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My initial response towards this novel involves the lack of being able to identify with the texts as I am put into the perspective of a main character that I cannot completely understand both lingually and racially. The fact that the character lived in a far ago era had not helped this case neither. However, as the events of the novel began to unfold, it seemed apparent that I was able to identify more with the social heirarchy set in place where a certain race or ethnicity is at a disadvantage. This is the case that had been apparent all my life through ex patriot indian and pakistani workers having less than prideful titles in the Emirati world.

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Initially reading the novel, I found myself confused and unfamiliar with the experiences of the protagonist that were so different to mine, particularly as the novel was framed in the context of a post-slavery America that I found difficult to resonate with. The narrator's voice, a deep Southern dialect and accent in written form  was a unique stylistic feature that I found to be strange and incomprehensible at first, and hindered my ability to connect deeply with the journey of the protagonist and her inner thoughts and interpretations of her experiences. As I continued reading, I found myself adjusting to the dialect of the novel and drawing overarching meaning despite not understanding the entirety of the dialogue. I became immersed in the vivid, emotional nature of the experiences of black women in America, and I deeply sympathized with their struggles as both women and people of colour, where society truly was against them. My emotional response to Janie's plight, as well as the struggles of other characters was amplified by the authenticity of the story's narration, the sociolect, the realistic setting and the intricate characters that the author brought to life. Rather than immediately villainizing characters who represented beliefs that I oppose culturally, socially or morally, the complexity of the characters allowed me to dig deeper into the deep desires and ingrained cultural values that these individuals possess. I developed a far more mature and critical perspective on Janie's relationship with her grandmother, for example, and many of her spouses, who clearly posessed antagonizing qualities but also individually had their own internal struggles, and the overwhelming pressures of a society pitted against them.

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My overall understanding of the text initially was the struggles of a 20th century African American woman in southern America. The proliferation of gender-directed stereotypes affiliated with race were prominent and thus led me to take a rather gender theory led approach of analyzing the characters implications on their community and environment. Janie Crawford, the protagonist of the novel acted as the sole instigator for this notion, as her experiences regarding her search for love and 'completeness' shaped my understanding of the novel as a whole. However, as the plot of the novel progressed, the introduction of Joe Stark's dynamic character throughout the novel allowed for me to develop a more polarizing analysis using a more psychological approach which then signified the underlying psychological factors of (racial stereotyping and prejudice) that facilitate his actions towards the protagonist. Therefore, this shifted my whole perception of the novel as the characters in the novel served the main purpose of composing a story that portrays the struggle of identity development as a result of some of the constricting factors mentioned above.

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Initially, I found the novel to be somewhat confusing as I misunderstood the plot of the story and where it was heading. In addition, the unique diction established by Hurston proved to be challenging to read at first, however I was able to read and understand more smoothly as the novel progressed, whereby I began to realize that the novel was addressing the struggles of African-Americans amidst the 20th century in the US - with particular focus on gender and racial discrimination as revolved around the protagonist.

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At first glance, I thought the novel was very confusing, this might have been due to the slang language that Neale used or by the way that the novel is presented (ending in the first chapter). As I continued reading, I started seeing common themes used by Neale such as freedom and independence and gender, this gradually improved my individual understanding of the novel and made me start enjoying it.  The story line of Janie meeting and marrying the three man and her many different coming of age moments moreover, made the novel less confusing and admirable.

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My initial response to the text was that it was extremely insightful; almost as though I was taking a look into a different time frame. The narration of the novel was coherent ad allowed me to visualize the story and its events clearly in my head allowing myself to follow along and understand the underlying themes of gender stereotyping, individuality and desire to a higher extent. As the environment of the novel was extremely foreign to me (in terms of context), the realization of these themes being established early on as a result of the astounding narration allowed me to develop my overall understanding continually throughout the novel.

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Personally, I struggled to interact with the text as the dialect used and structure of language is unfamiliar to me. Therefore, my conclusions have not yet touch on specific details that perhaps the author wanted to empathise based on cultural context.  Nevertheless it was easy to identify and connect the ultimate effects in which each relationship ( 3 husbands) shape and mold the protagonist's voice throughout the story. In addition to this, I believe to have a lack of affiliation to the text as the story essentially honors the freedom and independence for women, whereas for men usually the perspective can be different in several factors resembling masculinity.

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My initial response was confusing as the protagonist (Janie) didn't seem like she was understanding how privileged she was to be in a marriage and have free-will especially considering the era this novel was set in. However, as I continued I realized that I infact was wrong and I was able to grasp the true meaning of freedom and independence in Janies perspective.

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My initial response to the novel was mainly shock and slight discomfort; hearing such strong racial slurs being used so carelessly and casually didn’t sit right with me and the normalized racism in the time period made me feel extremely uncomfortable. As I continued reading the book, my shock eventually wore off and I began to be more educated than anything, however my discomfort still lingered slightly as new methods of racism and discrimination reared their head.

