name, yeah Joe Starks from in and through Georgy. Been workin' for white folks all his life" (Hurston4T). This clearly shows that Jody Starks works for white people, and this information will explain his conduct later on in further analysis. Yet, one point that should be noted is Jody Starks works for white people all his life, therefore it influences him a great deal in his'white man' like image. The second essential factor of Jody's treatment to Janie is his life ambition of being a ruler. Actually, the evidences of Jody aiming to be a ruler is shown several times in the novel, however, I will take only one evidence to represent his whole idea. His idea of being a ruler is supported in Janie's following lines in which she gets from Jody himself:
"Saved up some money-round three hundred dollars, yes indeed right here in his pocket. Kept hearin' 'bout them buildin' a new state down heah in Floridy and sorted of wanted to come. But he was makin' money where he was. But when he heard all about 'em makin' a town all outa colored folks, he knowed dat was de place he wanted to be. He had always wanted to be a big voice, but de white folks had all de sayso where he come from and everywhere else, exceptin' dis place dat colored folks was buildin' theirselves. Dat was right too. De man dat built things oughta boss it. Let colored folks build things too if dev wants to crow over somethin'. He was elad he had his monev all saved up. He meant to git dere whilst de town wuz yet a baby. He meant to buy tn big. It had always been his wish and desire to be a big voice and he had to live nearly thirty years to find a chance" (Hurston 48).
The extended reasons why Jody aims to be a'big-voice' is clearly explained above through the depictions. Jody wants to be a leader therefore he leaves his job with the people and headed to the town that he hears is going to be initiated by of black people. Starks agrees to the notion that in some places, white men are the ruler, and that is because Starks thinks that the white men develop those places. Thus, he imitates what the white people do in order to become a leader, which is building or developing a town on his own, because he wants to be a ruler or a leader. This kind of ambition becomes the pedestal upon how Jody treats Janie as his wife, which will be explained later on.
Coming into the part where Janie starts to recognize her role as a wife, Jody begins it by giving promises to Janie when she is still married with Logan Killicks. Jody inserts the notion so subtly starting from only a pick up line to a sincere guarantee. When Janie meets Jody for the first time and she tells him that Killicks wants her to handle the mule so she can plow the field as well as cutting the potatoes, Jody reacts:
"You behind a plow! You ain't got no mo' business wid uh plow than uh hog is got wid uh holiday! You ain't got no business cuttin' up no seed p'taters neither. A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self and eat p'taters dat other folks plant just special for you" (llurston 49).
Before Janie decides to elope with Jody Starks, she is being offered and promised, to be treated in different ways from her first husband does. The offers take place when Janie is still married with Logan Killicks. However, this part of analysis will cover how Janie recognizes her role as a wife, not only during her marriage with Killicks but also during her own marriage with Starks, which will be divided into two kinds of roles. This part will be the preliminary part of how Janie does not fond with her roles as Jody's wife.
i) On Status.
In the earlier part of the analysis, it has been explained that Nanny wishes Janie to be 'on a high gtound' or having a high status as a wife. However, after Janie knows that apparently Nanny's first idea of feminism is not reflected in her first marriage, Janie seeks for another alternative and runs away. For Nanny wants Janie to stay away from hard working and being under estimated, yet the other way around, Killicks as her first husband treats her exactly like what Nanny despises, thus Janie elopes with Jody. He promises Janie to treat her exactly like Nanny's second
Still in her first marriage, when Janie notices a man passes by her house, who later on is known as Jody Starks, she has the first impression of Jody as well as information about his background. Both the impression and the background identifu Starks as a man with some existing white-man elements in him. The moment when Janie spots Jody passes by her house, she depicts him as a stylish, different and determined ma4 who makes Janie's mind pinpoints a certain image. "He was sealbrown color but he acted like Mr. Washburn or somebody like that to Janie" (Hurston 47). This depiction conveys one idea that from the words "He was seal-brown" obviously describes Jody as black man. Yet, the following description "he acted like Mr. Washburn or somebody like that to Janie" displays an image that even though Jody is a black man, the way he acts reminds Janie of Mr. Washburn, her white employer who raises her. In addition, when Janie eventually is successful in getting his attention, Jody shares his background with her. "Joe Starks was the name, yeah Joe Starks from in and through Georgy. Been workin' for white folks all his life" (Hurston4T). This clearly shows that Jody Starks works for white people, and this information will explain his conduct later on in further analysis. Yet, one point that should be noted is Jody Starks works for white people all his life, therefore it influences him a great deal in his'white man' like image. The second essential factor of Jody's treatment to Janie is his life ambition of being a ruler. Actually, the evidences of Jody aiming to be a ruler is shown several times in the novel, however, I will take only one evidence to represent his whole idea. His idea of being a ruler is supported in Janie's following lines in which she gets from Jody himself:
"Saved up some money-round three hundred dollars, yes indeed right here in his pocket. Kept hearin' 'bout them buildin' a new state down heah in Floridy and sorted of wanted to come. But he was makin' money where he was. But when he heard all about 'em makin' a town all outa colored folks, he knowed dat was de place he wanted to be. He had always wanted to be a big voice, but de white folks had all de sayso where he come from and everywhere else, exceptin' dis place dat colored folks was buildin' theirselves. Dat was right too. De man dat built things oughta boss it. Let colored folks build things too if dev wants to crow over somethin'. He was elad he had his monev all saved up. He meant to git dere whilst de town wuz yet a baby. He meant to buy tn big. It had always been his wish and desire to be a big voice and he had to live nearly thirty years to find a chance" (Hurston 48).
The extended reasons why Jody aims to be a'big-voice' is clearly explained above through the depictions. Jody wants to be a leader therefore he leaves his job with the people and headed to the town that he hears is going to be initiated by of black people. Starks agrees to the notion that in some places, white men are the ruler, and that is because Starks thinks that the white men develop those places. Thus, he imitates what the white people do in order to become a leader, which is building or developing a town on his own, because he wants to be a ruler or a leader. This kind of ambition becomes the pedestal upon how Jody treats Janie as his wife, which will be explained later on.
Coming into the part where Janie starts to recognize her role as a wife, Jody begins it by giving promises to Janie when she is still married with Logan Killicks. Jody inserts the notion so subtly starting from only a pick up line to a sincere guarantee. When Janie meets Jody for the first time and she tells him that Killicks wants her to handle the mule so she can plow the field as well as cutting the potatoes, Jody reacts:
"You behind a plow! You ain't got no mo' business wid uh plow than uh hog is got wid uh holiday! You ain't got no business cuttin' up no seed p'taters neither. A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self and eat p'taters dat other folks plant just special for you" (llurston 49).
Jody metaphors
Janie as a 'pretty doll-baby' to show that Janie is pretty as a doll and
deserves to be treated like a queen. It also shows from the part when Jody
wants her to 'sit on de front porch and rock and fan' herselfand eat potatoes
that'other folks plant just special' for her. In this context, Jody regards
Janie as a woman who deserves better treatment in sense that she is not
supposed to be working in the field, but relaxing and let somebody do her jobs
for her. In a more vivid depiction, Starks tries to make it a promise if Janie
wants to marry him:
"De day you puts yo' hand in mine, Ah wouldn't let de sun go down us single. Ah', uh man wid principles. You ain't never knowed what it was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be done tuh show yuh" (Hurston 50).
From the lines above, Jody guarantees Janie that if she is married to him he will show her how she is supposed to be treated like a 'lady' because in his consideration, Janie is being mistreated by her current husband. Hence, it is obvious that Jody desires Janie to be at least in a better status with better treatment. Although Jody's dominance is not revealed obviously yet, his promises to Janie leans toward a patriarchal notion. For instance, when Starks considers Janie as a'pretty doll-baby', even though it is conveyed as if it is a compliment, but it cannot be avoided that the connotation of a doll refers to characteristics of a human's object of affection or worse, decoration. However, since in this part Janie is tempted with offer already and not to mention she takes Starks as escapism of her marriage, she does not realize it. Before Janie is being asked to marry Starks, she comes across to reflection regarding Starks. Since the first time they meet, they manage to gather each day and talk about Jody's ambition, and during the talk, Janie starts to think about his existence in her life:
"De day you puts yo' hand in mine, Ah wouldn't let de sun go down us single. Ah', uh man wid principles. You ain't never knowed what it was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be done tuh show yuh" (Hurston 50).
From the lines above, Jody guarantees Janie that if she is married to him he will show her how she is supposed to be treated like a 'lady' because in his consideration, Janie is being mistreated by her current husband. Hence, it is obvious that Jody desires Janie to be at least in a better status with better treatment. Although Jody's dominance is not revealed obviously yet, his promises to Janie leans toward a patriarchal notion. For instance, when Starks considers Janie as a'pretty doll-baby', even though it is conveyed as if it is a compliment, but it cannot be avoided that the connotation of a doll refers to characteristics of a human's object of affection or worse, decoration. However, since in this part Janie is tempted with offer already and not to mention she takes Starks as escapism of her marriage, she does not realize it. Before Janie is being asked to marry Starks, she comes across to reflection regarding Starks. Since the first time they meet, they manage to gather each day and talk about Jody's ambition, and during the talk, Janie starts to think about his existence in her life:
For
a while, Janie is caught in the middle, between accepting Jody as her lover who
does not match her characterization of pear tree moment or making her
deep-rooted definitions of love and marriage intact. However, this moment does
not take too long for her to decide since the lines "The memory of Nanny
was still powerful and strong" shows that Nanny's influence still engages
in her mind. The memories of Nanny who wants her to have a better life by
sitting in a ruling chair or having a high status as a wife, makes Janie put
her heart in the side of Jody. Since the beginning of their meeting, Jody shows
his ability in making himself an outstanding leader who can also bring her into
a better status. Therefore, when Jody later on asks her to be his wife, she
approves it, even though she knows that Jody does not resemble what she
actually \Aants. Yel since she still remembers what her Nanny says about a
high- status woman, she decides to compromise
again with her principle of 'love-marriage' even though her Nanny is already
dead. Subsequently, on the day when Janie is determined to leave her husband
and elope with Starks, her feeling toward him reaches the climax. Janie, like
in the beginning of her previous marriage, feels so excited that she begins to
convince herself that this marriage will work.
"After that she "].n" ro where Joe Starks was waiting for her with a hired rig. He was very solemn and helped her to seat beside him. With him on it, it sat like some hig[ ruling chair. From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and spring-time sprinkled over everything. A bee for her bloom. Her old thoughts were going to come in handy now, but new words would have to be made and said to fit them" (Hunton 54-55).
When Janie's wedding day arrives, she escapes with Jody as he picks her up with a rig. By siuing beside him, Janie feels exactly like her grandmother's wish, which is in 'some high ruling chair' that obviously refers to high status. In addition, Janie's expectation of the marriage is revealed in the statement, which she utters that "she was going to have flower dust and spring-time sprinkled over everything" (Hurston 54). The expectation shows that Janie wants her marriage to be magnificent, and it is because she is convinced already that Jody is her "bee for her bloom" (Hurston 54).
Even though at the first time Janie does not think that Jody represents her first depiction of love and marriage, Nanny's feminist ideas imposition is strong enough to convince her. Moreover, the compromise that Janie makes in this second marriage is clearly stated by her from the last line: "Her old thoughts were going to come in handy now, but new words would have to be made and said to fit them" (Hurston 55). Of course, the old thoughts refer to the definitions.of love and marriage she attains, yet the 'new words' means the new definition that she adapts from this second marriage which is soon'be made'. Furthermore, the expression 'to fit them' displays the idea that the new definitions are going to be made in order to 'fit' the old ones. Thus, by this statement, Janie's effort to fit her old definitions of love and marriage with the new ones that she is going to get from her second marriage displays her act of compromising.
Once Janie is married to Jody, he brings her directly to the town of colored people that he aims to have a big voice. As soon as they arrive in the place, Jody settles his feet on the ground and starts making movements to develop the town.
Building a post office, a store and even organizing a meeting as an opening ceremony of his store for the people in the town are Jody's first programs for the town. Starting to act like a person with a position because every body begins to respect him, Jody starts to demand that his wife represent the status that he has. The first moment where Janie has to perform in distinction as Jody's wife, is where Jody wants her to look exquisite among the others:
"Jody told her to dress up and stand in the store all evening. Everybody was coming sort of frxed up, and he didn't mean for nobody else's wife to rank with her. She must look on herself as the bell-cow, the other women were the gang. So she put on one ofher bought dresses and went up the new-cut road all dressed in wine-colored red. Her silken ruffles rustled and muttered about her" (Hurston 66).
In this opening of the store, the store itself becomes one of Jody's prides in developing the town. Therefore, as well it can be said that the store resembles his status and power toward the town. Furthermore, in this gathering, Jody orders Janie to "dress up and stand in the store all evening" which shows that if the store resembles Jody's status, he also wants Janie to stand in the store so people can see that along with the store, Janie is also one of his prides. The sketch of what kind of image that people have from Jody's wife starts to be embedded clearly from the lines above. The lines where Janie has to look on herself as a "bell-cod'and'the other women were the gang" pinpoints a parallel idea that even among the women of the town, Janie ought to look different for she is the wife of Jody. Hence, one most important point conveyed in this part, is that Jody tends to see whatever he owns, have to be identified by his status. Because he builds the store for the people to show his authority and power, in addition he puts his wife all night in it to show that she is the wife of the store-builder. Subsequently, things get worse when Jody is elected as the Mayor of Eatonville after he builds the store. Jody is concentrating upon his aim to be the 'big voice' in the town as well as grving Janie the same status. Jody thinks that by giving his wife the same status as he has, Janie's happiness will be fulfilled"
Well, honey, how yuh lak bein' Mrs. Mayor?" "It's all right Ah reckon, but don't yuh think it keeps us kinda strain?" (Hurston 74).
