TEWWG test
How does Hurston reveal Nanny's motivation for forcing Janie to marry? Is that motivation pure, malevolent, or something in between?
It is revealed through the backstory of abuse and racism Nanny endured and witnessed as a slave. It shows how she is just trying to protect Janie from the pain she went through. We also know from Nanny's own words. Nanny doesn't force the new type of pain she will inevitably put Janie through and forces her to marry out of love.
What conflict does the following passage reveal? Analyze the tone of the following passage. What element creates the tone? "In the cool of the afternoon...into the abyss and descended to the ninth darkness where light has never been" (108).
It reveals her doubt about Tea Cake that he won't return and he is just using her. The tone is mysterious through the word choice of abyss and descended.
What is the significance of Janie's verbal outbursts to the gathering on the porch?
It shows she actually has a voice and reason
What might Tea Cake's teaching Janie to shoot symbolize? How is the fact that Janie becomes a better shot than Tea Cake significant?
It symbolizes Janie's growing independence breaking a tradition masculine-feminine dynamic by participating in a masculine activity. Janie becoming better than Tea Cake shows Janie attaining a high masculine power and Tea Cake's authentic love for her; he does not become jealous or angry at the fact that Janie is better than him.
Why is the check game between Janie and Tea Cake significant?
It symbolizes the developing relationship between Janie and Tea Cake. There is an instant respect for eachother. He thought high enough of her to not demote her womanhood. Janie recognizes that his attitude towards women is different than that of Logan or Joe.
In what way does Janie reassert herself in this chapter? How does Jodie react to it?
Janie Speaks up for herself in front of a lot of people and Jodie gets upset and slaps her and then becomes depressed. She attacks his masculinity when she speaks up for herself, this is particularly horrible of her, in regards to their relationship, because of their relationship as husband and wife. Especially in front of an audience full of men, who now view Jodie as pitiful.
Why does Hurston have Tea Cake's death run as it does: the three empty chambers in the gun, Janie's hesitation to fire her rifle, etc.?
Janie doesn't run from Tea Cake when he threatens to kill her because she is now independent and wants to help save Tea Cake. The three empty chambers symbolize the chances Janie gives Tea Cake because she obviously doesn't want him to die because she has finally found happiness with Tea Cake. Under no circumstances did she want to kill him, but in the end she does to save herself, and that is her independence.
Why do you suppose Janie remain silent in the face of Tea Cake's physical abuse?
Janie is used to the abuse from her past relationship with Jody and she stays quiet out of her love for Tea Cake.
What does Janie's hair symbolize?
Janie's hair symbolizes her strength and individuality over men.
What potential foreshadowing regarding Jody can be found in this chapter?
Jodie doesn't have any power left over his life or hers and this foreshadows Jodie's death, and therefore Janie's freedom.
What is the significance of the allusion: "The thing that Saul's daughter had done to David" (pg. 79)?
Joe insulted Janie so she insulted him back. When she insulted him, she embarrassed Jodie and made him realize that he is not perfect.
How does Jody's character begin to establish Hurston's theme of male dominance and aggression? Contrast this with Janie's first husband, Logan Killicks.
Logan was insecure. He worships Janie and he tries to make her work but fails. He is fearful and hard working and Janie has no particular place except when he needs her. He takes care of her and his power over her is money. Joe presents front porch idealism. He is a boss man, ambitious, wants to have a big voice, and be a big ruler of things. He tells Janie to leave the supposing and everything else to him/me.
Why do you suppose Hurston uses the third person narrator to reveal what Janie is thinking while using dialogue to allow us to get to know her husband and the other Eatonville residents?
Shows the disconnect from Janie and Jody to the rest of the town, also how she has no outward voice and the author has to speak for her
Hurston locates her protagonist in Eatonville, Fl, her own hometown. How does this fulfill one of the major purposes of setting?
Since eatonville was a successful black town, by putting Janie in the town she showed what it meant to be a black woman searching for fulfillment. Accomplished verisimilitude, very similar to the truth.
While Hurston achieved success in so-called "white publication" and received critical acclaim from white critics, her black contemporaries harshly criticized her and her work. What events in Janie's life parallel this situation?
When Janie was a child Mrs Washburn (white lady) gave her nicer hand-me-down clothes than other colored children had. Which caused resentment from other blacks, who would make fun of her. Hurston received more praise from whites than blacks for her novel.
Hurston enhances her frame narrative with her expert use of imagery. Relate the imagery which which Hurston begins the novel with the imagery with which she closes the novel.
When she begins the novel, she depicts ships that were far away on the horizon and carrying a man's wishes. When the novel closes, Janie is pulling in her horizon. This is significant because it shows that the horizon that seemed unattainable at the beginning of the book has now been attained.