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My initial response to the novel was one of confusion, as I struggled to understand the slang language used by the characters of the novel in dialogue. My initial understanding of it was also skewed as I didn't completely place what era the novel was taking place in (this was however later clarified through hints in dialogue). As I continued reading, I began understanding the larger themes of feminism, racism and misogyny that the novel is so deeply rooted in.

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Personally, I would have to say that it detracted from the meaning quite heavily. Although this unique written style is a new approach towards placing the reader in the environment of the novel, I reacted negatively to this as it took a while in order to adjust to this authentic heard speech.

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I liked Hurston’s use of the authentic speech because it gave me a better situational understanding of the time period and the regular methods of communication at the time; and it helped me distinguish between past and present since the themes prevalent in the book are more relevant to the past than the present. It definitely added to meaning as it showed the development in language and thinking of people in that era and the way in which they spoke reflected their position in society (crassly; with slang, a drawl, etc), which also helped contextualize the story and characterize different characters.

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Initially, my response to the novel was one of slight confusion as the terminology used was bizarre and different compared to modern language. Additionally, the use of slurs and casual racism was unnerving due to the awareness surrounding the subject today. As the novel continued, the author allowed for a deeper understanding of the social hierarchies at the time which I could draw similarities with certain modern cultures today, as well as the complexity of relationships with others, which in turn allow the characters to attain a deeper understanding of the self.

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This would be during the initial segments of the novel, when Janie encounters a pear tree. This moment stood out to me and was the most impactful moment because of the symbolism that Neale hindered. Looking at the pear tree widely, it symbolized Janie's variety of thoughts, hopes and aspirations as she is coming up to marrying Logan Killicks, Janie sees the peach tree and interprets the branches to be her visions and the roots of the tree to be her past memories. Nonetheless, Neale's use of symbolism here is very much eye opening.

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I believe that Hurston's use of authentic heard speech allowed for greater development of the audiences visualization of the plot and the setting that this novel was set in and thus I was pleased with it . In my personal opinion i believe that it added to the meaning as it helped the audience get a better understanding of the context of the book.

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The use of authentic speech added a layer of complexity to the novel, revealing more about the situational context, allowing the reader to be as immersed as possible in the intricacies of the novel.

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I initially was most aware of the racial aspect of the novel, and the way that African Americans were living in post-slavery America. Although slavery was abolished, there were still major inequalities, and the main character embodies this as a mixed individual. However, as I continued reading, I felt that the author was communicating ideas about the independence of women and social expectations that are set for women to rely on men for security and safety. Race still does play a role, as black women were even more mistreated due to the inequality they faced from white people for their race, but even black men within their own community due to their gender. I felt that this was important to note in understanding Janie’s growth throughout the novel. Although race plays a large role in the novel and setting up the context, the idea of independence and gender was a larger piece of the story as a whole.

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I felt that Hurston’s use of speech added authenticity to the novel. It adds dialect from the time period and geographical area she is writing about. To polish speech or change the dialect to suit the way the reader’s ear would take away from the authenticity of the story. I think that it also adds to the idea of black empowerment. Rather than making the speech of the black people within the novel more similar to the way that white people spoke in the south, Hurston embraces the dialect within the community. This implies that the ideas and conversations within their community are valid, and not in need of change in order to appear educated or worthy of acknowledgment.

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I found Hurston's use of authentic heard speech, and specifically the use of a Southern Black dialogue, to be difficult to understand at first, as I am not accustomed to hearing and using such words. Nonetheless, said use of authentic heard speech proved to be useful in that it established the setting and mood for the remainder of the novel, adding to the meaning of the novel as it benefited the reader's historical and hence cultural understanding.

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Manos

In the beginning of the novel I was unaware of the situation that the protagonist found themselves in, as the novel is set in a completely different time period, and the protagonist is also from a completely different origin, and seems to face far tougher situations. My initial understanding was fairly weak, however, as the novel unfolds I began to get familiar with the struggles Janie experiences, and acquired a better understanding of the obstacles and challenges women of that culture faced during that era, which led me to start focusing on the gender inequalities as well as the underlying race inequalities within the novel

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Hurston's use of heard speech enhances the use of a more colloquial approach which in turn adds authenticity to the novel, as well as another grounding feature that allows the reader to immerse themselves in the time period, location, and even the characters personalities that are characterized by their race, appearance, and mannerisms. At first I thought it was racist, as it appeared as though it was mocking the culture. However, as the plot progresses Hurston's use of heard speech greatly contributed to my development of a thorough understanding of the character's internal struggles and their significance as they interact with the surroundings and experiences that they are presented with. The variations in tone and word choice give distinction to each character, which proliferates the undertones of meaning that Hurston tries to present as she tackles racist stereotypes that enable the misconceptions of a (racist 20th century reader) to come to the conclusion that all Black people are inherently the same, as a result of this stereotype. Hence, I feel as though heard speech in this novel was powerful in eliciting both meaning, and the nuanced issues that are presented within the novel

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I was able to relate to the fact that she was a person with good intentions however was struck into a reality where not all dreams are achievable and the cruel nature of real life puts down your dreams like a euthanized dog, however this is just the general nature of coming of age as every individual needs to face the harsh truth of this world at some point. Another aspect culture wise that was simple to understand and relate to is generally being in a position vulnerable to being exploited and someone has the upper hand against you. That sensation of entrapment and suffocation as you powerlessly struggle is a sensation that anyone can relate with. It gave me the ability to relate to the ex-patriot lower income group that are constantly spit upon in society and looked down upon by those who think that they are better and are entitled to happier lives.