In this part, it can be noticed that Jody asks Janie whether or not she likes to be Mrs. Mayor, that is the wife of Mr. Mayor. In Jody's opinion, he feels sure indeed that Janie loves the position given by him, since she becomes Mrs. Mayor, and therefore Jody asks how far Janie enjoys the status. However, even though Janie does not begin her observation upon Jody's patriarchal dominance, the first patriarchal dominance given by Jody is clearly shown here by giving Janie a male identified status. Being Mrs. Mayor, means Janie has to act in the shadow of Mr. Mayor and becomes one of Mr. Mayor's instruments to show his 'Mayor position'. Although Janie senses a little bit awkwardness, in this moment, she identifies clearly her role as a wife given by Jody. Therefore, when Janie expresses her feelings about how she does not like it too much and expects it to get over soon" Jody answers:
"Over, Janie? I, Goq Ah ain't even started good. Ah told you in de very first beginnin' dat Ah aimed tuh be uh big voice. You oughta be glad, 'cause dat makes uh big woman outa you." (Hurston 74).
This final statement of Jody gives an obvious description on why Jody wants to be a Mayor, and how he wants his wife to be glad because Janie is going to be a big woman. Jody does not care whether Janie likes it or not as he only thinks that Janie should be glad because having a position means being luckier than others. Hence, as Jody's wife, as he promises to her, she is now is being treated like a lady, since Janie now is offrcially Mrs. Mayor who should represent her husband's power, dignity and status.
Jody's act to present his wife as a form of symbol for his status is well acknowledged by Arief Budiman, in which in his book entitled Pembaqian Kerja Secara Seksual, he denotes:
"Middle to upper class women are engaged with various regulations during their marriage. Because of these classes are the classes that utilize marriages as tools to enlarge the social network and to remove materials through marriages, women of these classes become the victims of these classes' needs" (Budiman 30).
"After that she "].n" ro where Joe Starks was waiting for her with a hired rig. He was very solemn and helped her to seat beside him. With him on it, it sat like some hig[ ruling chair. From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and spring-time sprinkled over everything. A bee for her bloom. Her old thoughts were going to come in handy now, but new words would have to be made and said to fit them" (Hunton 54-55).
When Janie's wedding day arrives, she escapes with Jody as he picks her up with a rig. By siuing beside him, Janie feels exactly like her grandmother's wish, which is in 'some high ruling chair' that obviously refers to high status. In addition, Janie's expectation of the marriage is revealed in the statement, which she utters that "she was going to have flower dust and spring-time sprinkled over everything" (Hurston 54). The expectation shows that Janie wants her marriage to be magnificent, and it is because she is convinced already that Jody is her "bee for her bloom" (Hurston 54).
Even though at the first time Janie does not think that Jody represents her first depiction of love and marriage, Nanny's feminist ideas imposition is strong enough to convince her. Moreover, the compromise that Janie makes in this second marriage is clearly stated by her from the last line: "Her old thoughts were going to come in handy now, but new words would have to be made and said to fit them" (Hurston 55). Of course, the old thoughts refer to the definitions.of love and marriage she attains, yet the 'new words' means the new definition that she adapts from this second marriage which is soon'be made'. Furthermore, the expression 'to fit them' displays the idea that the new definitions are going to be made in order to 'fit' the old ones. Thus, by this statement, Janie's effort to fit her old definitions of love and marriage with the new ones that she is going to get from her second marriage displays her act of compromising.
Once Janie is married to Jody, he brings her directly to the town of colored people that he aims to have a big voice. As soon as they arrive in the place, Jody settles his feet on the ground and starts making movements to develop the town.
Building a post office, a store and even organizing a meeting as an opening ceremony of his store for the people in the town are Jody's first programs for the town. Starting to act like a person with a position because every body begins to respect him, Jody starts to demand that his wife represent the status that he has. The first moment where Janie has to perform in distinction as Jody's wife, is where Jody wants her to look exquisite among the others:
"Jody told her to dress up and stand in the store all evening. Everybody was coming sort of frxed up, and he didn't mean for nobody else's wife to rank with her. She must look on herself as the bell-cow, the other women were the gang. So she put on one ofher bought dresses and went up the new-cut road all dressed in wine-colored red. Her silken ruffles rustled and muttered about her" (Hurston 66).
In this opening of the store, the store itself becomes one of Jody's prides in developing the town. Therefore, as well it can be said that the store resembles his status and power toward the town. Furthermore, in this gathering, Jody orders Janie to "dress up and stand in the store all evening" which shows that if the store resembles Jody's status, he also wants Janie to stand in the store so people can see that along with the store, Janie is also one of his prides. The sketch of what kind of image that people have from Jody's wife starts to be embedded clearly from the lines above. The lines where Janie has to look on herself as a "bell-cod'and'the other women were the gang" pinpoints a parallel idea that even among the women of the town, Janie ought to look different for she is the wife of Jody. Hence, one most important point conveyed in this part, is that Jody tends to see whatever he owns, have to be identified by his status. Because he builds the store for the people to show his authority and power, in addition he puts his wife all night in it to show that she is the wife of the store-builder. Subsequently, things get worse when Jody is elected as the Mayor of Eatonville after he builds the store. Jody is concentrating upon his aim to be the 'big voice' in the town as well as grving Janie the same status. Jody thinks that by giving his wife the same status as he has, Janie's happiness will be fulfilled"
Well, honey, how yuh lak bein' Mrs. Mayor?" "It's all right Ah reckon, but don't yuh think it keeps us kinda strain?" (Hurston 74).
In this part, it can be noticed that Jody asks Janie whether or not she likes to be Mrs. Mayor, that is the wife of Mr. Mayor. In Jody's opinion, he feels sure indeed that Janie loves the position given by him, since she becomes Mrs. Mayor, and therefore Jody asks how far Janie enjoys the status. However, even though Janie does not begin her observation upon Jody's patriarchal dominance, the first patriarchal dominance given by Jody is clearly shown here by giving Janie a male identified status. Being Mrs. Mayor, means Janie has to act in the shadow of Mr. Mayor and becomes one of Mr. Mayor's instruments to show his 'Mayor position'. Although Janie senses a little bit awkwardness, in this moment, she identifies clearly her role as a wife given by Jody. Therefore, when Janie expresses her feelings about how she does not like it too much and expects it to get over soon" Jody answers:
"Over, Janie? I, Goq Ah ain't even started good. Ah told you in de very first beginnin' dat Ah aimed tuh be uh big voice. You oughta be glad, 'cause dat makes uh big woman outa you." (Hurston 74).
This final statement of Jody gives an obvious description on why Jody wants to be a Mayor, and how he wants his wife to be glad because Janie is going to be a big woman. Jody does not care whether Janie likes it or not as he only thinks that Janie should be glad because having a position means being luckier than others. Hence, as Jody's wife, as he promises to her, she is now is being treated like a lady, since Janie now is offrcially Mrs. Mayor who should represent her husband's power, dignity and status.
Jody's act to present his wife as a form of symbol for his status is well acknowledged by Arief Budiman, in which in his book entitled Pembaqian Kerja Secara Seksual, he denotes:
"Middle to upper class women are engaged with various regulations during their marriage. Because of these classes are the classes that utilize marriages as tools to enlarge the social network and to remove materials through marriages, women of these classes become the victims of these classes' needs" (Budiman 30).
As it has been
discussed in the previous analysis regarding Jody's a white man like character,
Jody treats his wife differently compared to other black people. Because of
Jody works with white people for all his life, he is used to treat his
sunoundings, including his wife, like white men do. Therefore, for the status
he has as a Mayor, it can be categorized that Jody and Janie belong to middle
to upper class. As Budiman uffers from the lines above, because Janie has to
support her husband's social network expansion, she has to stand in store
representing him and greets the people who come. Thus, Janie becomes the victim
of Jody's middle to upper classes' needs.
ii)
On Sexuality-based working division.
As a husband Jody demands his wife to be like other wives too in one way as well as being a wife of the Mayor in another way. Furthermore, Janie observes that there are two main things that she should do as Jody's wife besides acting like the Mayor's wife. The first thing is that Jody wants Janie to, be as ordinary as she can be in being a wife. Even though she is a woman with status, Jody will not let her step outside his authority. Like what happens when Jody is elected as a Mayor, and the people wants Janie to give speech, Jody responds to the request as follows:
"Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' bout no speech makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh women and her place is in de home" (Hurston 69).
Even though Janie is now Mrs. Mayor, Jody does not want to share the authority with her because she feels that Janie being a Mrs. Mayor is only because he is Mr. Mayor.
Thus, there is nothing, according to Jody, that can allow Janie to give speech like Jody does since she is only an'attachment' of Jody's reputation. In addition, Jody denotes that he marries Janie because he wants her to become like other wife as well, whose place is "in de home" (Hurston 69). "Women's works are foreseen as secondary factor and 'natural' part from their biological roles... " (Mosse 29).
Therefore, Jody's patriarchal notion is explainable since he considers Janie as a wife to just work at home because it is her natural role as a woman.
The second thing is that Jody is elected to be Mr. Mayor ever since he starts to build necessary facilities for Eatonville and a store is one of them. As it mentioned before that Jody feels that the store represents his power as well as his contribution to the town and therefore he wants his wife to stand in the store all evening to mark that the store owned by Jody. In other words, Janie is being used as a remark of Jody's possession. The same thing goes after the opening ceremony of the store; Jody wants Janie to keep the store while he builds other facilities, even though Janie feels a bit reluctant of it.
"De mayor of uh town lak dis can't lay round home too much. De place needs buildin' up, Janie, Ah'll git hold uh somebody tuh help out in de store and you kin look after things whilst Ah drum up things otherwise."
"Oh Jody, Ah can't do nothin' wid no store lessen youse there. Ah could maybe come in and help you when things gtt rushed, but-" "I go4 Ah don't see how come yuh can't. 'Tain't nothin' atall hinder yuh if yuh got a thimble full uh sense. You got tuh..." (Hurston 70).
Obviously spoken by Jody that he orders his wife to keep the store while he does other things that needed to be done by a Mayor. As it can be seen that Janie feels reluctant in doing and offers her help only when Jody needs things to get done l-ast,but Jody's mind is fixed that Janie should tend the store. Mosse denotes that "a white middle class woman is offered more opportunities and choices of life compared to a young black woman... for both of them, the choices are limited by appropriate gender division" and it enlightens what Jody offers to Janie (Mosse 63). Keeping and looking the store is the job that Jody offers her as a result of Jody's act of treating his wife like a white woman. Nonetheless, it is true that he does not let Janie to do more with the store because Jody believes that only keeping and tending is suitable for woman, or in another word like Mosse utters, it is her appropriate gender division.
Thus, as a wife, Janie is being demanded to be a regular character of a wife whose place is at home and in addition to represent her husband's status, she should keep the store as a remark of Jody's power. Jody's attitude here can be identified with American Functionalist theory which posses fine lines of man-woman working divisions. Talcot Parsons, one of American Functionalists, denotes that those fine lines are created in order to avoid competition between husbands and wives.
"With this sexuality based working divisions, it is obvious that the husband develops his career outside home, and his wife is at home. The wife may work outside home, but it will be better if it is not her career. Otherwise the competition between the husband and the wife will happen, and it will ruin the harmony of the marriage" (Budiman l6).
A functionalist or not, Jody obviously believes in this notion that the only work that Janie may do is around the house and the store. Because in his opinion, the man should do his job, at this context, being a Mayor and Janie should act like a wife and the wife of a Mayor.
As a husband Jody demands his wife to be like other wives too in one way as well as being a wife of the Mayor in another way. Furthermore, Janie observes that there are two main things that she should do as Jody's wife besides acting like the Mayor's wife. The first thing is that Jody wants Janie to, be as ordinary as she can be in being a wife. Even though she is a woman with status, Jody will not let her step outside his authority. Like what happens when Jody is elected as a Mayor, and the people wants Janie to give speech, Jody responds to the request as follows:
"Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' bout no speech makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh women and her place is in de home" (Hurston 69).
Even though Janie is now Mrs. Mayor, Jody does not want to share the authority with her because she feels that Janie being a Mrs. Mayor is only because he is Mr. Mayor.
Thus, there is nothing, according to Jody, that can allow Janie to give speech like Jody does since she is only an'attachment' of Jody's reputation. In addition, Jody denotes that he marries Janie because he wants her to become like other wife as well, whose place is "in de home" (Hurston 69). "Women's works are foreseen as secondary factor and 'natural' part from their biological roles... " (Mosse 29).
Therefore, Jody's patriarchal notion is explainable since he considers Janie as a wife to just work at home because it is her natural role as a woman.
The second thing is that Jody is elected to be Mr. Mayor ever since he starts to build necessary facilities for Eatonville and a store is one of them. As it mentioned before that Jody feels that the store represents his power as well as his contribution to the town and therefore he wants his wife to stand in the store all evening to mark that the store owned by Jody. In other words, Janie is being used as a remark of Jody's possession. The same thing goes after the opening ceremony of the store; Jody wants Janie to keep the store while he builds other facilities, even though Janie feels a bit reluctant of it.
"De mayor of uh town lak dis can't lay round home too much. De place needs buildin' up, Janie, Ah'll git hold uh somebody tuh help out in de store and you kin look after things whilst Ah drum up things otherwise."
"Oh Jody, Ah can't do nothin' wid no store lessen youse there. Ah could maybe come in and help you when things gtt rushed, but-" "I go4 Ah don't see how come yuh can't. 'Tain't nothin' atall hinder yuh if yuh got a thimble full uh sense. You got tuh..." (Hurston 70).
