Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #9

A strong theme displayed in the book, and especially the last two chapters is that ultimately people will put their own benefit about all else.

The reader gets a glimpse of this theme when Tea Cake and Janie decide to leave Palm Springs because it is not in their best interest. "Janie, us got tuh git outa dis house and outa dis man's town." (Hurston 171). Janie and Tea Cake realize that staying in Palm Springs will cause them more pain and suffering, even though it would be best for the community to stay and clean up the bodies. Hurston uses this to show people doing what is best for themselves rather than what is best for a community. On an individual level, Tea Cake and Janie benefit much more by leaving town and going to the 'Glades, they can see their friends, make money, and live more comfortably. However, has a community they would be much more valuable to Palm Springs if they were to stay and help to clean up the mess. The couple does not listen to what they should do for the community, but the act on what they should do for their best interest.

Another time this theme is shown occurs when Tea Cake is extremely sick with mad dog disease. "She threw up the barrel of the rifle in frenzied hope and fear." (Hurston, 184). This passage clearly shows Janie sacrificing Tea Cake for her own good. When Janie realizes that Tea Cake is no longer himself, but someone who is intent on killing her, she acts. Even though Janie is still hoping that the serum from Dr. Simmons will cure Tea Cake, but when it is a life or death situation, Janie chooses her life over Tea Cake's. Hurston uses the close relationship between Janie and Tea Cake, and the rabies to show that it is ingrained in people to choose life above all other feelings and commitments.


PLOT DIAGRAM:

A man named Jeff is able to secure an amazing job with a great pay check, benefits and it is what he has always wanted to do. However, this job is located on the other side of the world. To Jeff, it does not matter, this job is worth leaving his town. On the other hand, Jeff is rather vital to his current town has the only reputable doctor around. If he leaves, the town will need to drive to the next city over for decent health care. Jeff decides to leave his town anyways, and leaves the rest of the citizens out of luck.

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #8

In chapter 18, Hurston uses the setting to display the idea of persevering for the ones you love. She chose to use the storm to show this because Janie and Tea Cake had to push themselves and each other to make it to safety. The use of a dynamic setting changes the overall effect of the reader by pulling in emotions. The reader wants Tea Cake and Janie to survive, to escape and make it to higher ground because that is what the narrator wants. It highlights the theme because of the way emotions are played with, if it was not such a empathetic chapter, then the theme would be overlooked. It seems as if Hurston is using the storm to personify the storms that occur in relationships, and how overcoming them is about persevering. Hurston is trying to convey the importance of strong relationships, and how even the best relationships can have struggles. It is important for people to keep on keeping on, and if its just not working to try something else with someone else. Basically, Hurston is showing the reader that all people need relationships that are good and healthy, but that it will not come easy, and it definitely will not come quickly. People need to invest effort, time, and they must know when that particular relationship is over.

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #7

This pastiche will be about Janie's choice to run off with Joe Starks rather than remaining with Logan Killicks. The result of that decision made her happy for a time, and allowed her to meet Tea Cake. It also taught Janie a lesson about Independence, and the importance of her own voice. The reason Janie chooses to leave Logan is because Logan fails in two areas. He fails at showing her how much he cares for her, and also Janie does not and will not love Logan. This shows that Janie is someone who not only needs love, but needs to know what it means and feels like to love someone.


Janie returned to the kitchen and continued making hot cakes. She called out to Logan, "Ah git yuh breekfest reedy!" Janie's thoughts wander to Joe waiting there at the end of the road, and she has half an idea to go after him. She thinks of Nanny and that keeps her body where it is, even though her heart is running far away from her husband. Logan enters the room, and with a apologetic expression says, " Dis look mighty fine, Janie, mighty fine indeed," he continues with, "Janie, sometimes yuh git me so rile' up. But Ah cares fur yuh. Yuh know dat, right? Ah'd be los' widout ya." After Logan says this, Janie is rather aghast. She had no idea that was how he really thought of her. She says,"Thank yuh, suh. Dat is very kind of yuh." While the couple sit down for a breakfast, Janie's heart remains down the lane with Mr. Joe Sparks, but her common sense keeps her where she is at. Janie now knows what it means to be a little heartbroken.

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #6

Janie and Tea Cake meet for the second time in Janie's store. "Ah'd git dat ship out from under him so slick till he'd be walkin' de water lak ole Peter befo' he knowed it."(Hurston 101). Hurston uses allusion in this passage to describe the culture in this time period. By mentioning The Bible it tells the reader about what was valued during the time period and it adds to the setting. It also adds a feeling of familiarity and security when considering the specific story mentioned. Tea Cake is using this allusion to make Janie feel secure, like he is protecting her when she takes a risk, just like Jesus and Peter.

When Tea Cake comes to relax inside Janie's house for the first time, Janie takes a small nap. "Ah been wishin' so bad tuh git mah hands in yo' hair."(Hurston 103). Hurston uses symbolism in this passage, Janie's hair symbolises her independence and freedom of choice. The importance of this symbol really relies on Janie's choice to let her hair down and live for herself. She has the right to decide who she is going to allow to touch her hair, and who she wants to be has a person. Most, if not all of the townspeople do not agree with or support Janie's choice with Tea Cake, but that is a decision Janie can make on her own. Hurston's use of Janie's hair allows an idea about a women being able to make her own decisions to shine through.