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After reading the novel, I would state that Neale's use of authentic heard speech added a lot of uniqueness to the novel, in addition, it helped convey themes such as freedom and independence and love and desire, the heard speech also added depth to the characters and the novel overall. In my opinion, it detracted from meaning in the way that sometimes, the heard speech was quite difficult to understand and make sense off.

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Initially, I found it extremely difficult to read and understand, and the flow of my reading of the novel was consistently cut off due to words I couldn't immediately comprehend and accented language I struggled to read. However, this became easier and more streamlined as I continued reading and got used to seeing specific words and sounds written differently. I think that this choice added a significant amount of meaning to the novel, as the author proudly presents a Southern African-American accent in a way unseen before, a way in which she can proudly celebrate this accent that is in fact her own. If the novel was written in proper, "correct" English, the meaning would be vastly different, since the southern black accent immerses the author in the environment that the novel depicts.

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From my perspective, the heard speech gave the story a more interesting, thus helpful insight to the readers to grab better understanding and ultimately sharpen the overall author's objective. This enabled me to understand the role each character played as well as the impact on the protagonist internal growth solubly consisted on trials and afflictions finding her peace and stability.

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I feel like I was very much detached from Janie's experiences in this novel, there is many different reasons for this. The first is the era in which Janie lives and when the book is situated, the 1930's, this was a time where love and gender was very different from today, making myself detached from Janie.In addition, Janie is much older in this novel, another point which makes me detached. One way in which I could relate to Janie, however, is the way she experiences the many coming of age moments.

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Manos
Even though in the beginning it was quite hard to understand the language that used within the use of heard speech within the novel, it helped me get a better understanding of the context of the novel due to it giving a  me a more valid perspective of how people would interact with each other in the given setting since I am not familiar with Southern Black dialogue.

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Initially, the transition from the ordinary language expression to Hurston’s rich use of vernacular text was extremely jarring, yet intriguing due to its unfamiliarity. Within the first portions of the novel, this type of speech definitely lead to misunderstandings and confusion about character expression, however, this consistent use of dialect formed a stronger image and tone in the portrayal of TEWWG’s context for me – including intense immersion into its culture and character’s personalities, without detracting too much from understanding of content. Overall, this unique style was an incredibly important decision by Hurston, as I believe it not only enriches the experience of reading the novel, but creates a crucial lens of understanding into the context it was written in.

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I felt detached from the experience itself, and felt as though I was a spectator to the plotline rather than one reliving it in the shoes of Janie. This is mainly due to the fact that the fundamental struggles Janie faces as a colored woman in the US during the late 1860s greatly differs from my personal experiences now. However, although detached from the experiences, the themes remain applicable and relevant to a modern age society, and thus allowing me to relate to Janie in that sense, particularly when it comes to individuality and the need for self actualisation and satisfaction.

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I did relate to Janie in the areas of colorism. Even in the current day, it is a very big issue in India due to post-colonial effects in the country and as a fairer skinned brown woman than the majority of the country, I’m often treated differently or held on a pedestal by my peers for something I cannot control. Despite this, I also relate to her in her experiences with discrimination and racism despite status from money/family due to the color of my skin and my ethnic background; though not to the extent she faced as a black woman in America post slavery.

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The way that the novel was written was extremely distracting due to the fact that the dialect of English used was foreign to a modern reader such as myself. While the accent allowed for deeper immersion in the story, it was initially jarring and caused difficulty in understanding.

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I was excited to read the novel at first, as I am extremely interested in post-slavery narratives that display the harships faced by the Black community in America following the abolition of slavery. However, as I kept reading the novel and examining it critically, I found the individual experiences of Janie to be more of a self discovery, which I found extremely empowering as she was a biracial woman living in the Southern region of America after the loss in the Civil War. Her sense of independence and contentment that arose through her marriages points to the novel’s larger themes of feminism and self-fulfillment which I picked up on in later chapters.

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Hurston's use of authentic heard speech was a stylistic feature that I found difficult to resonate with at first, due to the sheer unfamiliarity and strangeness of this sociolect that was very difficult to comprehend on even a surface level. However, I believe this choice has great significance in authentically capturing the culture, dynamics, and values of the black community in the South in the novel's setting. The reader is immersed in a realistic portrayal of black culture, social dynamics and issues, and experiences that are not adapted for the comfort of a western audience. This is powerful in enhancing the author's purpose to weave a novel that fully and unapologetically embodies stories of people of colour in America, and the underlying complexities and human desires that lie beneath societal norms.