Obviously spoken by Jody that he orders his wife to keep the store while he does other things that needed to be done by a Mayor. As it can be seen that Janie feels reluctant in doing and offers her help only when Jody needs things to get done l-ast,but Jody's mind is fixed that Janie should tend the store. Mosse denotes that "a white middle class woman is offered more opportunities and choices of life compared to a young black woman... for both of them, the choices are limited by appropriate gender division" and it enlightens what Jody offers to Janie (Mosse 63). Keeping and looking the store is the job that Jody offers her as a result of Jody's act of treating his wife like a white woman. Nonetheless, it is true that he does not let Janie to do more with the store because Jody believes that only keeping and tending is suitable for woman, or in another word like Mosse utters, it is her appropriate gender division.
Thus, as a wife, Janie is being demanded to be a regular character of a wife whose place is at home and in addition to represent her husband's status, she should keep the store as a remark of Jody's power. Jody's attitude here can be identified with American Functionalist theory which posses fine lines of man-woman working divisions. Talcot Parsons, one of American Functionalists, denotes that those fine lines are created in order to avoid competition between husbands and wives.
"With this sexuality based working divisions, it is obvious that the husband develops his career outside home, and his wife is at home. The wife may work outside home, but it will be better if it is not her career. Otherwise the competition between the husband and the wife will happen, and it will ruin the harmony of the marriage" (Budiman l6).
A functionalist or not, Jody obviously believes in this notion that the only work that Janie may do is around the house and the store. Because in his opinion, the man should do his job, at this context, being a Mayor and Janie should act like a wife and the wife of a Mayor.
2, Janie's
observation (in a submissive way) of Jody's patriarchal dominance.
If in the previous marriage Janie directly recognizes her loveless marriage, in this second one, Janie can still feel the love is fading away. Furthermore, her observation of Jody's dominance starts to rise during the love-fading phase. Thus, Janie's observation of Jody's patriarchal dominance takes place along with her recognition of the failure of love. However, in this part, the analysis would start to study Jody's dominance first rather than the failure of love, since the love starts to fail Janie when Jody begins to assert his dominance to her. Jody makes Janie disappointed by asserting his dominance to Janie in several aspects. The aspect that Jody dominates the most is Janie's existence will, where she is dying to be existed and be a part of Eatonville society as well as letting them now who Janie is. Yet, Jody fastens his belt around her so she could do nothing to reveal her true self in front of Eatonville society. The most obvious evidence is Jody forbids her to, beyond all reasons, enjoy the front porch story telling by the Eatonville people. The front porch of the store, which is usually used by Sam, Lige or Walter and Jody himself to talk, joke and discuss things every day. Even though Janie is inside the store and keeping it, Jody does not allow her to join or even listen to the conversation near him.
"Janie loved the conversation and sometimes she thought up good stories on the mule, but Joe had forbidden her to indulge. He didn't want her talking after such trashy people. "You'se Mrs. Mayor Starks, Janie. I go4 Ah can't see why uh woman uh yo' sability would want tuh be treasurin' all dat gumgrease from folks dat don't even own de house dey sleep in. 'Tain't no earthly use. They jus' some puny humans playin' round de toes uh Time. (Hurston 85).
If in the previous marriage Janie directly recognizes her loveless marriage, in this second one, Janie can still feel the love is fading away. Furthermore, her observation of Jody's dominance starts to rise during the love-fading phase. Thus, Janie's observation of Jody's patriarchal dominance takes place along with her recognition of the failure of love. However, in this part, the analysis would start to study Jody's dominance first rather than the failure of love, since the love starts to fail Janie when Jody begins to assert his dominance to her. Jody makes Janie disappointed by asserting his dominance to Janie in several aspects. The aspect that Jody dominates the most is Janie's existence will, where she is dying to be existed and be a part of Eatonville society as well as letting them now who Janie is. Yet, Jody fastens his belt around her so she could do nothing to reveal her true self in front of Eatonville society. The most obvious evidence is Jody forbids her to, beyond all reasons, enjoy the front porch story telling by the Eatonville people. The front porch of the store, which is usually used by Sam, Lige or Walter and Jody himself to talk, joke and discuss things every day. Even though Janie is inside the store and keeping it, Jody does not allow her to join or even listen to the conversation near him.
"Janie loved the conversation and sometimes she thought up good stories on the mule, but Joe had forbidden her to indulge. He didn't want her talking after such trashy people. "You'se Mrs. Mayor Starks, Janie. I go4 Ah can't see why uh woman uh yo' sability would want tuh be treasurin' all dat gumgrease from folks dat don't even own de house dey sleep in. 'Tain't no earthly use. They jus' some puny humans playin' round de toes uh Time. (Hurston 85).
In Jody's opinion, a wife
of a Mayor should not get along with the people of the town itself, for he
considers that his reputation would be degraded. Therefore, he forbids Janie to
hang around the guys in the porch.
"But then when Lige or Sam or Walter or some of other big picture talkers were using a side of th world for a canvas, Joe would hustle her offinside the store to sell something. Look like he took pleasure in doing it. Why couldn't he go himself sometimes?" (Hurston 85).
Thinking that Jody only likes to tell her things and gives her order to not getting along with people, Janie does not understand Jody's notion of a Mayor's wife role. Jody feels that hanging around with his people is included in his duty as a Mayor, therefore he does it and he implicitly gives the impression that such thing are not meant to be enjoyed. Since Jody thinks that it is his duty to get along and watch his people, he does not want Janie to do the same since she is only a Mayor's wife with of course, no authority, to hang around with those people. Furthermore, Jody believes that if she hangs around with those guys, his reputation will be degraded. Take for instance the moment where Janie wants to come along with Jody for seeing the bury of a dead mule, Jody prohibits her and says:
"..., but Ah'm uh man even if Ah is de mayor. But de mayor's wife is somethin' different again. Anyhow they's liable tuh need me tuh say uh few words over de carcass, dis bein' uh special case. Butyou ain't goin offin all dat mess uh commonncss. Ah'm surprised at yuh fuh askin"'(Hurston 94).
"But then when Lige or Sam or Walter or some of other big picture talkers were using a side of th world for a canvas, Joe would hustle her offinside the store to sell something. Look like he took pleasure in doing it. Why couldn't he go himself sometimes?" (Hurston 85).
Thinking that Jody only likes to tell her things and gives her order to not getting along with people, Janie does not understand Jody's notion of a Mayor's wife role. Jody feels that hanging around with his people is included in his duty as a Mayor, therefore he does it and he implicitly gives the impression that such thing are not meant to be enjoyed. Since Jody thinks that it is his duty to get along and watch his people, he does not want Janie to do the same since she is only a Mayor's wife with of course, no authority, to hang around with those people. Furthermore, Jody believes that if she hangs around with those guys, his reputation will be degraded. Take for instance the moment where Janie wants to come along with Jody for seeing the bury of a dead mule, Jody prohibits her and says:
"..., but Ah'm uh man even if Ah is de mayor. But de mayor's wife is somethin' different again. Anyhow they's liable tuh need me tuh say uh few words over de carcass, dis bein' uh special case. Butyou ain't goin offin all dat mess uh commonncss. Ah'm surprised at yuh fuh askin"'(Hurston 94).
Feeling that going
to the bury of the mule is an event that involve common people and requires him
as a Mayor to lead, Jody thinks that there is no such important thing for Janie
to come along. Since Janie is the Mayor's wife and Mayor's wife should not get
along and mix with common people, Jody thinks that for being Mrs. Mayor does
not mean Janie has the same duty as his. However, Janie does not debate on the
matter too much, she somehow keeps on silence even though deep down inside she
fights back Jody's orders to her. Her quiet act is showing her submissive way
to identify her husband's patriarchal act. Like when she comments to herself on
Jody's command to hustle her offinside the store to sell something: "Why
couldn't he go himself sometimes?" (Hurston 85).
The next obvious male dominancy that Jody shows to Janie is that he prohibits her to show her hair when she is in the store. The cause of this prohibition is Jody's jealousy upon what a man has done to Janie's hair. "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn't seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was" (Hurston 87).
Because Jody sees a few men touch his wife's hair while she is not looking, Jody forbids Janie to let loose her hair ever since. Jody tells him to wear head rags and even Janie hates it yet she does not protest at all. However, not showing her own hair while she is the store is actually more than a jealousy. "... [t]he night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store. That was all. She was there in the store for himto look at, not those others" (Hurston 87). Jody feels that Janie is his wife and by ordering Janie to tie up her hair is his right since Janie is his possession. In Jody's opinion, wife is one of the possessions he has, therefore when he sees someone touches her wife's hair, he feels offended and claims his right. He does not want anybody to enjoy his wife except himself, therefore he orders Janie to wear head rags.
Besides treating Janie as a possessiorq Jody also want her to be identified by him instead of just being herself. Jody practically seals up every chance that reveals Janie's own thoughts. For instance, in the first time Jody is elected to be Mayor, after Jody gives his speech, everybody demands Janie to give one also. Yet, Jody refuses.
"Thank yuh fuh yuh compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home" (Hurston 69).
Even though the previous analysis upon Janie's working division in her marriage discusses this part already, yet this statement also shows how Jody underestimates Janie's intelligence because she is a woman. In Jody's patriarchal notion, as a wife and a womarL making speech is not Janie's field. Feeling offended, Janie actually does not care if she can make a speech or not, but the chance to make on is what Janie concerns. She feels Jody does not even give her an opportunity at least to try it, just because she is a woman.
"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. 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 offthings" (Hurston 70).
For Janie considers herself as a bloom and what is meant by 'took the bloom off things' is that she feels that Jody does not let hcr to try new 'things'. Thus, in this moment Janie feels psychologically dominatcd for Jody undervalues Janie's intelligence. Another example of Jody's act of underestimating Janie's intelligence ts where Jody mocks her carelessness in putting the store's bills.
"It would be pitiful if Ah didn't. Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don't think none theirselves." "Ah knows a few things, and womenfolks thinks sometimes too!" "Aw naw they don't. They just think they's thinkin'. When Ah see one thing I understands ten. You see ten things and don't understand one" (Hurston 111).
The lines above show how much Jody regards women as creatures that cannot even think about themselves like cows and chickens. Even though Janie debates the matter that women can and do think, Jody even insults her harsher by telling her that she is too stupid for thinking. Nonetheless, because Janie tries to observe Jody's patriarchal dominance, she just remains unspoken and represses the feeling.
"Time came when she fought back with her tortgue as best she could, but it didn't do her any good. It just made Joe do more. He wanted her submission and he's keep on fighting until he felt he had it. So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush" (Hurston 1 1 1 ).
Her submission to Jody does not make her too immune to see that Jody tries to oppresses her, she keeps each of his patriarchal notions deep inside before it later on bursts.
The next obvious male dominancy that Jody shows to Janie is that he prohibits her to show her hair when she is in the store. The cause of this prohibition is Jody's jealousy upon what a man has done to Janie's hair. "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn't seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was" (Hurston 87).
Because Jody sees a few men touch his wife's hair while she is not looking, Jody forbids Janie to let loose her hair ever since. Jody tells him to wear head rags and even Janie hates it yet she does not protest at all. However, not showing her own hair while she is the store is actually more than a jealousy. "... [t]he night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store. That was all. She was there in the store for himto look at, not those others" (Hurston 87). Jody feels that Janie is his wife and by ordering Janie to tie up her hair is his right since Janie is his possession. In Jody's opinion, wife is one of the possessions he has, therefore when he sees someone touches her wife's hair, he feels offended and claims his right. He does not want anybody to enjoy his wife except himself, therefore he orders Janie to wear head rags.
Besides treating Janie as a possessiorq Jody also want her to be identified by him instead of just being herself. Jody practically seals up every chance that reveals Janie's own thoughts. For instance, in the first time Jody is elected to be Mayor, after Jody gives his speech, everybody demands Janie to give one also. Yet, Jody refuses.
"Thank yuh fuh yuh compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home" (Hurston 69).
Even though the previous analysis upon Janie's working division in her marriage discusses this part already, yet this statement also shows how Jody underestimates Janie's intelligence because she is a woman. In Jody's patriarchal notion, as a wife and a womarL making speech is not Janie's field. Feeling offended, Janie actually does not care if she can make a speech or not, but the chance to make on is what Janie concerns. She feels Jody does not even give her an opportunity at least to try it, just because she is a woman.
"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. 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 offthings" (Hurston 70).
For Janie considers herself as a bloom and what is meant by 'took the bloom off things' is that she feels that Jody does not let hcr to try new 'things'. Thus, in this moment Janie feels psychologically dominatcd for Jody undervalues Janie's intelligence. Another example of Jody's act of underestimating Janie's intelligence ts where Jody mocks her carelessness in putting the store's bills.
"It would be pitiful if Ah didn't. Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don't think none theirselves." "Ah knows a few things, and womenfolks thinks sometimes too!" "Aw naw they don't. They just think they's thinkin'. When Ah see one thing I understands ten. You see ten things and don't understand one" (Hurston 111).
The lines above show how much Jody regards women as creatures that cannot even think about themselves like cows and chickens. Even though Janie debates the matter that women can and do think, Jody even insults her harsher by telling her that she is too stupid for thinking. Nonetheless, because Janie tries to observe Jody's patriarchal dominance, she just remains unspoken and represses the feeling.
"Time came when she fought back with her tortgue as best she could, but it didn't do her any good. It just made Joe do more. He wanted her submission and he's keep on fighting until he felt he had it. So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush" (Hurston 1 1 1 ).