After Tea Cake and Janie go public with their relationship, all of the town is in a fit about it. "De men wuz talkin' 'bout it in de grove tuhday and givin' her and Tea Cake both de devil."(Hurston 111). Hurston uses conflict to display how great the perceived difference between Janie and Tea Cake is. Also to display how radical Janie's choice is, she could have anybody and she chooses a down on his luck man. Another thing that it shows is how much the town loves Janie, and how jealous most of the town is of her. Hurston uses the conflict to show how Janie is becoming her own person after being put inside a box by her peers.

"You got de keys to de kingdom." (Hurston 109). Alliteration

"Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah means tuh live mine."(Hurston 114). Epiphany

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #5

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston uses word choice and placement to manipulate the effect of the story. "When God had made The Man, he made him out of stuff that sung all the time and 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 the other tumbling mud-balls, Janie had tried to show her shine."(Hurston 90). In this passage, Hurston uses syntax and word choice to push through her point. The simple words flow together seamlessly in a rather complex pattern, which causes an air of hidden meanings and messages. It makes the reader question what is hidden beneath, what Janie is really feeling and thinking of. The use of adjectives at the end of the sentences cause this passage to be extremely descriptive and create a scene. The specific adjectives that she uses create a tone of quiet despair and hopelessness.

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #4

Afterward Sue started to contemplate Faith. Faith, what a powerful entity with incredible hands who lives in the heart of every home. The extraordinary being who lived in the rocky building like a frame without a foundation to it, and without walls. What need does Faith have for protection, and what storm can knock against her. She stands in her lofty house that views the universe. Poised attentive and still the entire morning with her weapon at the ready, waiting for news to call her away. Been waiting there ahead of there being a what or a where or a how. She was bound to discover all of her flowers blooming. She was happy and courageous too. Poor Eric! He ought to not need to wrassle in there all by his lonesome. She ordered Ted in to recommend a walk, but Eric said Never. These blossoms wuz acceptable with the doubting, but they wouldn't do a thing about a situation like his. He'd be just fine has soon has the so called, two faced charlatan found a cure to all his grief. He wasn't going to stop believing, period. That was his opinion. But Ted had informed her otherwise, so she was aware. And even if he hadn't, the following day she was certain to know due to the way his gloom started to gather throughout the empty, drafty house. Thoughts that would not have begun to enter his mind showed up, and stayed. Just sitting in the house and waited to overtake him. Grief, that wilted blossom, had fell onto the house.

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #3

After Janie's wedding she goes to live with her husband in his house. "It was a lonesome place like a stump in the middle of the woods where nobody had ever been."(Hurston 21). This quote is emphasised because of the simile comparing the house to a wood. Hurston chose to use a simile to emphasise how drastic a change this seems like to Janie. In her life with Nanny, Janie was able to be bright, happy and her own person but with Logan she cannot be an individual. This quote also foreshadows what Janie's new life will be like, lonely dark and very altered form her old life.

A few months after moving to Eatonville, Joe and Janie's house is built in a very superior fashion. "And look at the way he painted it [the house]- a gloaty, sparkly white."(Hurston 47). The description of the couple's house is full of rich adjectives and imagery. The author uses this imagery to show the reader how luxurious the Starks' house is. It is the first thing that displays the superiority of the mayor's family to that of the rest of the town. Being able to visualize the vast amount of difference between the two groups really helps the reader to be able to understand what Janie is feeling and thinking about her husband.

3) "You know, honey, us colored folks is branches without roots and that makes things come round is queer ways."(Hurston 16).
Metaphor


4) "But nobody moved, nobody spoke, nobody even thought to swallow spit until after her gate slammed behind her."(Hurston 2).
Parallel Structure

5) "You can't welcome uh man and his wife 'thout you make comparison about Isaac and Rebecca at de well, else it don't show de love between 'em if you don't." (Hurston 42).
Allusion

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Journal #2

Ah do believe dat us colored 'omen deserve more! We need tuh stan' up fur more! Reach up tuh de Lawd fur yuhr stregnth and act! Ah been through tuh much tu let de worl' stay dis way. Us 'omen been pushed around tuh much. De menfolk dink dey can just order us tuh do dis and dat. Well us not gonna do it! Us need tuh tell all de menfolk, and all de chillen tuh respect us! Us be cookin' and cleanin' all day, we ain't no servant! Us 'omen of color. Us can never let our will be taken from us. It what we are. Us need tuh stand up! Stan' up fur all de 'omen in our lives. Fur our kissin' friends and fur us. When yuh stumble, always pray tuh de Lawd fur a secon' chance. Us are stronger! Us always need tuh grow. Praise the Lawd Almighty!

Their Eyes Were Watching God- Journal #1

I perceive Janie has a woman who is very comfortable with herself and who she is has a person. I think that it took her overcoming persecution to become the person that she is today. She has moved past living for other people's opinions and expectations. I think that has a child she was extremely different from the others and remains to march to the beat of her own drum. With the other ladies from the town, she is still looked at with jealousy and I think that is something that has happened her entire life. When she was a child the other girls in class did not like her because of the quality of her hand-me-downs.
I do not think I know the narrator that well yet. From what I did see I think that the narrator is rather relaxed. It seems has if the narrator is telling a story she (I think that the narrator is a woman) has heard many times, but continues to tell anyways. As if she is saying it but is in no hurry to get to the end. The narrator seems to be very mature and experienced. I think that she must be full of storys that are similar to this. Either that, or this is her family story, definetly something close to her heart.