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The most powerful theme of the novel is the theme of the suffocating nature of love and relationships upon independence. I would consider this to be extremely powerful in the novel as it was able to dictate what exact emotions and actions that Janie would have to go through as her whole life is based around the decision is that she shouldn't live a life of solitude and instead find a wealthy partner that would allow her to have fortune. It is the forced nature of this implication that allows Janie to break free and come of age, maturing to understand that Tea Cake is the man for her. This can be applied to my life as the reins and control over what I can and cannot do was always decided by the authoritative figures in my life. However, as I matured the leash began to loosen as I was able to make my own decisions and have control over what exactly I should and shouldn't do based off judgements that I learnt to make.

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Although I did not find the majority of Janie's experiences related to mine, there were several aspects of my own identity as well as culture that enabled me to better understand Janie's struggles and successes. As the sole brother of three sisters, I found Janie's character development to be especially inspiring, considering that she was able to overcome many stereotypes and societal expectations of a women's role in society, whereby I realize similar struggles that my sisters may have to deal with in their promising careers of becoming a lawyer and a psychologist. Moreover, culturally I noticed some similarities in relation with Janie's story, primarily regarding the degradation of women in society and thus the greater dominance and power that men typically uphold.

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The most powerful theme would be the ways in which characters around Janie make her not have freedom within TEWWG. This is because I think that the theme impacted Janie's life a lot, characters such as Phoebe, Nanny and her three husbands encountered the protagonist with instances of not being free with her life and love choices. This can be applied to my own life as I am a teenager,  many times, I feel like I'm seeking freedom from my parents and I feel like many teenagers that read this novel can feel the same way.

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Throughout the novel, I felt as though I was more detached from the novel in the present reality as a reader. However, in some instances through Hurston's use of heard speech I felt as though I was directly immersed within the setting and culture of the novel. My ability to relate to some of the events in the novel came down to the experience of gender stereotypes and roles in which society continuously places on females. I related to Janie's struggle of feeling bound to a specific person in order to fulfill her internal needs that lead her to growth. The feelings of entrapment both to a stereotype and an individual served as a direct reference to both society and individual experiences, which were illiited through the characterization of the main character, as well as the protagonist's encounters with narcissistic men (Joe Starks) who merely used Janie's decidedness in order to gain power and influence for their personal gain. Many instances in this novel point towards the central themes of gender (as it can be analyses through gender theories and psychoanalytic criticism) which help the reader overall vicariously experience the onslaught of gender roles as a result of stereotyping.

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The spiritual part of the novel and how it resembled the importance from a divine power. This reminded me that as humans we tend to selfishly pursue temporary possessions with the aim to feel satisfied. Nevertheless,  the Impact God has played in my life allows me to understand the protagonist's goal throughout her personal experiences.

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The themes which appear in the novel are all extremely powerful on their own, and when used in conjunction with one another allow for a greatly insightful story as seen with the novel in question. As I was able to relate to the theme of individuality within the novel and the need for self actualisation and satisfaction, it stands as the most powerful theme to me. However, I felt as though the theme of gender stereotypes was best expressed in the novel. This is due to the fact that as someone who has thankfully not been subject to such unjust discrimination, I was still able to get a grasp of the general struggles and ideas surrounding the theme from the perspective of a woman in the 1860s which is still mostly applicable in a modern day society and seen under many circumstances in our current climate.

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Throughout the novel, Hurston implements AAVE (African American Vernacular English) as the style is primarily colloquial, catering to those a part of the African American community. Personally, I appreciated the use of highly colloquial language in conjunction with strong African American jargon, as it established an authentic depiction of life in the South during the aftermath of the Civil War, and amplified the setting and context of the story.

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I relate to Jaines experience of her struggle for independence. Prior to coming to Raha, my parents wanted to be in charge of my career path, social relationships and much more similar to how Janies nanny planned for her marriage. Similarly, we were both able to achieve our independence after facing a multitude of adversities. However, it could be argued that her experiences were too far detached considering the strenuous nature of her path to independence in contrast to my adversity simply being an uncomfortable conversation. 

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In my opinion the theme of freedom and independence was the most powerful within the novel. This is due to the fact that a majority of the other themes stemmed from the fact that she was oppressed due to her skin color. This can be applied to my personal life as racism is still a prevalent issue in modern society and has (although not severe) impacted me.

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Initially my reaction to the way the book was written was being fascinated since there are no other books that utilizes the slang of black people from the 50's in order to bring more meaning and connection between the novel and the reader. The fact that the author had used slang that had not only fit in with the culture of the characters background, but it also plays into the time setting of the books, it adds to the meaning since it fully emerges the reader into the book; however it also distracted from the meaning because it takes time and effort to really understand what is being said by the different characters, especially in the beginning when there is no familiarity with what the different slang words mean.

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I believe the most powerful theme in the novel was, in general, the encompassing harmful effects of racial discrimination. The effects of racial segregation, prejudice, racial profiling, and much more were displayed throughout the novel and undeniably shaped the course of the black main characters’ lives; it impacted everything they did and controlled every aspect of their life.