How does Tea Cake fulfill Janie's original and youthful yearning under the pear tree?
With him, she goes back to her naive ways, and " she feels like a child again"
What contrasting ideas dominate this chapter?
Work hard, play hard. Work in the everglades is done by poor men and is hard, but at night the atmosphere becomes vibrant. and lively with parties after the long work day.
Is Tea Cake acting out of character when he beats Janie?
Yes, Tea Cake is out of character. He is acting more like Jody when he hits and abuses Janie.
In what sense does the novel being at the end of Janie's story? What is the literary term for this type of structure?
frame narrative
What do the following metaphors that beginning Chapter 8 suggest? "He had crawled off to lick his wounds." "But the stillness was the sleep of swords." "Well, if she must eat out of a long-handled spoon, she must." (pg. 81)
1. Joe was being compared to an animal the words "crawl off" are similar to how an animal would retreat. 2. The words "But the stillness was the sleep of swords" means the calm before the storm 3. Joe has become almost evil in his illness and Janie must treat him with all caution, with a long handled spoon , something that she would use if she were to dine with the devil.
What type of power does Jody come to represent in the scheme of the book?
A godlike power and political power
What conflict does the conversation between Phoeby's husband and Lige Moss center around? How is it significant to the developing theme of the novel?
Argument between whether nature or circumstances teach a person not to touch a stove. This develops the theme of nature over humans and whether or not people are born a certain way or circumstances change them
How does the pear tree symbolize Janie's quest for self-fulfillment?
As Janie watches the beautiful pear tree blossom in the spring as a young girl, she too wishes to blossom and find harmony with herself and nature so she can be fulfilled.
How is the couple's situation ironic? What type of irony is it?
As Jodie gets weaker, Janie gets stronger and free. Example of this is Situational Irony
How and why do Janie and Nanny differ in their ideas of love?
As a former slave, Nanny values financial security and physical well-being to know her granddaughter will be well taken care of in a way she never was, grants her piece of mind. However, Janie wishes to find love in more authentic ways. In the symbolism of the pear tree, Janie's desire of passion and true love is revealed.
What do the circumstances of Tea Cake's death illustrate about Janie?
Every other man in Janie's life took care of her, but with Tea Cake, Janie became the caretaker. She was not longer dependent on the men in her life and gains her independence.
How does Jody attempt to control Janie? Does he ultimately succeed?
He controls her hair, her voice, and where she goes. He sort of succeeds except in bursts where she finds her voice and her internal thoughts say otherwise.
What is ironic about Tea Cake's determination to provide for them?
He has to do it through gambling which is not a steady job or a way to provide. He also works in the muck to provide. The irony is that he makes her dependent on him like Logan and Jody.
What does Joe Starks represent to Janie?
He represents a new horizon, freedom, adventure and opportunity.
As Janie returns to the bedroom she last shared with Tea Cake, what symbolic quest finally ends?
Her symbolic quest of finding her horizon finally ends, she has found true love and fulfillment in her relationship with Tea Cake.
What motivates Jody to suppress Janie?
His own insecurities and jealousy of other men looking at her.
Why does Hurston devote this chapter to Janie's jealousy of Nunkie?
Hurston includes this to help emphasize just how much she loves Tea Cake, and her developing trust for him. It also shows how he is different than her past two husbands because is actually jealous to keep him.
How does Hurston revisit the theme of community before, during, and after the hurricane?
Hurston shows community before through the porch scenes, during the hurricane she uses the community on the muck and shows them coming together in the empty house. After the hurricane, Hurston shows community through Janie and Tea Cake's relationship.
How does Hurston weave folklore into this chapter?
Hurston weaves folklore into this chapter by describing a custom from Janie's time. When a man dies, it is a custom for the wife of the dead to be very upset and distressed. Janie appears this way on the outside. (Page 90, when man was created)
What subtle shift in narration occurs in this chapter?
On page 145, the author goes from using the informal slang of the overall book, to a formal metaphorical and traditional voice.
Why does Janie burn her head rags?
She burns her head rags as a physical way of liberating herself from the past. She is finally doing what she desires without a care for the approval of Joe or anyone else in the community. It is symbolic of freeing herself from Joe's power. She can now begin a new life. She is also now free to show and enjoy her femininity in her hair. Her hair also gives her the power over men.
Compare and contrast Janie's feelings toward the community—as represented by the porch gatherers—when she was married to Jody and now that she is with Tea Cake.
She cared what the community thought when she was married to Jodie. But now teacake she doesn't care how they view her and she does what makes her happy.
How does Pheoby play the role of devil's advocate in this chapter?
