Questions Their Eyes Were Watching God

Grace Leung

4/10/11

Questions

1.     Interpret the meaning of the “ships” metaphor used in the first two paragraphs of Their Eyes Were Watching God.  Does Janie meet the expectations you have for her after reading the introduction?  Ships are like people and they go after what they are looking for. Janie is a young woman ready to go for her goals and stop at nothing. A quote that shows how ready Janie has become a woman is, “The men noticed her firm buttocks like she had grape fruits in her hip pockets” (2) This quote describes how much Janie has grown over the time she was gone from Eatonville.

2.     How do the townspeople react to Janie’s return to Eatonville?  The Townspeople gossiped about her. While the men realized how beautiful she was and began to ogle.

3.     What is Pheoby Watson’s reaction to Janie’s return? Phoeby was very surprised at Janie’s return and was also very happy she returned. She was also very protective over Janie as well and became upset when people gossiped. A quote that tells how Phoeby feels is, “Dats a gracious plenty your friends would want nothing better.” (4)

4.     Why does Janie tell her life story to Pheoby?   Janie and Pheoby are best friends and can trust each other, this is why Janie decides to confide in Pheoby.

5.     Why does Nanny raise Janie?  Janie’s parents died when she was young and Janie needed someone to raise her, Nanny then raised her. A quote that gives the reader an insight on what happens to Janie’s parents is, “Dey didn’t tell about how he wuz seen tryin to get in touch wid my mama later on so he could marry.” (10)

6.     Janie does not realize that she is black until age six.  Describe Janie’s environment and how she discovers her race.  Janie discovers she is black when her picture is taken and realizes that she is darker than the others in the picture. She did not realize this because she was around white children a lot.

7.     What significance does the pear tree hold for Janie?  The pear tree grows and blooms, just like Janie is blossoming into woman hood. She also loved to go and watch the bees and animals buzz around the trees. “With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world! She was sixteen.”(11)

8.     Identify the event that prompts Nanny to arrange Janie’s marriage to Logan Killicks.  Nanny wants Janie to marry Logan because she sees her kissing a boy named Johny Taylor. Who she does not approve of and she wants Janie to have protection when she is married, which Logan can provide.

9.     Why does Nanny react so strongly to seeing Janie kiss Johnny Taylor?  Nanny gets angry because she does not have respect for Johnny Taylor and does not like how he is very “dark”.  He is not what she wants Janie to marry. “That brought her wide awake. She bolted upright and peered out of the window and saw Johnny Taylor lacerating her Janie with a kiss.” (12)

10.                        Explain Nanny’s views on romantic love.  Nanny feels that love is real, but it comes over time. She believes that your finaicial issues and protection are more important. She thinks that Janie needs to marry off well and not necessarily for love.

11.                        How does Janie feel about marrying Logan Killicks? Janie does not like Logan Killicks and finds him very unattractive. She also thinks it is gross he is twice her age and feels she should marry for love. “Ah aint gointuh do it no mo’, Nanny. Please don’t make me marry Mr. Killicks.” (15)

12.                        What does Janie assume will happen once she marries Logan?  Is she right?  Janie believes Nanny and thinks she will eventually fall in love with Logan. Janie’s assumption was wrong and she realizes that she probably will never love him.

13.                        Hurston writes, “She knew now that marriage did not make love” at the end of Chapter 3.  Explain the significance of this revelation to Janie.  In this chapter Janie finally realizes that because you marry someone does not mean you fall in love with them. You can make an attempt to love a person, but that does not mean you will truly love them. “Janies first dream was dead so she became a woman.” (25)

14.                        Describe Logan’s attitude toward Janie.  How does it change over time?  Logan becomes more impatient with Janie realizing she does not care for him. He does not want to do as much work and is less worried about impressing her. He even wanted her to do more of the work.

15.                        Describe Janie’s first impression of Joe Starks. Janie thought that Joes Starks dressed very nice and found him very appealing. So she decides to try and get his attention. “It was citified stylish dressed man with his hat set at an angle that didn’t belong in these parts.” (27)

16.                        Why do you think Janie decides to run off with Joe Starks? Janie runs off with Joe because Logan treated her poorly and they were always arguing. Logan was not nice to her and she decided she needed to move on.

17.                        Joe and Janie move to a new all-black town.  Detail their first impressions of the new town.  The town they move to is very small and low in population. It is also surrounded by trees. “Just like Ah thought,” Joe said. “A whole heap uh talk and nobody doin’ nothin’. I god where’s de Mayor” (34)

18.                        What are Joe’s goals, both stated and implied? Joe wanted to get land and put up stores and a post office. He also wants to build and house for him and his wife Janie.