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In regards to Janie I related to her struggles of having independence and a voice of opinion, for her it was being with her husband, and me it is being with my family and overall what was culturally instilled into them. Other than that I had felt detached towards the book since I grew up in a country that was so international, that the judgement of ones skin, culture or background was seldom. However coming from a country that had major racial issues I could understand the feelings of the characters, but was just unable to relate to them myself.

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The moment in the novel that stood out to me as most impactful was when Tea Cake was assisting the white people in burying the bodies and moving them to caskets after several people had died following the hurricane and flood that occurred, and the white people only allowed the caucasian dead to be placed in caskets and had the black dead tossed away and buried carelessly. This showed me that even in death, the racism American white people felt towards the African Americans was so strong that even in death they had no remorse or sympathy; they continued to dehumanize them and were unfazed by their death.

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I felt a significant disconnect between Janie's story and my experiences in life. Janie, as a young black woman in post-slavery southern America, grappled with the issues of racism, gender and independence, all stemming from her race and gender as a young, black woman in a male-chauvinistic, deeply racist society. I, on the other hand, have never had any detrimental or negative experiences that are linked or stem from my race or gender in our modern society. Even Janie's struggles to be independent were difficult to relate to, as her dependence on individuals in her life is completely different from any lack of independence I may have experienced in my lifetime, again due to the societal context in which these struggles took place. My understanding is that  the clear disconnect between my race, gender, and the modern world I live in and Janie's world (and her experiences affected by her identity), is why I cannot in any significant way relate to Janie's successes, struggles, and experiences in her life.

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Although Janie’s circumstances were extreme, I related to her identity as a mixed person to a certain extent. She was not accepted by one side of her family due to the complexity of racial issues within the USA at the time but was acknowledged as mixed or different within the black community as well. I understand that people take what they see, and mixed people often do not fit the standard image of either community and therefore are isolated from both sides to some degree. This idea of not being fully integrated within a community is a common feeling and one I could relate to to an extent. I also related to her experience as a woman, despite the many changes made in the way that woman are viewed in society, there is still a common belief within many communities that marriage is of utmost importance for woman, if not for a family’s image, then for safety and security, similar to how Janie’s grandmother felt within the novel. This is an idea that both Janie and I do not agree with, and I resonated with her frustration, as I would feel a similar way if I was placed in the same situation.

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My initial thoughts regarding the novel were focused on identifying the socio-political aspects of the setting – racial injustice and gender inequality. However, I was surprised by how subtly these themes were communicated, as Janie’s plot line was more so representative of a quest for individuality and independence regardless of these pervasive qualities of life in her time. Despite the downfalls of her character in each aspect of her life, I couldn’t help but feel as though the tone of the book was inspiring, promoting a perspective of life as uncontrollable yet beautiful in its hugeness – especially its message of how fulfilment should be achieved through acceptance of life’s turbulent nature, and instead seeking joy and love through unique and personal means.

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The most powerful theme of the novel was the impact of gender expectations in society on the wellbeing of women, whereby the author highlights her perspective on said theme through her telling of Janie's story, as showcased through her various failed relationships with men, the majority of which only downgraded Janie and her ability to become an independent and 'free' woman. In an ever so rapidly progressing society and particularly within my culture, I strive to alter the views and gender expectations of previous generations so long that they abide by the principles of the religion in which I follow. These personal ambitions tie in with the theme of gender discrimination in the novel, as Hurston demonstrates how men are usually the one's who enact said expectations and acts of discrimination onto women.

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Manos
To be completely honest I felt detached with Janie in most aspects of her personality and experiences. Janie is young lady of color in an post-slavery era where people of her origin were segregated against and treated differently like the were a different species. Throughout her life most of her emotions had to be suppressed and pushed to the side in order to achieve a certain quality in her life through her husband. Even though she has good intentions and desires to experience life to its fullest, she gets hit by reality and has to choose between living like she’d want to and living to have a good and decent life like Nanny used to say. Personally I am very lucky to be in the position I am today, as I don’t have to face any problems regarding my origin and my gender. I am living a life where I have access to above average education, have the full support of my parents which allows me to do other activities on the side that allow me to fully experience the beauty of life. Even though I still have to worry about my future, it is a completely different scenario compared to Janie as she tries to find success through a decent husband whereas I am doing it through my own efforts and accomplishments.

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Within the realization that Joe Stark was not the man that Janie thought of him to be, the novel displayed its most impactful moment in relation to my life. Janie was able to find Stark as a lifeline, a temptation that could bring her more happiness. In this fictitious reality, she was able to dream up a world where she would bring her expectations to a state that involves Joe Stark being the fun new husband that would satisfy Janie in terms of being the perfect man capable of fulfilling her needs. However, the fact that he was not able to fulfill this requirement and impact Janie correctly, disappointing her incredibly, stood out completely for me as facing the harsher side of reality set a goal for Janie and a standard that she must escape which as we all know is Tea Cake.