She confronts Janie about what the town is talking about behind her back, she advises her to pretend she is mourning Jody and cut ties with Tea Cake because it was too soon to be in a relationship.
After Tea Cake and Janie marry, why do you suppose she keeps silent about the $200 she has hidden in her clothes? Is this behavior consistent with Janie's character?
She keeps quiet about the money because weary of Tea Cake stealing from her. It is a safety net to get her back, she is self reliant. This is not consistent with Janie's character because in the past she has just jumped into relationships without any precaution.
why does hurston open the novel with an analogy? What authorial purpose does it serve?
She opens up with the ship analogy to establish the horizon as a motif and how dreams and ambition are a central part of the novel.
In the face of the hurricane, how does Tea Cake's belief system reveal itself to mirror that of Jody Starks?
Tea Cake and Jody think that their strength and masculinity can overcome the situation. Jody uses his strength to hit Janie and Tea Cake thinks that he will be fine if he stays on the muck as the hurricane is coming.
Contrast the new, more sympathetic narrative voice with the formal, poetic voice used at the end of the chapter.
The gap between the overall informal dialects of each person is closed as the diction of the characters slowly becomes more formal to match the narrator's educated voice.
Explain what Hurston mean by saying that Nanny choked Janie with the horizon. Did Nanny intend to hurt Janie?
The horizon embodies what Janie knows she wants in her life, but she is convinced she can only dream about these ideals. Nanny attempted to belittle Janie's dream to ensure she would never fail. She diverted young Janie from the horizon, so she would not have such high hopes, only to have them fall flat. Nanny did not intend to hurt Janie, but she acted as an obstacle that Janie was forced to overcome. Janie isn't seeing that nanny didn't have the luxury to dream like she did.
What practical role does the hurricane play in the narrative structure of the novel and the development of the novel's theme?
The hurricane develops the theme of control. Right when Janie thinks she has control of the situation it changes and she is shown she doesn't have control over anything.
In what way is the hurricane the high point of Janie's and Tea Cake's relationship?
The hurricane proves to Janie that she would rather go through disaster with Tea Cake than live in comfort with someone else. It also reassures Tea Cake that Janie loves him just as much as he loves her.
How is this move to the Everglades significant to the structure of the narrative?
The move to the Everglades introduces Janie to a new, fresh, free, and joyful life. The Everglades function as an emancipation from the binding oppression she experienced in Eatonville.
How does Hurston's narrative voice differ from the dialogue of her characters?
The narrative is incredibly educated, formal, and sophisticated whereas the dialogue is uneducated and colloquial
How does Hurston establish Janie' powerlessness as a black woman in white society?
The racism was showed by the differences in burials after the hurricane prove that blacks and whites were treated differently. Janie does not speak at her own trial and all white jury.
What symbolic meaning does the horizon begin to assume?
The symbolism of the horizon represents Janie's dreams .at the beginning of the novel, she knows very little about love and independence, but the horizon is Janie's ideal. At this point, she feels trapped and so the horizon represents new opportunities, but the horizon is still out of reach. The horizon is the realm of possibilities in which she may learn about truth and happiness.
What unifying theme comes full circle in Janie's revelations to Pheoby?
The theme of finding your voice comes full circle. Janie shares her story about how she comes to be where she is and is not ashamed or bashful about what she has to say. She has found self fulfilment along the way and she has learned that her voice and individuality is her most powerful and personal tool.
Describe the overall tone of this chapter. How do the attitudes of Janie and Tea Cake affect the tone?
The tone of this chapter is upbeat and optimistic, it is full of hope and encouragement. They are both excited about the other causing this tone.
What symbolic significance do the Everglades take on?
The vibrant, untamed, fertile everglades symbolize Janie's newfound independence and lush relationship with tea cake.
Describe the prevailing tone of this chapter. Identify the elements that set the tone.
There was loneliness, despair, and disappointment as shown by the last sentence of the chapter. Her disappointment in the first 2 months of marriage and her meeting with Nanny.
What authorial purpose does this change in narrative voice serve?
This emphasizes the idea that Mrs Turner believes herself to be superior to other African Americans because of her white qualities. So this shift mocks her value of white qualities by using more educated words.
What is significant about the fact that Tea Cake refuses to touch Janie's money and insists that he will provide for her?
This significance is that it settles her fear that he only married her for her money. Every man Janie has ever married has made her dependent on them for money and now the roles are reversed.
What is Hurston establishing by having Janie go out to work with Tea Cake?
Through their shared labor Hurston establishes Janie as more than a trophy wife like she was in Eatonville. She is an integrated part of the Everglades working community unrestrained and on equal terms with Tea Cake.