Her submission to Jody does not make her too immune to see that Jody tries to oppresses her, she keeps each of his patriarchal notions deep inside before it later on bursts.
3. Janie's process in
recognizing the failure of love (in a submissive way).
Janie's process in recognizing the failure of love in this marriage will be depicted in several moments where Janie gets through a few reflections. ln addition, as it has been mentioned above, that the process of recognizing the failure of love takes place along with her observation of Jody's patriarchal dominance. Each of the love failure reflections stimulates Janie's awareness in observing Jody's patriarchal dominance.
Janie's first disappointment toward the love of her marriage emerges as soon as Jody is elected as the Mayor. When Jody let her know that by being Mrs. Mayor can make her a big woman and Janie realizes that her Mayor's wife role does not feel to good, thus she begins to feel anxious.
"... Ah told you in de very first beginnin' dat Ah aimed to be big voice. You oughta be glad, 'cause dat makes uh big woman outa you." A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away and lonely" (Hurston 74).
Janie's process in recognizing the failure of love in this marriage will be depicted in several moments where Janie gets through a few reflections. ln addition, as it has been mentioned above, that the process of recognizing the failure of love takes place along with her observation of Jody's patriarchal dominance. Each of the love failure reflections stimulates Janie's awareness in observing Jody's patriarchal dominance.
Janie's first disappointment toward the love of her marriage emerges as soon as Jody is elected as the Mayor. When Jody let her know that by being Mrs. Mayor can make her a big woman and Janie realizes that her Mayor's wife role does not feel to good, thus she begins to feel anxious.
"... Ah told you in de very first beginnin' dat Ah aimed to be big voice. You oughta be glad, 'cause dat makes uh big woman outa you." A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away and lonely" (Hurston 74).
This part shows Janie
starts to feel aware that being the Mayor's wife gives her a thrill. A feeling
of 'coldness' expresses implicitly how the role itself gives the idea of her
relationship with Jody in a cold atmosphere. In addition, 'fear' that takes her
refers to the fear that she might lose the chance of loving with Jody.
Therefore, when her hunch comes true soon after the thought of fear, Janie can
no longer feel the 'existence' of Jody in her life. "Janie soon began to
feel the impact of her awe and envy against her sensibilities. The wife of the
Mayor was not just another woman as she had supposed. She slept with authority
and so she was part of the town mind" (Hurston 74).
What Janie fears at the
first time Jody crowns her as the Mayor's wife comes true and she can feel the
deep feeling of losing. Janie does not think that being a Mayor's wife will
make her come to scarification. The words "[]ust another woman"
carries the image of how she thought she can play the role of Mayor's wife and
the wife itself in different degrees. Yet, she is wrong for she learns that
even in the bed, where she is supposed to have an ordinary husband by her side,
who is supposedly be Jody, she has the authority of Jody instead. In this point
Janie loses the character of husband in Jody since he brings his status as a
Mayor even in his private section of his marriage, which is his bed. Hence,
Janie no longer feel married to Jody, but to his authority and this leads to
her initial disappointment to Jody.
The following disappointment is the next chain attached to the previous one. Janie's displeasure of being a Mayor's wife and the status she has to bear is ruining her love life. It takes place after Janie and Jody argue about a bill that Jody has been looking for in the store, and he blames Janie for not doing this well. In addition, Jody literally mocks her intelligence, which makes Janie feeling irritated. Yet, she remains silent and does nothing that it leads her to generate another deep disappointing thought regarding her marriage.
"So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush. The spirit of the marriage left the bedroom and took to living in the parlor. It was there to shake hands whenever company came to visit, but it never went back inside the bedroom again. So she put something in there to represent the spirit like a Virgin Mary image in a church. The bed was no longer a daisy field for her and Joe to play in. It was a place where she went and laid down when she was sleepy and tired" (Hurston 111).
The descriptions showed by the lines above depict how Janie learns to recognize that her love life with Jody is now far from her expectation. Her wife character only shows when she is introduced to be the Mayor's wife. The acknowledgement from Jody regarding Janie as his wife only emerges when Jody has to introduce her to his guests. However, the further acknowledgement that Janie needs apparently does not materialize in her 'bed' or the love life. Jody does not treat her as a husband usually does and therefore Janie feels like she is the representation of 'Virgin Mary' in church for she is too 'intact' to be a wife. The 'bed', according to Janie, is the representation of the place where love flourish- Since Jody does not gtve her what she needs in bed as itfuing depicted in the)ine: "bd wasno longer a ddsy fidd for her and Joe to play in", Janie's disappointment is expressed. Furthermore, the essence of bed itself for loses, from a place where love flourishes into a place where they can only have rest. Hence, Janie is disappointment to Jody for she can no longer feel the love from a husband.
Finally, after a fewtimes of disappointment, Janie reaches the point where she recognizes that her dreams are fading away in this marriage. After some times dealing with Jody's treatment, Janie tries to contemplate her marriage and relates it with her pear fiee definitions. In the point where Jody slaps her to assert his dominance, she finds out that her marriage and Jody does not meet the definitions.
"She stood there until something fell offthe shelf inside her. Then she went inside there to see what it was. It was her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grcbbed up to drape her dreams over" (Hurston 112).
Janie feels that something is happening inside her and it turns out to be her image of Jody as a husband and her bee is destroyed. Janie neither pays respect nor considers him as a husband that she expects. However, the image of Jody that 'shattered' turns out to be completing her entire disappointment as it is depicted in "drape her dreams over". The word 'something' refers to her ruined image of Jody and therefore the complete meaning is that Janie takes this moment as a final finishing of learning that her dreams in this marriage is over. The unmatched definition and reality is clearly described in the following lines: "She had no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man, neither any glistening young fruit where the petals used to be" (Hurston 112). Janie does not expect that she can be a bloom again in this marriage with Jody for she no longer sees Jody full of 'dusting pollen' which refers to hope and great things about him. In addition, the last statement illustrates she also feels that the 'fruit' or the result the meeting of the bee and bloom cannot be seen. Thus, this contemplation of Janie concludes the whole idea of her disappointment as well as portrays Janie's absolute awareness of the love failure in this marriage.
The following disappointment is the next chain attached to the previous one. Janie's displeasure of being a Mayor's wife and the status she has to bear is ruining her love life. It takes place after Janie and Jody argue about a bill that Jody has been looking for in the store, and he blames Janie for not doing this well. In addition, Jody literally mocks her intelligence, which makes Janie feeling irritated. Yet, she remains silent and does nothing that it leads her to generate another deep disappointing thought regarding her marriage.
"So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush. The spirit of the marriage left the bedroom and took to living in the parlor. It was there to shake hands whenever company came to visit, but it never went back inside the bedroom again. So she put something in there to represent the spirit like a Virgin Mary image in a church. The bed was no longer a daisy field for her and Joe to play in. It was a place where she went and laid down when she was sleepy and tired" (Hurston 111).
The descriptions showed by the lines above depict how Janie learns to recognize that her love life with Jody is now far from her expectation. Her wife character only shows when she is introduced to be the Mayor's wife. The acknowledgement from Jody regarding Janie as his wife only emerges when Jody has to introduce her to his guests. However, the further acknowledgement that Janie needs apparently does not materialize in her 'bed' or the love life. Jody does not treat her as a husband usually does and therefore Janie feels like she is the representation of 'Virgin Mary' in church for she is too 'intact' to be a wife. The 'bed', according to Janie, is the representation of the place where love flourish- Since Jody does not gtve her what she needs in bed as itfuing depicted in the)ine: "bd wasno longer a ddsy fidd for her and Joe to play in", Janie's disappointment is expressed. Furthermore, the essence of bed itself for loses, from a place where love flourishes into a place where they can only have rest. Hence, Janie is disappointment to Jody for she can no longer feel the love from a husband.
Finally, after a fewtimes of disappointment, Janie reaches the point where she recognizes that her dreams are fading away in this marriage. After some times dealing with Jody's treatment, Janie tries to contemplate her marriage and relates it with her pear fiee definitions. In the point where Jody slaps her to assert his dominance, she finds out that her marriage and Jody does not meet the definitions.
"She stood there until something fell offthe shelf inside her. Then she went inside there to see what it was. It was her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grcbbed up to drape her dreams over" (Hurston 112).
Janie feels that something is happening inside her and it turns out to be her image of Jody as a husband and her bee is destroyed. Janie neither pays respect nor considers him as a husband that she expects. However, the image of Jody that 'shattered' turns out to be completing her entire disappointment as it is depicted in "drape her dreams over". The word 'something' refers to her ruined image of Jody and therefore the complete meaning is that Janie takes this moment as a final finishing of learning that her dreams in this marriage is over. The unmatched definition and reality is clearly described in the following lines: "She had no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man, neither any glistening young fruit where the petals used to be" (Hurston 112). Janie does not expect that she can be a bloom again in this marriage with Jody for she no longer sees Jody full of 'dusting pollen' which refers to hope and great things about him. In addition, the last statement illustrates she also feels that the 'fruit' or the result the meeting of the bee and bloom cannot be seen. Thus, this contemplation of Janie concludes the whole idea of her disappointment as well as portrays Janie's absolute awareness of the love failure in this marriage.
4. Janie's actions as her
refusal.
After sometimes in her marriage, Janie has been through moments whose conclusion makes her aware that her marriage no longer involves love. As much as she loses her love pillars, Janie recognizes that her husband endeavors his dominance to Janie and the efforts to assert are getting intense. Thus, this part will discuss how Janie's awakening to stand against her husband.
i) the statement (to the society) about women.
Janie's initiat act of refusal actually spurts when Janie gets offended with what the front porch talkers denotes about women. Janie, who usually, fo6ade intervening into the conversation, is snapped to the guys. "Tony won't never hit her. He says beatin' women is just like steppin' on baby chickens. He claims 'tain't no place on uh woman fuh hit," Joe Lindsay said with scornful disapproval, 'but Ah's kill uh baby just born dis mawnin' fuh uh thing lak dat. 'tain't nothin' but low-down spitefulness 'ginst her husband make her do it." "Dat's de God's truth," Jim Stone agreed. "Dat's de very reason." Janie did what she had never done before, that is, thrust her self into the conversation.
"sometimes God gits familiar wid us womenfolks too and talks His inside business. He told me how surprise He was 'bout y'all turning out so smart after Him makin' yuh different; and how surprised y'all is goin' to be if you ever find out you don't know half as much 'bout us as you think you do. It's so easy to make yo'self out God Almighty when you ain't got nothin' tuh strain against but women and chickens" (Hurston 117).
The background of the front porch talkers, who mostly are Jody's people, can be included in low middle class people since most of them live in ways less prosperous than Jody is. In Mosse's opinions, their comments about women should be beaten in order to make them obey what the husbands say, are the result of "the notion of women as property, women as objects of trading, is very fundamental in comprehending the act of violence toward women" (Mosse 77). Therefore, since those porch talkers seem to use their wife as one of their production aspect, they feel they have the full right to beat their wives. However, since what Jody has as his status and not to mention that Janie is influenced by her Nanny's feminist ideas, she reflectively responds to the remark. Since Janie is beaten by none of her husbands, she stands up against their notion.
Janie's comment to the front porch talkers is one of the flourishing ideas of feminism since she tries to offend their notion of justifying the act in beating women. Janie hits their argument right on the target where she denotes that men's act is not God's act and just because they can hurt women and chickens will not make a God out of them. Janie's awakening to rebel from patriarchal notions starts from this point, whereas her actions of standing against Jody will later on occur after her contemplation how useless her marriage is.
After sometimes in her marriage, Janie has been through moments whose conclusion makes her aware that her marriage no longer involves love. As much as she loses her love pillars, Janie recognizes that her husband endeavors his dominance to Janie and the efforts to assert are getting intense. Thus, this part will discuss how Janie's awakening to stand against her husband.
i) the statement (to the society) about women.
Janie's initiat act of refusal actually spurts when Janie gets offended with what the front porch talkers denotes about women. Janie, who usually, fo6ade intervening into the conversation, is snapped to the guys. "Tony won't never hit her. He says beatin' women is just like steppin' on baby chickens. He claims 'tain't no place on uh woman fuh hit," Joe Lindsay said with scornful disapproval, 'but Ah's kill uh baby just born dis mawnin' fuh uh thing lak dat. 'tain't nothin' but low-down spitefulness 'ginst her husband make her do it." "Dat's de God's truth," Jim Stone agreed. "Dat's de very reason." Janie did what she had never done before, that is, thrust her self into the conversation.
"sometimes God gits familiar wid us womenfolks too and talks His inside business. He told me how surprise He was 'bout y'all turning out so smart after Him makin' yuh different; and how surprised y'all is goin' to be if you ever find out you don't know half as much 'bout us as you think you do. It's so easy to make yo'self out God Almighty when you ain't got nothin' tuh strain against but women and chickens" (Hurston 117).
The background of the front porch talkers, who mostly are Jody's people, can be included in low middle class people since most of them live in ways less prosperous than Jody is. In Mosse's opinions, their comments about women should be beaten in order to make them obey what the husbands say, are the result of "the notion of women as property, women as objects of trading, is very fundamental in comprehending the act of violence toward women" (Mosse 77). Therefore, since those porch talkers seem to use their wife as one of their production aspect, they feel they have the full right to beat their wives. However, since what Jody has as his status and not to mention that Janie is influenced by her Nanny's feminist ideas, she reflectively responds to the remark. Since Janie is beaten by none of her husbands, she stands up against their notion.