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An attribute of Janie’s personality I found myself relating the most to was her potential for independence, power, and confidence – yet these qualities were initially subdued or dismissed by her community and environment, and especially the people she was closest to, such as her husbands or her Nanny. I was able to connect with her unabated pursuit of freedom and individuality – as the majority of my decisions, motivations, and expression, has thus far been dictated by the people around me and the circumstances I’ve been in. Only recently I have been looking for the courage to be unashamedly myself through the decisions I make and the way I express myself, and intentionally seeking joy in the people who are accepting of this fact. Regardless, there are certain aspects of Janie’s experience that I cannot connect with on a specific level (such as the colourism and unceasing gender discrimination), yet I can empathize with the overall struggle of seeking fulfilment despite discrimination or mistreatment.

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The themes of individual power and jealousy as a result of gender roles and stereotyping were very prominent throughout this novel. Through the use of psychoanalytic criticism, the internal struggles of each character symbolize a struggle to establish power (self-esteem, or influence on other characters) as a result of the inherent racism that is predominantly present in the setting of the novel. This theme is incredibly useful in understanding the implications of these characters to a wider meaning which points the reader in realizing the jealousy that pertains and prevents one from having power over their own decisions and their experiences. Present throughout the novel, instances where other women constantly compare themselves to Janie and backbite her as a result of her desirable appeal to men are instances of which jealousy surmount to her power as an individual, in which this example is only one of many thought the novel. This personally affects me as at times I feel that jealousy and the fear of jealousy is a main theme in my life that prevents me from obtaining the power I deserve over specific events in my life that dictate my experiences and my ability to grow. Similarly with the protagonist, her need for completeness via a relationship stems from the jealousy she experiences as there is no other outlet for her to ensure that she fulfills her need to belong and progress, which in some ways is relatable to my experiences.

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There were many aspects of Janie's identity, culture, and experiences that I was not able to resonate with due to my cultural background and upbringing. Janie is as a black woman in Southern America, post-slavery, she faces heavily racially-fuelled experiences and struggles as a black woman in a time where racism was so ingrained in social dynamics and very much normalised, and I fortunately have do not share these adversities with Janie, and hence was not able to empathize with her struggles in this sense. However, as a young woman who was brought up in a liberal Australian society, yet raised with the conservative values of a Middle Eastern family, I deeply connected with Janie's feelings of isolation, oppression and entrapment within her culture's gender roles. I found her relationship with her grandma particularly hardhitting, as it held some parallels with my own familial relationships. Despite having Janie's best interest at heart, Janie's grandma never allowed for Janie to blossom into the woman that she deeply longed to be. In their relationship, a shared love was not enough to overcome the fundamental cultural differences between the two women, and I found this struggle between them to be extremely jarring and resonant with my personal struggles with cultural identity and conflicting perceptions of womanhood.

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Tea Cake's death stood out as a very impactful scene to me. It stirred a number of emotions in me and acted as both a serene and tranquil moment while remaining equally as violent and gruesome. The absurd nature behind his death added a new layer of complexity to the novel, allowing the novel to be distinct from others within its genre.

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The beginning of the novel in the scene where Janie was crying because she realized that she would have to marry a random person that her nanny selected was the most impactful in my opinion. The issue of racism is a global issue and the sense of defeat being derived from hereditary aspects of one's self is a extremely saddening and to see Janie cry in defeat because of it had a severe impact on me personally especially given the prevalence of this issue in the modern day.

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The novel touches on various themes, although in my view the theme of power, judgment and jealousy through the exploitation of women contribute greater in enhancing the reader to affiliate more in the view of women and the suffering the protagonist had gone through. This creates a cathartic response from the readers, as readers can assimilate through the feelings exposed from each event occurred of disappointment and heartless tone used. Thus, leading to an ultimate reflection.

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I think the most powerful theme of the novel is independence and empowerment. Despite what she had been through, Janie slowly gained independence. She struggled to rely on herself rather than others in her life, both due to her romantic nature, but also because of what society told her she needed. However, when faced with a decision, she becomes fully empowered and reliant on herself. Although it is not an ideal situation, Janie was still able to overcome and achieve a sense of independence and growth despite her hardships. This can be related to life in general, as I know that throughout my life I will be faced with decisions and paths where neither are ideal, similar to Janie, and will have to decide what things I value more.

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Personally, I feel detached from Janie as the circumstances that she goes through (living as an african-american woman post slavery) are so detached from how my life has been lived. I've been raised in a very accepting culture despite my beliefs, and have not been discriminated against in any major capacity due to my sociocultural background, unlike Janie, who's life is dotted with instances of discrimination and prejudice due to her skin color and gender.

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At first I was in-between feelings since there was no expectations of how the book would be written or what it was based on in regards to themes, however once I started reading I was intrigued by the ideas of not only gender but also racial and social class inequalities which in society are taboos and are only being brought to light very publicly in recent years; all of which is reflected in the book since they are all communicated with ease. The book as a whole brought my attention towards the struggles people experience throughout life and rather than finding out how everything had changed while being gone, they are judges; but as the novel progressed, the story and the experiences of Janie brought me to the understanding that the hardships in life happen more because of gender because there is so much more that can be stripped from a person than just dignity and self-confidence.