19.                        Joe takes the new town by storm.  List several things he accomplishes.  Joe gets people to build roads. He also creates a shop as well. “Hes gointuh put up uh store and git uh post office from de Govern’ment.”(38)

20.                        Discuss the townspeople’s feelings toward Joe.  Joe is a good leader but in ways snobby. He made himself the mayor and he helped the town a lot.

21.                        What are the advantages and disadvantages of being Mrs. Joe Starks?  A disadvantage is Janie is sometimes ignored by Joe and he is very stuck up. Janie is able to put in her input on what the town needs, which is an advantage. “Thank yo for your compliments but mah wife don’t know nothing bout no speech makin’. Ah never married her for nothing lak dat.” (43)

22.                        What does Janie like and dislike about the store?

Janie

23.                        Describe Joe’s attitude towards women.

Joe does not have very much respect for women and feels as if he is almost above them. He feels they should stay and take care of their husbands and do their house work. “Shes a woman and her place is in duh home.”(43)

24.                        Discuss the symbolism of the head rag Janie wears around the store.

The symbolism is Janie wears this hiding her true beauty because Joe does not want other men to ogle her. It almost makes Janie feel like Joe’s servant.

25.                        Trace the origins of trouble through Janie and Joe’s marriage.

The trouble of Janie and Joe’s marriage started when they discovered the town and Joe started helping the people there. This ruined their marriage because he did not pay attention to Janie and often was stuck up and rude to her.

26.                        Why does Joe buy the mule from Matt Bonner?

Joe buys the mule because he feels bad for it since it is over worked and not treated right. The mule and is abused and Joe feels it needs a rest.

27.                         How does Janie hope with her unhappy life with Joe?

Janie lives her life outside and by herself, she also watches nature to pass the time.

28.                        Explain Joes motivation for striking Janie.

Joe’s motivation for striking Janie is she made fun of him and got fed up with him hurting her. Also she embarrassed him in front of all the men.

29.                        What disturbing revelation does Janie learn from Phoeby? How does that revelation apply to Janie?

She tells Janie that Joe is going to die and everyone knows it. Janie begins to worry and look at her life differently. “

30.                        Detail the circumstances surrounding Joes death.

Joe dies of kidney failure and he is also dieing of old age.

31.                        Discuss Janies reaction to Joe’s death.

Janie is happy Joe dies because he did not like the ways he treated her. Also she hated the way he treated others. Janie had lost respect for Joe over the years of their marriage. “ Ah aint here tuh blame nobody. Ah’m just tryin tuh make you know what kinda person Ah is befo’ it’s to late.” (85)

32.                        Contrast Janies inward emotions with her outward appearances at Joe’s funeral.

Janie is truly happy with Joe’s death and is happy he would not be around to abuse her more. At the funeral Janie puts on a sad face so no one will notice how happy she really is. “Janie starched and ironed her face and came set in the funeral behind her veil” (88)

33.                        Characterize Janie’s feelings about finding a new mate after Joe’s death.

Janie does not want to marry immediately after Joes death and decides to wait. She is also very cautious about men. “Joe ain’t had time tuh git cold yet. Ah ain’t even give marryin’ de first thought.” (91)

34.                        Describe Tea Cake How do he and Janie meet?

Tea Cake met Janie when he was on his way to watch a baseball game and realized she was not going.

35.                        Speculate about Tea Cake’s choice of a time to first visit Janie at her store. Tea Cake was very careful and respectful. He treated Janie like an equal and she appreciated that he was not pushy. “Tea Cake wasn’t strange. Seemed as if she had known him all her life.” (99)

36.                        Why is the fact that Tea Cake ask Janie to play checkers signifigant?

37.                        Janie frequently refers to Tea Cake as “crazy”. Interpret Janie’s meaning. Janie means silly, it is a sign of affection to Tea Cake from her. She finds Tea Cake funny and calls him this when he acts silly in front of her. “Crazy thing!” Janie commented, beaming out with light. He acknowledged the compliment with a smile and sat down on a box.” (101)

38.                         Tea Cake shows her he is sincere by telling her how he misses her when shes not there and describes his feelings.

39.                         The town became angry that she had chosen Tea Cake. This was because the town felt Janie could do much better. “All the men that she could get and fooling with someone like Tea Cake.” (110)