Janie's comment to the front porch talkers is one of the flourishing ideas of feminism since she tries to offend their notion of justifying the act in beating women. Janie hits their argument right on the target where she denotes that men's act is not God's act and just because they can hurt women and chickens will not make a God out of them. Janie's awakening to rebel from patriarchal notions starts from this point, whereas her actions of standing against Jody will later on occur after her contemplation how useless her marriage is.
ii)
Reflection of readiness before refusal.
Before Janie shows explicitly her refusal to Jody, she enters the stage of reflection where she realizes that she has nothing to hold on in this marriage. On the contrary, instead of having what she wishes in a marriage, she is being oppressed by Jody.
"Then one day she sat and watched the shadow of herself going about tending store and prostrating before Jody, while all the time she herself sat under a shady tree with the wind blowing through her hair and her clothes" (Hurston 11e).
The images of Janie keeping the store as Jody's status slnnbol and being submissive for what Jody does to her are so strong that she can see it as if it is alive. Even though Janie is sitting under a tree, away from the store, she sees the image of herself. That indicatcs that her activities and her attitude toward Jody, beyond her consciousness, bonds so rvell in daily life. "This was the first time it happened, but after a while it got so common she ceased to be surprised. It was like a drug. [n a way it was good because it reconciles her to things. She got so she received all things with the stolidness of the earth which soaks up urine and perfume with the same indifference" (Hurston 199).Janie is surprised seeing her image roaming around gives her the idea about what she has been doing. For her, the moment leads her to a new thought, which makes her realizethat her marriage is actually the mix between 'perfume' and 'urine'. 'Perfume' which is liquid that have a strong nice scent and usually wore by rich people, symbolizes how good supposedly her life and marriage is. 'Urine' which is living creature's waste that stinks, dirly, detested and usually flushed to filthy places symbolizes how awful her life is behind all the good things she has. The combination both reflects how actually good things and awful things mixed together describing her wealth, the status as well as her loveless marriage and the dominance of Jody to her. Therefore this part depicts Janie's acknowledgements of her condition where she actually has nothing more to bear with her.
Before Janie shows explicitly her refusal to Jody, she enters the stage of reflection where she realizes that she has nothing to hold on in this marriage. On the contrary, instead of having what she wishes in a marriage, she is being oppressed by Jody.
"Then one day she sat and watched the shadow of herself going about tending store and prostrating before Jody, while all the time she herself sat under a shady tree with the wind blowing through her hair and her clothes" (Hurston 11e).
The images of Janie keeping the store as Jody's status slnnbol and being submissive for what Jody does to her are so strong that she can see it as if it is alive. Even though Janie is sitting under a tree, away from the store, she sees the image of herself. That indicatcs that her activities and her attitude toward Jody, beyond her consciousness, bonds so rvell in daily life. "This was the first time it happened, but after a while it got so common she ceased to be surprised. It was like a drug. [n a way it was good because it reconciles her to things. She got so she received all things with the stolidness of the earth which soaks up urine and perfume with the same indifference" (Hurston 199).Janie is surprised seeing her image roaming around gives her the idea about what she has been doing. For her, the moment leads her to a new thought, which makes her realizethat her marriage is actually the mix between 'perfume' and 'urine'. 'Perfume' which is liquid that have a strong nice scent and usually wore by rich people, symbolizes how good supposedly her life and marriage is. 'Urine' which is living creature's waste that stinks, dirly, detested and usually flushed to filthy places symbolizes how awful her life is behind all the good things she has. The combination both reflects how actually good things and awful things mixed together describing her wealth, the status as well as her loveless marriage and the dominance of Jody to her. Therefore this part depicts Janie's acknowledgements of her condition where she actually has nothing more to bear with her.
iii) The defensive and
offensive comments (to Jody) about herself Feeling
nothing to lose since she does not have anything that she desires in her marriage with Jody, Janie does not feels hesitate to react against Jody's next act of patriarchal notion. The first dominance by Jody after Janie realizes that her downright emptiness in her marriage takes place when Jody insults her harshly as in front of the porch talkers regarding her looks and people laugh at hcr.
nothing to lose since she does not have anything that she desires in her marriage with Jody, Janie does not feels hesitate to react against Jody's next act of patriarchal notion. The first dominance by Jody after Janie realizes that her downright emptiness in her marriage takes place when Jody insults her harshly as in front of the porch talkers regarding her looks and people laugh at hcr.
"It was funny
if you looked at it right quick, but it got pitiful if you thought about it
awhile. It was like somebody snatched offpart of a woman's clothes while she
wasn't looking and the streets were crowded. Then too, Janie took the middle of
the floor to talk right into Jody's face, and that was something that hadn't
been done before.
"Stop mixin' up mah doings wid mah looks, Jody. When you git through tellin' me how tuh uh plug uh tobacco, then you kin tell me whether mah behind is on straight or not" "Wha-whut's dat you say, Janie? You must be out yo' head" "Naw, Ah ain't outa mah head neither"
"You must be. Talkin' such language as dat" "You de one started talkin' under people's clothes. Not me" (Hurston l2l-22).
"Stop mixin' up mah doings wid mah looks, Jody. When you git through tellin' me how tuh uh plug uh tobacco, then you kin tell me whether mah behind is on straight or not" "Wha-whut's dat you say, Janie? You must be out yo' head" "Naw, Ah ain't outa mah head neither"
"You must be. Talkin' such language as dat" "You de one started talkin' under people's clothes. Not me" (Hurston l2l-22).
Janie begins her refusal
to Jody verbally through the same insults that Jody denotes to her. This insult
and Janie's courage successfully make Jody feels shocked and he even tries to
defend himself by asserting that he only comments on her old looks because she
is not a young girl anymore. Janie then denotes another statement that aims the
same thing like Jody does to her, which is taking the dignity.
"Naw, Ah ain't no young gal no mo' but den Ah ain't no old woman neither. Ah reckon Ah looks mah age too. But Ah'm uh woman every inch of me, and Ah know it. Dat's uh whole lot more'nyoar kin say. You big-bellies round here and put out a lot of brag, 'tain't nothin' to it but yo' big voice. Humph! alkin' 'bout me lookin' old! When you pull down yo' britches, you look lak de change uh life" (Hurston 122-23)
"Naw, Ah ain't no young gal no mo' but den Ah ain't no old woman neither. Ah reckon Ah looks mah age too. But Ah'm uh woman every inch of me, and Ah know it. Dat's uh whole lot more'nyoar kin say. You big-bellies round here and put out a lot of brag, 'tain't nothin' to it but yo' big voice. Humph! alkin' 'bout me lookin' old! When you pull down yo' britches, you look lak de change uh life" (Hurston 122-23)
Feeling that just
because she is a woman, it does not mean a man can step over her digruty.
Therefore she offends Jody back by saying that he can only brag along to people
just to show his superiority. The insults that Janie denotes harshly to Jody
successfully convey two intentions which are to pay back what Jody has done to
her as an act of defending as well as to showthe porch talkers that she is no
longer Jody's property. By insulting him as suctr, Janie will not ever be
considered as his object of domination again. "Janie had robbed him of his
illusion of irresistible maleness that all men cherish, which was terrible...
... But Janie had done worse, she had cast down his empty armor before men and
they had taughe4 would keep on laughing. When he paraded his possessions
hereafter, they would not consider the two together" (Hurston 123).
iv) The last statement of
what Janie wants as Jody's wife.
The marriage gets worse after the argument and Jody starts to make distance from Janie. When Jody gets very ill and dying, Janie recognizes this moment as a chance for her to let him know how she feels about him and the marriage. Janie now has the courage to tell him what she actually wants in the marriage and how Jody turns the marriage down.
"... .And now you gut tuh die tuh find out dat you got tuh paciff somebody besides yo'self if you wants any love and any sympathy in dis world. You ain't tried tuh paciff nobody but yo'self, Too busy listening tuh yo' own big voice" (Hurston 133).
The marriage gets worse after the argument and Jody starts to make distance from Janie. When Jody gets very ill and dying, Janie recognizes this moment as a chance for her to let him know how she feels about him and the marriage. Janie now has the courage to tell him what she actually wants in the marriage and how Jody turns the marriage down.
"... .And now you gut tuh die tuh find out dat you got tuh paciff somebody besides yo'self if you wants any love and any sympathy in dis world. You ain't tried tuh paciff nobody but yo'self, Too busy listening tuh yo' own big voice" (Hurston 133).
Deriving what Pecks
has in his theory that has been discussed in Review of Related Literafure,
Janie's lack of experience in a marriage makes her owning the most conventional
notion of a marriage. Pecks says if a man can be described a mountain climber,
and the woman is the one who should guard and keep the base camp, Jody can be analyzed
as a man who is too busy chasing the heights. ln another words, he
"devotes his energies to climbing mountains and none to tending his
maniage, or base camp" (Peck 167). According to Janie, Jody is too busy
pursuing his dreams to be a big voice and forgotten to nurfure his love to
Janie. Instead Janie feels that Jody leaves his love just for his career. In
addition, she gives Jody last statement before he dies expressing how she wants
to be loved by him instead being dominated. "All dis bowin' down, all dis
obedience under yo' voice-, dat ain't whut Ah rushed offdown de road tuh find
out about you" (Hurstonl34).
v) The free feeling.
As soon as Jody passes away, Janie's pitiful feeling for him does not last long because she recognizes Jody's death as her freedom. "She went over the dresser and looked hard at her skin and features. The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore offthe kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there" (Hurston 134-35).
For all this time Jody prohibits her to show her hair, she finally opens the hair rag she sees the 'glory' of her hair. Janie's hair which has been the symbol of her beauty finally can be shown. Janie 'tearing offthe kerchief moment symbolizes how she breaks her husband's dominance. In addition she is now a different new woman who can stand up against her husband's dominance instead of the 'girl' who keeps on being submissive.
As soon as Jody passes away, Janie's pitiful feeling for him does not last long because she recognizes Jody's death as her freedom. "She went over the dresser and looked hard at her skin and features. The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore offthe kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there" (Hurston 134-35).
For all this time Jody prohibits her to show her hair, she finally opens the hair rag she sees the 'glory' of her hair. Janie's hair which has been the symbol of her beauty finally can be shown. Janie 'tearing offthe kerchief moment symbolizes how she breaks her husband's dominance. In addition she is now a different new woman who can stand up against her husband's dominance instead of the 'girl' who keeps on being submissive.
Chapter
4
ldeas of Feminism Evade through Reflections and Janie's Ultimate
Love Resort with Vergible "Tea Cake" Woods
ldeas of Feminism Evade through Reflections and Janie's Ultimate
Love Resort with Vergible "Tea Cake" Woods
The moment when Jody dies,
Janie enters the stage where she starts to have reflections on what she
experiences within two previous marriages. She finds out, that the two
marriages she has, are only the realization of what her Nanny wants, yet the
happiness she expects from love does not come in each of every marriage and
husband that Janie has. This chapter covers Janie's decision to have her own
dreams to rcalize, which refers to her old and first wish of having a true love
and the bee for her own. Therefore, this part is also meant to discuss how
Janie's third as well as last husband, Vergible "Tea Cake" Woods,
eventually fulfill her love and bee dreams which make Janie's quest for love
finally end In addition, the analysis will include how the love that they
share, makes Janie tolerate his patriarchal dominance.
A. Janie's reflections on
her quest for love.
Feeling free after her second husband's death, Janie begins to enter a new kind of life, which is entirely new for her. Janie who spends her life being controlled by someone, starting from her Nanny, Logan Killicks, and Jody Starks, now experiencing a sort of life, where she does and enjoys things by herself only. In addition, this kind of life that she undergoes, gives her time between her daily chores, to set reflections upon what she has been through. This part analyzes more deeply on Janie's reflections and how the reflections results in Janie's further notion, not only about love, but also about what her grandmother imposes on her.
Feeling free after her second husband's death, Janie begins to enter a new kind of life, which is entirely new for her. Janie who spends her life being controlled by someone, starting from her Nanny, Logan Killicks, and Jody Starks, now experiencing a sort of life, where she does and enjoys things by herself only. In addition, this kind of life that she undergoes, gives her time between her daily chores, to set reflections upon what she has been through. This part analyzes more deeply on Janie's reflections and how the reflections results in Janie's further notion, not only about love, but also about what her grandmother imposes on her.
1. Janie's evaluation upon
Nanny's doctrines of feminism.
In between her loneliness and not knowing what to do, all of a sudden Janie flashes back her grandmother's image and finds out that her Nanny turns out to be a wicked character. Realizing what she has been through, Janie recognizes that the ideas of feminism that Nanny imposes on her are doing no good, since Janie notices that those ideas resulted nothing but failure for her.
"She hated her grandmother and had hidden it from herself all these years under a cloak of pity. She had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizons in search of people; it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her. But she had been whipped like a cur dog, and run offa back road after things" (Hurston 137-138). Janie finally realizes that what she has been doing in deciding to marry men like Killciks and Jody are the result of her grandmother's imposition on he feminist ideasShe also learns that even though she has her won opinion toward things, still she decides to obey her grandmother because she feels pitiful toward her Nanny. The line *had hidden it from her self all these years under a cloak of pity" shows that Janie identifies her mistake by believing in her Nanny too much and making compromises as well as ignoring her own principles. As it explained in the previous parts, Janie makes compromises to herself before marrying Killicks and Jody that even though both of the men does not represent what she witnesses in the pear tree, she decides to marry them anyway because her Nanny wants her so. In addition, those lines above also depict how at the first time, when she witnesses the moment of the pear tree, Janie feels ready to meet her bee which of course refers to a man. Janie, at the very first moment, is intended to find her own man to marry. At the early part of analysis, it is explained that Janie waits for the world to begin as she acknowledged herself to be ready to find a lover, that is why Janie in this time reflects that she "had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizons in search of people" (Hurston 138). Since Janie is ready for a lover, of course what Janie means by "people" here is that the lovers that she will have in order to experience marriage, in addition, she sets her mind to find them and loves also marriage. Therefore, Janie also depicts that she wants to find the people and chooses her lover as well as the men find her too, as it is shows: "it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her" (Hurston 138).