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As Joe Starks slowly began to develop as a dynamic character that poses as an antagonist to Janie's plans, it posed a significant halt to my experience as a reader reading the novel given that he was no longer the man that was suitable nor healthy for Janie's progression as a character. This was a disappointing moment in the novel as I initially thought that he would provide Janie with a life that contrasts her circumstances of constant gender discrimination, rather he presented a more deep and conflicting issue that was progressively worse than those that were presented to Janie when she was with Tea Cake or Killicks. He presented a psychological struggle to Janie, as she realized that Starks was a narcissist with far more insecurities than she would have thought of as she was in a relationship with the others. Thus, it presented to me another realization of the society that is predominantly controlled by men, as some project their insecurities through the medium of demeaning conflicts regarding gender roles and stereotypes.

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A moment in the novel which stood out to me as being the most impactful was when Joe Starks developed into a controlling and vile character, this was a stark contrast from his initial characterization when he first met Janie. I found this to be the most impactful moment due to the fact that Joe Stark's character development in turn greatly impacted Janie's character development, as it was because of him that she faced strife and adversity in the face of accomplishing her dreams of being an independent and free woman.

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The moment that stood out as the most impactful to me in the novel is Janie's realization that Joe Starks was not the man she envisioned herself to be with. Throughout the novel, Janie experienced specific realizations or "awakenings", and one of the most significant was when Janie's bubbling emotions spilled over and she unleashed her anger at her husband, Joe. She had done what was in his eyes a capital sin; she dared oppose him and even embarrassed him in public. It was a massive turning point in the novel as Janie's character had finally begun coming full circle. It was the point where Janie finally realized what she really wanted in life, and how she could indeed be independent. Such a pivotal moment in the novel was no doubt to me the most impactful, as it is the embodiment of Janie's deep character development and strive to independence and self-fulfillment.

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In the novel, I found the most powerful theme to be the cyclical nature of pain and oppression. This was displayed in the social hierarchy that governed all aspects of social dynamics and relationships and perpetuated this long with-standing cycle of suffering and acceptance of unjust social realities. Through issues such as colourism, the treatment of black men towards black women, as well as through Janie's grandma forcing her granddaughter into the very same gender roles and confinements that shattered her daughter powerfully captured the continual nature of discrimination, oppression and its normalization in society

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Manos
The themes that appear within the novel are all powerful individually but when used in combination with one another create great contrast between them, thus highlighting the importance of a good balance in one’s life. Some of the most prominent themes used were individuality, which was portrayed through Janie’s efforts to find herself without relying on surrounding individual’s influence and success but rather her personal needs and desires, and also the suppression of women in society during that time period, which can be seen through the struggles faced by Janie within her first couple marriages and the way she was expected to act as well as the way she treated. I felt like I was able to connect with Janie to a certain extent as in my life I am trying to accomplish things on my own through the means that I chose myself. I don’t like relying on others in a sense that the satisfaction acquired from personal efforts is much more rewarding than getting the results you want getting served on a platter for you. However, the theme of suppression of women in society isn’t as applicable to me, as I grew up in a family where equality was one of the first ethical lessons I was taught, and my parent’s actions are no different towards me compared to the way they treat my sister, or the way me and my sister treat our parents.

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the plot I was not expecting in the novel was the death of Tea Cakes. This gave the twist to the story as both Janie and his husband carried a genuine loving  relationship in comparison to Janie's previous experience with other relationships. The result of this death or rather Janies's decision to end his suffering created an atmosphere  among the audience of resilience, following several unfortunate events such as the storm and the deadly infection that Tea cakes suffered after a dog bit him. Which highlights how there are no boundaries set when it comes to the natural behaviour of human beings, as well as portraying the wicked side of the world. Truly it opened my eyes, and made me aware of how dangerous and deceitful our heart can be in shedding innocent blood.

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The theme that most resonated with myself was the uncontrollable nature of our existence, yet how the author conveys that this should not deter the personal quest for self fulfilment, individuality, and freedom.  Throughout the novel, Janie’s unhappiness most often stems from the choices made in life that are influenced by the motivations of others – including individuals, or society’s restrictive regulations, yet when Janie abandons her sense of attachment to these rulings or outright rejects them (eg. does not seek a suitor after Jody’s death despite society’s expression of necessity for a wife to be governed by a husband), she is able to find freedom of expression and individuality – ultimately leading to her fulfilment. This is mostly applicable to my own incessant search for a suitable identity that reflects my values and prioritizes my individuality - through perseverance in the face of adversity presented by outside sources. I hope to find comfort in the fact that I continuously try to build a fulfilling life for myself, one that doesn't rely on status or society's definition of success - but rather my personal goals that were the achieved to the best of my ability considering my circumstances, similarly to Janie.