In between her loneliness and not knowing what to do, all of a sudden Janie flashes back her grandmother's image and finds out that her Nanny turns out to be a wicked character. Realizing what she has been through, Janie recognizes that the ideas of feminism that Nanny imposes on her are doing no good, since Janie notices that those ideas resulted nothing but failure for her.
"She hated her grandmother and had hidden it from herself all these years under a cloak of pity. She had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizons in search of people; it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her. But she had been whipped like a cur dog, and run offa back road after things" (Hurston 137-138). Janie finally realizes that what she has been doing in deciding to marry men like Killciks and Jody are the result of her grandmother's imposition on he feminist ideasShe also learns that even though she has her won opinion toward things, still she decides to obey her grandmother because she feels pitiful toward her Nanny. The line *had hidden it from her self all these years under a cloak of pity" shows that Janie identifies her mistake by believing in her Nanny too much and making compromises as well as ignoring her own principles. As it explained in the previous parts, Janie makes compromises to herself before marrying Killicks and Jody that even though both of the men does not represent what she witnesses in the pear tree, she decides to marry them anyway because her Nanny wants her so. In addition, those lines above also depict how at the first time, when she witnesses the moment of the pear tree, Janie feels ready to meet her bee which of course refers to a man. Janie, at the very first moment, is intended to find her own man to marry. At the early part of analysis, it is explained that Janie waits for the world to begin as she acknowledged herself to be ready to find a lover, that is why Janie in this time reflects that she "had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizons in search of people" (Hurston 138). Since Janie is ready for a lover, of course what Janie means by "people" here is that the lovers that she will have in order to experience marriage, in addition, she sets her mind to find them and loves also marriage. Therefore, Janie also depicts that she wants to find the people and chooses her lover as well as the men find her too, as it is shows: "it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her" (Hurston 138).
Her Nanny, however,
expects different things from Janie and this makes her leave her principles.
For Nanny undergoes awful sufferings as a slave, Nanny wants things that do not
happen in her life to be reflected in Janie's life. The imposition of ideas of
feminism is not in Janie's mind until her Nanny reveals it to her. Janie, who
only expects love to sprinkle in her life, ends up marrying two different men
in the shadow of her Nanny's imposition. Because Nanny does not want Janie to
experience 'back-breaking' worlg she match-makes her with Killicks, who owns a
large amount of property. The marriage turns out to be disappointing, not only
does Janie fail to experience love, but she also has to cope with Killicks'
oppressions. ln the second marriage with Jody, Janie discovers that Jody offers
her a high-status as a wife that her Nanny dreams about. Even though Jody does
not represent her 'peartree' principles, she decides to marry him under her
Nanny's influence, which makes her end up being dominated by Jody and also
fails to find love. A beffer life without work and a high status as a wife, are
the two impositions that Janie refer as things that Nanny has imposed on her to
pursue. In addition, Janie observes that through her two marriages, she is
being used by Nanny to pursue after the things instead of her own dreams.
Therefore, for the love she fails to feel in those marriages, she is now aware
that what her Nanny imposes on her is unmatched with what she expects in a
marriage. Because of what Nanny does to Janie, she feels that her grandmother
somehow makes her unable to recognize her first dream. Janie feels that ever
since her Nanny imposes the ideas of feminism, she loses her ability to see
ordinary things in different ways. In other words, Nanny successfully makes her
lose faith in herdreams or wishes and moreover, Nanny uses Janie to materialize
her own ideas of life.
"It was all according to the way you see things. Some people could look at a mud-puddle and see an ocean with ships. But Nanny belonged to that other kind that loved to deal in scraps. Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon-for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you-and pinched it in to such a little bit of thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck tight enough to choke her. She hated the old woman who had twisted her so in the name of love" (Hurston 138).
Janie includes herself into the group of 'some people' whom she considers to have the ability in seeing 'mud-puddle' as an ocean with ships. A mud-puddle which is a pond with full of mud, that posseses the characteristics of narrow, shallow, dirty, and lifeless can be metaphored by Janie ns an ocean which owns the characteristic of profound, meaningful, vast, endless, and promising. In addition, she sees ships sail in the ocean as a symbolism of people striving for their life. Yet, the other way around, Nanny sees it as 'scraps' or pieces, which means she pictures the mud-puddle as the way it is without trying to make it prospectus. The difference between Nanny's and Janie's backgrounds, shape them someway that makes them perceive things differently. A painful suffering background as a slave form Nanny as a skepticalrealistic person, while experiencing a complete isolation life from her Nanny makes Janie develop sweet but naive depictions about how life is supposed to be. Furthermore, Janie puts her Nanny into blames for she takes away the so-called 'horizon' from her, which she refers to dreams to pursue. As it is obviously describedby Janie that the horizon or the dreams are the things that "no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you". In the other words, Janie sees dreams as a far away thing that needed and can always be pursued. Nonetheless, Janie feels that no matter how hard she tries to see life as an ocean, and how she is willing to be on her own ship and sail for her own horizon, Nanny forces her to accept the fact that life is not as prospectus as she foresees. Hence, Janie now can feel how far the force of the Nanny to convert Janie's way of seeing life into her own makes her almost ignorant with her own wish. In addition, the line where Janie describes that Nanny makes her wish minimized'1o such a little bit of thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck tight enough to choke her" shows that Nanny's ideas imposed, tortures her so hard that she has endure two agonizing marriages. Nanny tells Janie how much she loves her therefore she wants Janie to have a beuer life than she used to have as a slave. This kind of treatment now is realnedby Janie, that for all she has been through, is only to materialize her Nanny's own wish, thus Janie feels that she is being used with her. Janie thinks that Nanny manipulates her to pursue Nanny's own dreams; in addition, Nanny uses her love to Janie as an excuse. Hence, in this part, Janie reaches the final feeling of hatred to her Nanny. In addition later on before she elopes with Tea Cake she convinces her best friend Pheoby about how she is only Nanny's robot. "...Ah done lived Grandma's way"
"It was all according to the way you see things. Some people could look at a mud-puddle and see an ocean with ships. But Nanny belonged to that other kind that loved to deal in scraps. Here Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon-for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you-and pinched it in to such a little bit of thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck tight enough to choke her. She hated the old woman who had twisted her so in the name of love" (Hurston 138).
Janie includes herself into the group of 'some people' whom she considers to have the ability in seeing 'mud-puddle' as an ocean with ships. A mud-puddle which is a pond with full of mud, that posseses the characteristics of narrow, shallow, dirty, and lifeless can be metaphored by Janie ns an ocean which owns the characteristic of profound, meaningful, vast, endless, and promising. In addition, she sees ships sail in the ocean as a symbolism of people striving for their life. Yet, the other way around, Nanny sees it as 'scraps' or pieces, which means she pictures the mud-puddle as the way it is without trying to make it prospectus. The difference between Nanny's and Janie's backgrounds, shape them someway that makes them perceive things differently. A painful suffering background as a slave form Nanny as a skepticalrealistic person, while experiencing a complete isolation life from her Nanny makes Janie develop sweet but naive depictions about how life is supposed to be. Furthermore, Janie puts her Nanny into blames for she takes away the so-called 'horizon' from her, which she refers to dreams to pursue. As it is obviously describedby Janie that the horizon or the dreams are the things that "no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you". In the other words, Janie sees dreams as a far away thing that needed and can always be pursued. Nonetheless, Janie feels that no matter how hard she tries to see life as an ocean, and how she is willing to be on her own ship and sail for her own horizon, Nanny forces her to accept the fact that life is not as prospectus as she foresees. Hence, Janie now can feel how far the force of the Nanny to convert Janie's way of seeing life into her own makes her almost ignorant with her own wish. In addition, the line where Janie describes that Nanny makes her wish minimized'1o such a little bit of thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck tight enough to choke her" shows that Nanny's ideas imposed, tortures her so hard that she has endure two agonizing marriages. Nanny tells Janie how much she loves her therefore she wants Janie to have a beuer life than she used to have as a slave. This kind of treatment now is realnedby Janie, that for all she has been through, is only to materialize her Nanny's own wish, thus Janie feels that she is being used with her. Janie thinks that Nanny manipulates her to pursue Nanny's own dreams; in addition, Nanny uses her love to Janie as an excuse. Hence, in this part, Janie reaches the final feeling of hatred to her Nanny. In addition later on before she elopes with Tea Cake she convinces her best friend Pheoby about how she is only Nanny's robot. "...Ah done lived Grandma's way"
2. Janie's evaluation upon
her own love-seeking quest
After Janie knows that Nanny is using her to materialize her own dreams, Janie starts to observe hew own dreams that she pursues. Janie wishes that she would meet someone who regards her as a bloom and ask her hand to marriage. In those two marriages, Janie thought that her husbands recognize her as Janie the bloom and willing to share the feeling of love with her. On the contrary, she finds out that her thirst of love cannot be fulfilled from those marriages because of her Nanny's selfish plan for Janie. "Most humans didn't love one another no how, and this mis-love was so strong that even common blood couldn't overcome it all the time. (Hurston 138).
Janie's reflection shows that she finally finds out that basically humans do not love each other, and cannot be expected to suddenly in love with each other. As in the previous part of analysis has been explained, Nanny forces Janie to accept the first marriage the way it is and tells her to wait for love. Now Janie becomes more aware that love cannot be expected to come in a marriage, if the couples are not in love before they get married. In addition, Janie also denotes that the condition of 'mislove', which refers to the state where the couples are not in love with each other, is so sfiong between husband and wife, that even "common blood couldn't overcome it all the time" (Hurston 138). Common blood in this part carry the metaphor of familiarity, which the complete meaning will be the situation where a couple or a husband and a wife get familiar with each other because they share the same house, bed, as well as working together. Therefore, Janie utters that even a couple live together and share things together, still it cannot overcome the problem of love thirst. Furthermore, the feeling of thirst for love cannot be convinced to keep on trying to wait, in case the love starts to grow within a marriage.
This state of not being able to love someone in a marriage, according to Janie, is the result of her Nanny's irrespective plan. When Janie first witness the moment of pear tree and eventually considers herself as a bloom which is ready to feel love with her lover, she feels that she wants people to know about it. "She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around. But she had been set in the marketplace to sell. Been set for still-bait" (Hurston 138).
This statement shows how Janie wants people to know that she is now a bloom and ready to have a lover and to be in love. Nonetheless, herNanny, in Janie's opiniorl recognizes Janie's act of displaylng her readiness as something worth selling, like it is being depicted through the words "had been set in market-place" (Hurston 138).
Furthermore, Janie feels like she is being set as a "still-bait", as the complete meaning, Janie considers herself being'sold' by Nanny to the highest bidder who offers the most convincing 'protection' for Janie. Yet, in this case, Janie is only being put as still bait so people can get interested in her because she is in display, then observes her closely and evaluates like a merchandise in a market. Thus, this part illuminates how Janie learns that her wish to let people know that she is now a bloom and she wants to experience love is being destroyed by Nanny. Janie considers Nanny's imposition of feminist ideas to her as well as the match-making, lead her to a useless love-seeking quest. Janie thinks that she will have love with Killicks, yet it turns out to be an exploitative marriage. In addition, when Janie is in doubt in considering Jody to be her lover, she cannot resist her Nanny's power of imposing the dream of seeing a woman with high status. Hence, learning that she has through two 'eventually loveless' marriages because of Nanny's ambition, Janie now reaches the conclusion that her quest of finding love is striding in the wrong path.
After Janie knows that Nanny is using her to materialize her own dreams, Janie starts to observe hew own dreams that she pursues. Janie wishes that she would meet someone who regards her as a bloom and ask her hand to marriage. In those two marriages, Janie thought that her husbands recognize her as Janie the bloom and willing to share the feeling of love with her. On the contrary, she finds out that her thirst of love cannot be fulfilled from those marriages because of her Nanny's selfish plan for Janie. "Most humans didn't love one another no how, and this mis-love was so strong that even common blood couldn't overcome it all the time. (Hurston 138).
Janie's reflection shows that she finally finds out that basically humans do not love each other, and cannot be expected to suddenly in love with each other. As in the previous part of analysis has been explained, Nanny forces Janie to accept the first marriage the way it is and tells her to wait for love. Now Janie becomes more aware that love cannot be expected to come in a marriage, if the couples are not in love before they get married. In addition, Janie also denotes that the condition of 'mislove', which refers to the state where the couples are not in love with each other, is so sfiong between husband and wife, that even "common blood couldn't overcome it all the time" (Hurston 138). Common blood in this part carry the metaphor of familiarity, which the complete meaning will be the situation where a couple or a husband and a wife get familiar with each other because they share the same house, bed, as well as working together. Therefore, Janie utters that even a couple live together and share things together, still it cannot overcome the problem of love thirst. Furthermore, the feeling of thirst for love cannot be convinced to keep on trying to wait, in case the love starts to grow within a marriage.
This state of not being able to love someone in a marriage, according to Janie, is the result of her Nanny's irrespective plan. When Janie first witness the moment of pear tree and eventually considers herself as a bloom which is ready to feel love with her lover, she feels that she wants people to know about it. "She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around. But she had been set in the marketplace to sell. Been set for still-bait" (Hurston 138).
This statement shows how Janie wants people to know that she is now a bloom and ready to have a lover and to be in love. Nonetheless, herNanny, in Janie's opiniorl recognizes Janie's act of displaylng her readiness as something worth selling, like it is being depicted through the words "had been set in market-place" (Hurston 138).
Furthermore, Janie feels like she is being set as a "still-bait", as the complete meaning, Janie considers herself being'sold' by Nanny to the highest bidder who offers the most convincing 'protection' for Janie. Yet, in this case, Janie is only being put as still bait so people can get interested in her because she is in display, then observes her closely and evaluates like a merchandise in a market. Thus, this part illuminates how Janie learns that her wish to let people know that she is now a bloom and she wants to experience love is being destroyed by Nanny. Janie considers Nanny's imposition of feminist ideas to her as well as the match-making, lead her to a useless love-seeking quest. Janie thinks that she will have love with Killicks, yet it turns out to be an exploitative marriage. In addition, when Janie is in doubt in considering Jody to be her lover, she cannot resist her Nanny's power of imposing the dream of seeing a woman with high status. Hence, learning that she has through two 'eventually loveless' marriages because of Nanny's ambition, Janie now reaches the conclusion that her quest of finding love is striding in the wrong path.
In the previous
analysis, the character Janie is being depicted as the character who is eager
to find a lover and to experience love. Janie feels that she is a bloom and she
needs to show it to people, then she is willing to meet people or any man in
every way. As a result, she decides to take whatever Nanny suggests and imposes
her to do, for then she can marry a man. ln this part, Janie achieves a higher
stage of thinking makes her less aggressive in dealing with a man. After she
contemplates upon her grandmother's imposition of feminist ideas and how it has
resulted in her uselessness of her love-seeking quest, she begins to look at
her inner self sees it as a whole new thing. After Janie has her trauma of
being displayed by Nanny and as a still-bait in a market-place because her
Nanny misunderstands her desire to show people that she is a bloom, Janie
enters a different stage of seeing herself.
"When God had made The Man, he made him out of stuff that sung all the time and glittered all over. Then after that some angels got jealous and chopped him into millions of pieces, but still he glittered and hummed. So they beat him down to nothing but sparks but each little spark had a shine and a song. So they covered each one over with mud. And the lonesomeness in the sparks make them hunt for one another, but the mud is deaf and dumb. Like all other tumbling mud balls, Janie had tried to show her shine" (Hurston 139).
As it can be observed, the changing point of view of seeing herself is clearly shown from the way she uses the subject 'The lvfan' as her main metaphoric thoughts, instead of using her own self as the main character. Janie realizes that she is a small part of a huge creation namely Man, which also refers that Janie is not being depicted apart fromMan.
The angels, which refer to people like her Nanny because she uses Janie to have her dreams come true, are being described as jealous characters. It is possible that Janie sees Nanny as a jealous character since Janie thinks that her Nanny uses her for her own purposes, and not to mention Janie has a better life compared to Nanny's. In addition, the stuff that s'rng and glittered carry the symbolism of Man's whishes and ability to love. Therefore, in Janie's opinion, Nanny does not have the chance to have her wishes come true and does not have the chance to love somebody, she envies Janie's life and that is why Nanny uses Janie to get her own purposes. Not only that, the torture continues when the angels keep on beating Man until those glittery things scattered yet it still sings for still owning the wishes and the ability to love. Then, the angels covered each of the sparks with mud so they cannot see each other nor hear each other's hum. In other words, people like Nanny, are so envious that even when Nanny has passed away, Janie can still feel her existence influencing her to take Jody as her lover and fails her to see that taking Jody as a lover is against her principles. The sparks or the ability to love, for being crushed into pieces, desires to find each other even if the mud or problems hinder them to find one another. To clarify, Janie, like other sparks which are covered by mud, tries to show her shine in order to make other sparks see her. As additional clarification, Janie no longer feel that she has to beam her jewel inside her to people, yet she just needs to shine and let other sparks recognize her.
"When God had made The Man, he made him out of stuff that sung all the time and glittered all over. Then after that some angels got jealous and chopped him into millions of pieces, but still he glittered and hummed. So they beat him down to nothing but sparks but each little spark had a shine and a song. So they covered each one over with mud. And the lonesomeness in the sparks make them hunt for one another, but the mud is deaf and dumb. Like all other tumbling mud balls, Janie had tried to show her shine" (Hurston 139).
As it can be observed, the changing point of view of seeing herself is clearly shown from the way she uses the subject 'The lvfan' as her main metaphoric thoughts, instead of using her own self as the main character. Janie realizes that she is a small part of a huge creation namely Man, which also refers that Janie is not being depicted apart from
The angels, which refer to people like her Nanny because she uses Janie to have her dreams come true, are being described as jealous characters. It is possible that Janie sees Nanny as a jealous character since Janie thinks that her Nanny uses her for her own purposes, and not to mention Janie has a better life compared to Nanny's. In addition, the stuff that s'rng and glittered carry the symbolism of Man's whishes and ability to love. Therefore, in Janie's opinion, Nanny does not have the chance to have her wishes come true and does not have the chance to love somebody, she envies Janie's life and that is why Nanny uses Janie to get her own purposes. Not only that, the torture continues when the angels keep on beating Man until those glittery things scattered yet it still sings for still owning the wishes and the ability to love. Then, the angels covered each of the sparks with mud so they cannot see each other nor hear each other's hum. In other words, people like Nanny, are so envious that even when Nanny has passed away, Janie can still feel her existence influencing her to take Jody as her lover and fails her to see that taking Jody as a lover is against her principles. The sparks or the ability to love, for being crushed into pieces, desires to find each other even if the mud or problems hinder them to find one another. To clarify, Janie, like other sparks which are covered by mud, tries to show her shine in order to make other sparks see her. As additional clarification, Janie no longer feel that she has to beam her jewel inside her to people, yet she just needs to shine and let other sparks recognize her.
B.
Janie's process of recognizing the love balance with Tea Cake.
This part will show how Janie recognizes Tea Cake, who is 12 years younger than her, as her final resort of the love-seeking quest. Tea Cake successfully approaches Janie in a different way from her previous husbands, who mostly stand up before their status and wealth. Tea Cake, however, offers her a different approach which apparently happens to be things that Janie never and may not enjoy in her previous marriage with Jody. If Jody used to assert his dominance to Janie by mocking her intelligence because she is a woman on the contrary, Tea Cake appreciates her the way she is. It happens when Tea Cake visits her in the store and plays checker along with Janie. "He set it up and began to show her and she found herself glowing inside. Somebody wanted her to play. That was even nice" (Hurston 146). Those lines show that Janie feels appreciated even though at the first time she denotes to Tea Cake that she does not even know how to play, yet he still asks her to play along. Even after they finish playing Tea Cake gives her a compliment that she is a good player and Janie answers: "You reckon so? Jody useter tell me Ah never would learn. It wuz too heavy fuh mah brains" (Hurston 147). This first chance of Tea Cake's qualification to attract Janie reveals that he clearly can do something better to treat Janie rather than being a male chauvinist like Jody. In other words, Tea Cake owns the notion that woman deserves the chance to play checker and the way he treats Janie equally as a checker play mate and even gives a chance to play, shows that so far he displays no possession of patriarchal notion. "Folks is playin' it wid sense and folks is playin' it without. But you got good meat on yo' head. You'll leam" (Hurston 14748).
The first time Tea Cake comes by to Janie's store leaves her a different feeling upon his visit. The feeling of newness suddenly strikes Janie, who never tastes any attention or appreciation from a man since she meets Jody at the first time. Therefore, the way Tea Cake enters her life begns to furnish Janie's spirit of living. "So she sat on the porch and watched the moon rise. Soon its amber fluid was drenching the earttU and quenching the thirst of the day" (Hurston I 5 1). It can be seen that the natural process that Janie witnesses after Tea Cake goes home, displays the symbolism of how Tea Cake enters her life and starts to cover Janie's lack of attention. The moon symbolizes the character Tea Cake as the moon rises and Janie watches it, it means Tea Cake begins to rise and show himself in Janie's life. The moon's amber fluid, which represents Tea Cake's act of appreciation to Janie, soaks the earth and satisfies the thirst. The earth, which symbolizes Janie, is being depicted to be soaked by Tea Cake's attention and appreciation that satisfy Janie's thirst or lack of attention. This moment identifies that the character Tea Cake starts to play an influential role in Janie's life. Their relationship starts to grow day by day in each of Tea Cake's visits to Janie's place. They spend days just to play around and have fun together, which make Janie begin to have feelings toward him. Janie's feeling lead her to again relate Tea Cake as a part of her pear-tree cycle and decides that she is ready to let him into her life. "He could be a bee to a blossom-a pear tree blossom in the spring. He seemed to be crushing scent out of the world with his footsteps" (Hurston 161). This part shows how Janie wonders about whether or not Tea Cake can be her representation of a bee for herself as a bloom. As it has been discussed before in the Chapter 3, Janie considers herself as a bloom, and expects the arrival of a bee in her life in order to experience love. "His footsteps" as a referral of Tea Cake's presence in Janie's life makes him looks like a "crushing scent out of the world", which describe how the 'smell' or his characteristics are appealing for Janie. As a clarification, Janie's thoughts start to roam around about how she should take Tea Cake's presence in her life, since being a bee for her means that she has to acknowledge that Tea Cake is her lover. Thus, Janie has to decide to let Tea Cake be her lover and returns his love instead of just enjoying his visits. The considering phase, however, does not take too long for Janie to decide whether or not she wants to give a chance for another man to enter her life and make Tea Cake to have the opportunity. After one day Tea Cake spends a night at Janie's place, Janie drowns in her deep thought regarding him after he leaves her place. "After a long time of passive happiness, she got up and opened the window and let Tea Cake leap forth and mount to the sky on a wind. That was the beginning of things" (Hurston 163).
"[p]assive happiness" refers to the enjoyable moments she has with Tea Cake, however, Janie only let him to do the one way affection without showing him an active response. Therefore, in this part, Janie decides to take Tea Cake as her lover or her bee for her blossom, as it is depicted in "opened the window'of Janie's heart and let him "leap forth and mount to the sky on a wind" of Janie's world- Thus, starting this moment, it is acknowledged by Janie that she has officially considered Tea Cake to be her lover. Making Tea Cake as a lover, however, does not make a full guarantee that he is going to make her happy. A slight of doubt comes across her mind sometimes, yet, as previous marriages also, Janie tends to run to other relationship whenever she feels unsatisfied with the marriage. She elopes with Jody because she does not like her marriage with Kilticks, then she is now ready to date Tea Cake because she is longing for man's affection to her. Her speculative character shows when Pheoby, her best friend tries to remind her that marrying Tea Cake, is going to take an awful chance; yet Janie replies:
"No mo' than Ah took befo' and no mo' than anybody else takes when dey gits married. It always changes folks, and sometimes it brings out dirt and meanness dat even de person didn't know they had in 'em themselves. You know dat. Maybe Tea Cake might turn out like dat. Maybe not. Anyhow Ah'm ready and willin' tuh try 'im" (Hurston 171).
Janie feels that she has been taking risks ever since she gets married at the first time;
in addition, she also believes that marrying someone is also taking risks. Furthermore, Janie thinks that marriage can change someone and make him or her show the weaknesses. Janie speculates that she same thing probably happen in her marriage with Tea Cake like her previous maniage, yet she does not care and she thinks she is ready to try' him. The word' try' displays the fact that Janie herself feels uncertain about Tea Cake's compatibility of his current treatrnent to Janie. However, one thing that she is sure about that she can see that Tea Cake is offering something different than her previous husbands do. If Killicks and Jody are proud of their property and title to be carried around, Tea Cake only has love to deal with Janie, and that is what makes Janie willing to take the risks: "Dis ain't no business proposition, and no race after property and titles. Dis is uh love game" (Hurston r7r).
The love that Tea Cake offers to Janie makes her decide to run away from Eatonville and get married inJacksonville
*Put dat two hundred back wid de rest, Janie. Mah dice. Ah no need no assitance fuh help me feed mah woman. From now on, you goinfuh eat whutever mah money can buy yuh and wear de same. When Ah ain't got nothin' you don't git nothin"'(Hurston 191).
Offering an equal standard of life to share with makes Janie feel experiencing a real marriage. In addition, apparently Janie accepts what Tea Cakes says to her and she is willing to get through whatever financial condition that Tea Cake has. Moreover, this agreement brings Janie to another decision" which is now she finds her true love as well as grving up the love to Tea Cake. "He drifted off to sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place" (Hurston 192). These final statements signiff Janie's feeling that shc now can sense that love is finally there for her, and she addresses her love just for Tea Cake. The words 'the soul' which means her true spirit of loving, comes out from the 'hiding place' which refers to her heart. Therefore, her true spirit comes out from her heart is the description of Janie's feeling since it has been a dilemma for her to fully give up her love for Tea Cake. Thus, this part reaches the point where Janie finally belongs to Tea Cake since now she can feel that she loves him as well as she can feel the essence of a marriage which is to share moments together.
This part will show how Janie recognizes Tea Cake, who is 12 years younger than her, as her final resort of the love-seeking quest. Tea Cake successfully approaches Janie in a different way from her previous husbands, who mostly stand up before their status and wealth. Tea Cake, however, offers her a different approach which apparently happens to be things that Janie never and may not enjoy in her previous marriage with Jody. If Jody used to assert his dominance to Janie by mocking her intelligence because she is a woman on the contrary, Tea Cake appreciates her the way she is. It happens when Tea Cake visits her in the store and plays checker along with Janie. "He set it up and began to show her and she found herself glowing inside. Somebody wanted her to play. That was even nice" (Hurston 146). Those lines show that Janie feels appreciated even though at the first time she denotes to Tea Cake that she does not even know how to play, yet he still asks her to play along. Even after they finish playing Tea Cake gives her a compliment that she is a good player and Janie answers: "You reckon so? Jody useter tell me Ah never would learn. It wuz too heavy fuh mah brains" (Hurston 147). This first chance of Tea Cake's qualification to attract Janie reveals that he clearly can do something better to treat Janie rather than being a male chauvinist like Jody. In other words, Tea Cake owns the notion that woman deserves the chance to play checker and the way he treats Janie equally as a checker play mate and even gives a chance to play, shows that so far he displays no possession of patriarchal notion. "Folks is playin' it wid sense and folks is playin' it without. But you got good meat on yo' head. You'll leam" (Hurston 14748).
The first time Tea Cake comes by to Janie's store leaves her a different feeling upon his visit. The feeling of newness suddenly strikes Janie, who never tastes any attention or appreciation from a man since she meets Jody at the first time. Therefore, the way Tea Cake enters her life begns to furnish Janie's spirit of living. "So she sat on the porch and watched the moon rise. Soon its amber fluid was drenching the earttU and quenching the thirst of the day" (Hurston I 5 1). It can be seen that the natural process that Janie witnesses after Tea Cake goes home, displays the symbolism of how Tea Cake enters her life and starts to cover Janie's lack of attention. The moon symbolizes the character Tea Cake as the moon rises and Janie watches it, it means Tea Cake begins to rise and show himself in Janie's life. The moon's amber fluid, which represents Tea Cake's act of appreciation to Janie, soaks the earth and satisfies the thirst. The earth, which symbolizes Janie, is being depicted to be soaked by Tea Cake's attention and appreciation that satisfy Janie's thirst or lack of attention. This moment identifies that the character Tea Cake starts to play an influential role in Janie's life. Their relationship starts to grow day by day in each of Tea Cake's visits to Janie's place. They spend days just to play around and have fun together, which make Janie begin to have feelings toward him. Janie's feeling lead her to again relate Tea Cake as a part of her pear-tree cycle and decides that she is ready to let him into her life. "He could be a bee to a blossom-a pear tree blossom in the spring. He seemed to be crushing scent out of the world with his footsteps" (Hurston 161). This part shows how Janie wonders about whether or not Tea Cake can be her representation of a bee for herself as a bloom. As it has been discussed before in the Chapter 3, Janie considers herself as a bloom, and expects the arrival of a bee in her life in order to experience love. "His footsteps" as a referral of Tea Cake's presence in Janie's life makes him looks like a "crushing scent out of the world", which describe how the 'smell' or his characteristics are appealing for Janie. As a clarification, Janie's thoughts start to roam around about how she should take Tea Cake's presence in her life, since being a bee for her means that she has to acknowledge that Tea Cake is her lover. Thus, Janie has to decide to let Tea Cake be her lover and returns his love instead of just enjoying his visits. The considering phase, however, does not take too long for Janie to decide whether or not she wants to give a chance for another man to enter her life and make Tea Cake to have the opportunity. After one day Tea Cake spends a night at Janie's place, Janie drowns in her deep thought regarding him after he leaves her place. "After a long time of passive happiness, she got up and opened the window and let Tea Cake leap forth and mount to the sky on a wind. That was the beginning of things" (Hurston 163).
"[p]assive happiness" refers to the enjoyable moments she has with Tea Cake, however, Janie only let him to do the one way affection without showing him an active response. Therefore, in this part, Janie decides to take Tea Cake as her lover or her bee for her blossom, as it is depicted in "opened the window'of Janie's heart and let him "leap forth and mount to the sky on a wind" of Janie's world- Thus, starting this moment, it is acknowledged by Janie that she has officially considered Tea Cake to be her lover. Making Tea Cake as a lover, however, does not make a full guarantee that he is going to make her happy. A slight of doubt comes across her mind sometimes, yet, as previous marriages also, Janie tends to run to other relationship whenever she feels unsatisfied with the marriage. She elopes with Jody because she does not like her marriage with Kilticks, then she is now ready to date Tea Cake because she is longing for man's affection to her. Her speculative character shows when Pheoby, her best friend tries to remind her that marrying Tea Cake, is going to take an awful chance; yet Janie replies:
"No mo' than Ah took befo' and no mo' than anybody else takes when dey gits married. It always changes folks, and sometimes it brings out dirt and meanness dat even de person didn't know they had in 'em themselves. You know dat. Maybe Tea Cake might turn out like dat. Maybe not. Anyhow Ah'm ready and willin' tuh try 'im" (Hurston 171).
Janie feels that she has been taking risks ever since she gets married at the first time;
in addition, she also believes that marrying someone is also taking risks. Furthermore, Janie thinks that marriage can change someone and make him or her show the weaknesses. Janie speculates that she same thing probably happen in her marriage with Tea Cake like her previous maniage, yet she does not care and she thinks she is ready to try' him. The word' try' displays the fact that Janie herself feels uncertain about Tea Cake's compatibility of his current treatrnent to Janie. However, one thing that she is sure about that she can see that Tea Cake is offering something different than her previous husbands do. If Killicks and Jody are proud of their property and title to be carried around, Tea Cake only has love to deal with Janie, and that is what makes Janie willing to take the risks: "Dis ain't no business proposition, and no race after property and titles. Dis is uh love game" (Hurston r7r).
The love that Tea Cake offers to Janie makes her decide to run away from Eatonville and get married in
*Put dat two hundred back wid de rest, Janie. Mah dice. Ah no need no assitance fuh help me feed mah woman. From now on, you goinfuh eat whutever mah money can buy yuh and wear de same. When Ah ain't got nothin' you don't git nothin"'(Hurston 191).
Offering an equal standard of life to share with makes Janie feel experiencing a real marriage. In addition, apparently Janie accepts what Tea Cakes says to her and she is willing to get through whatever financial condition that Tea Cake has. Moreover, this agreement brings Janie to another decision" which is now she finds her true love as well as grving up the love to Tea Cake. "He drifted off to sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place" (Hurston 192). These final statements signiff Janie's feeling that shc now can sense that love is finally there for her, and she addresses her love just for Tea Cake. The words 'the soul' which means her true spirit of loving, comes out from the 'hiding place' which refers to her heart. Therefore, her true spirit comes out from her heart is the description of Janie's feeling since it has been a dilemma for her to fully give up her love for Tea Cake. Thus, this part reaches the point where Janie finally belongs to Tea Cake since now she can feel that she loves him as well as she can feel the essence of a marriage which is to share moments together.
C.
Janie's act of tolerance to patriarchal dominance.
Now that Janie loves Tea Cake and follows him to move to another town known asEverglades , she starts to have her role as a real life.
Tea Cake manages to have a land to farm as well as a house to live. This part
is going to discuss that even though Janie now is married to Tea Cake,
apparently her role as a wife are not much different with what she has with
Killicks and Jody. However, this part of analysis is going to prove how
actually Janie's love to Tea Cake makes compromises of what he asks her to do.
The first example takes place when they already own a house and people start to
gather around their house to hang out. During the second marriage with Jody,
she can only sit in the house or the store and cook for Jody, the same thing
happens in her marriage with Tea Cake. At the first of the people's settlement,
Janie spends her days mostly at home and cooks. "Janie stayed home and
boiled big pots of black-eyed peas and rice" (Hurston 197). What she does
is not far different with the one she has with Jody, yet Janie does it without
complains. Another exhibit also happens when Tea Cake several times goes home
in the middle of work in order to sc-e Janie before eventually he asks Janie to
work along with him in the field so he can sc• her anytime he likes.
"...Ah gits lonesome out dere all day'thout yuh. After dis, you betta come
gut uh job uh work out dere lak de rest uh de women-so Ah won't be losin' time
comin' home" (Hurston 198-99). Janie agfees on Tea Cake's request even
though when she is married with Killicks she is also demanded to work with him
in the field yet at that time she refuses. In addition, working in the field in
order to make Tea Cake feel easier seeing her, identifies the image of Janie as
Tea Cake's possession. However, since Janie now reaches the point of no return
of having all that she wants in life, which are a bee of her own" love,
and a marriage, she does not mind doing things for her husband. Janie admits it
when Tea Cake asks her opinion about the work:
"Ah naw, honey. Ah laks it. It's mo' nicer than settin' round dese quarters all day. Clerkin' in dat store wuz hard, but heatU we ain't got nothin' tuh do but do our work and come home and love" (Hurston 199).
Janie denotes that the work itself is nicer than sitting in the house all day, yet when she stays at house for cooking and nothing, she does not complain. Therefore, it is actually obvious that whatever Janie does, she herself does not mind it, as long as she has Tea Cake and her love to Tea Cake. Moreover, Janie considers cooking and also working in the field, as the part that they must do and the other part is love. As a conclusion, as long as she has the other part, which is love, she is concerned of whatever Tea Cake wants her to do the 'other part'. Thus, the patriarchal point of view of working divisions that Tea Cake puts forward to Janie, are well tolerated by her since she loves Tea Cake very muctl The peak of Tea Cake's act to assert his dominance happens when he finds out that his racist neighbor, Mrs. Turner, is going to match her son with Janie so they can hook up together. Tea Cake for being so upset with Mrs. Turner, wants to show his disapproval by beating Janie. 'oWhen Mrs. Turner's brother came and she brought him over to be introduced, Tea Cake had a brainstorm. Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behaviorjustified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession. No brutal beating at all. He just slapped her around a bit to show he was boss" (Hurston 219).
o'...Dat's de reason Ah done quite beatin' mah woman. You can't make no mark on 'em at all. Lawd! wouldn't Ah love firh whip uh tender woman lak Janie! Ah bet she don't even holler. She jus' cries, eh Tea Cake?" "Dat's right" "See dat! Mah woman would spread her lt'ngs all overPalm Beach County
So when Sop-de-Bottom considers him lucky to have a wife like Janie who can be beaten whatever he wants and it is approved by Tea Cake, it shows that Tea Cake is also an oppressive husband. Even though the matter lies on jealousy, Tea Cake uses his wife as a device to show his power and authority to the Turner family, that Janie is ftis wife. In this case, not far different from Janie's previous husbands, he also treats Janie as one of his possession for he feels free to use her in showing authority.
Moreover, Tea Cake denotes the notion that she loves Janie because she obeys whatever and wherever Tea Cake wants her to be. "Husbands expect their wives' obedience and can uphold their authority through physical violence", this notion is denoted by Mosse to explain the strong dominancy of a husband in order to show superiority. Matches with what Tea Cake does to Janie, it is obviously depicted that even Tea Cake belongs is a male chauvinist, even though he is not as severe as Janie's previous husbands. Thus, it can be seen that Janie does not react upon what Tea Cake has done to her because then again, Tea Cake is her only and final love. Thus, Janie's love for Tea Cake makes her degree of tolerance upon his patriarchal dominance reaches the highest point, compared to her previous ones.
Now that Janie loves Tea Cake and follows him to move to another town known as
"Ah naw, honey. Ah laks it. It's mo' nicer than settin' round dese quarters all day. Clerkin' in dat store wuz hard, but heatU we ain't got nothin' tuh do but do our work and come home and love" (Hurston 199).
Janie denotes that the work itself is nicer than sitting in the house all day, yet when she stays at house for cooking and nothing, she does not complain. Therefore, it is actually obvious that whatever Janie does, she herself does not mind it, as long as she has Tea Cake and her love to Tea Cake. Moreover, Janie considers cooking and also working in the field, as the part that they must do and the other part is love. As a conclusion, as long as she has the other part, which is love, she is concerned of whatever Tea Cake wants her to do the 'other part'. Thus, the patriarchal point of view of working divisions that Tea Cake puts forward to Janie, are well tolerated by her since she loves Tea Cake very muctl The peak of Tea Cake's act to assert his dominance happens when he finds out that his racist neighbor, Mrs. Turner, is going to match her son with Janie so they can hook up together. Tea Cake for being so upset with Mrs. Turner, wants to show his disapproval by beating Janie. 'oWhen Mrs. Turner's brother came and she brought him over to be introduced, Tea Cake had a brainstorm. Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behaviorjustified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession. No brutal beating at all. He just slapped her around a bit to show he was boss" (Hurston 219).
o'...Dat's de reason Ah done quite beatin' mah woman. You can't make no mark on 'em at all. Lawd! wouldn't Ah love firh whip uh tender woman lak Janie! Ah bet she don't even holler. She jus' cries, eh Tea Cake?" "Dat's right" "See dat! Mah woman would spread her lt'ngs all over
So when Sop-de-Bottom considers him lucky to have a wife like Janie who can be beaten whatever he wants and it is approved by Tea Cake, it shows that Tea Cake is also an oppressive husband. Even though the matter lies on jealousy, Tea Cake uses his wife as a device to show his power and authority to the Turner family, that Janie is ftis wife. In this case, not far different from Janie's previous husbands, he also treats Janie as one of his possession for he feels free to use her in showing authority.
Moreover, Tea Cake denotes the notion that she loves Janie because she obeys whatever and wherever Tea Cake wants her to be. "Husbands expect their wives' obedience and can uphold their authority through physical violence", this notion is denoted by Mosse to explain the strong dominancy of a husband in order to show superiority. Matches with what Tea Cake does to Janie, it is obviously depicted that even Tea Cake belongs is a male chauvinist, even though he is not as severe as Janie's previous husbands. Thus, it can be seen that Janie does not react upon what Tea Cake has done to her because then again, Tea Cake is her only and final love. Thus, Janie's love for Tea Cake makes her degree of tolerance upon his patriarchal dominance reaches the highest point, compared to her previous ones.
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