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A moment that stood out to me most in the novel was Tea Cake's death, it was an incredibly jarring scene, as it was the death of the only man with whom Janie had a healthy, mutually loving and respectful relationship, and his death was a heart-shattering experience for Janie, who I had began to really connect with as the novel progressed. After having followed Janie and Tea Cake's heartwarming romance develop and growing fond of Tea Cake as highly endearing character in his devotion to Janie, the graphic, dehumanizing nature of Tea Cake's death, due to a cause that can be easily remedied by modern medicine today, was incredibly disturbing and upsetting. I sympathized deeply with Janie's pain of losing the man who she loved, and who loved and respected her unconditionally, and being forced to lose him in order to protect him from suffering even greater pain. Teacake's animosity towards Janie in his final moments, and her decision to shoot him to end his agony was one rooted in her undying love for him, heightening the emotional nature of this scene. I also feel that this scene highlights the feeble nature of a human life, which can be taken in an instant, despite the perceived complexity of our consciousness and the experiences we build.

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Manos
The moment when Janie had to kill Tea Cake due to the fact that after all the years of struggle and oppression she had finally found the man that allowed her to live her life the way she wanted, and taught her how to love someone and experience the more meaningful things in life. However, due to the unfortunate events of the storm and the sickness that Tea Cake suffered due to the biting from the dog, she had to make an extremely hard decision between choosing her own life or the life of the man she loved. This really impacted me because it made me realize that in life I will have to make decisions on important matters that will determine my life, and the time that I will be given could be very minimal compared to the importance of the situation.

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One of the most impactful and heartwarming moments throughout the novel when looking in hindsight was the first interaction between Janie and Tea Cake. Jody’s death marked the end of an era in Janie’s life where her individuality and autonomy were constantly subdued and silenced – not only by the man she married, but by the society which allowed it to continue. Tea Cake’s appearance occurred at a time where Janie’s freedom had been freshly rediscovered (symbolized by burning her headrags), yet this was the first occurrence where Janie had been introduced to a male figure which not only accepted her newfound identity, but encouraged its growth (eg. with reference to checkers, where both players are equal and able to make decisions for themselves to progress, symbolic of her relationship with him). As a reader, this independence that was so frustratingly denied to Janie throughout the majority of the novel, the independence that she so fervently desired internally but was not able to express, it was extremely impactful to see this desire finally accepted and inspired by another character.

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My initial response to the TEWWG fluctuated as I progressed throughout the storyline. Although not evident, subliminal implications approached me; it was quite simple to decipher and distinguish between them if enough attention was provided. The themes embodied by TEWWG conspired in unison to proliferate how Janie (the protagonist) was frequently conflicted with several arising adversities, not only because she was socially labeled to accommodate a low position on the hierarchy of racial categorization, but she was a woman (a recurring them that is representative of the exploitation of power at the expense of those subject to the receiving end --- the oppressed, the POC and women in Janie's society). From this, it can be inferred that the novel's themes interconnect to expose the sufferings of individuals imposed to encounter the effects of racial categorization and stereotypically constructed gender roles. These are recurring themes of the novel that tend to be constantly be manifested throughout the progression of TEWWG and are even subject to differentiate into more specific categories such as: how gender roles can affect an internal relation (character v.s. self --- internal conflict/struggle) or a potential external relation (character v.s. character/society/nature) and how both gender roles and “subconscious” racial categorization can affect the extent of freedom individuals are allegedly entitled to possess --- as it elicits a sentiment of solitary confinement to be societally labeled and positioned merely based off of gender and race. However, whenever the reader (myself) had a stimulating experience that revealed Janie encountering the effects practically imposed on her due to the color of her skin and gender, it was intriguing that she would look out into the horizon --- which appeared to serve as her personal coping mechanism whenever encountering those probable effects. At first, I noticed that I was perplexed by the complexities that constituted the significant implication of the horizon and its relation to the storyline's overall progression. However, when the novel was consistent with its reference to the horizon, I gradually reached its relevance. Although not evident, it was existent, as Janie practically had the entirety of her life predetermined by her grandmother (indicating that that was a fragment towards the sentiment of solitary confinement and pressure to abide and conform to the societal strain inflicted upon her). Also, because of her societal labeled and her position in the metaphorical hierarchy, the horizon provided her with an illusionary scope that exposes her to a realm of endless possibilities that she could have potential access to. The horizon, her metaphorical escape route, enabled her to imagine another life besides her own, a life that she was more willing to abide and conform to. Ultimately, whenever Janie's reality was undesirable and ironically too unrealistic to be real, she would find herself looking out into the horizon dreaming a fantasy she yearns to transform into her reality.

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At first, it was quite a challenge to read Hurston's use of authentic heard speech, as I can honestly admit to never reading a novel that facilitated that extent and form of complex dialogue. Personally, I noticed myself attempting to decipher the meaning behind individual words rather than the meaning of the context the words were used in, which was disadvantaging as it occupied the majority of my attention --- directing my attention away from the contextual meaning. However, due to Hurston's use of authentic heard speech, TEWWG is not only destined to explore the themes of language and storytelling at the level of narrative content but also through the complexities of its form structurally integrated throughout the novel. There is an evident divide between the narrator's literary style and the dialect of the Black American South society used by Janie and the other characters associated with the society. This divide appears to challenge the read purposefully; therefore, indicating Hurston's pursuit to equalize these different forms of communication. Ultimately, Hurston can endow the black society that she seeks to portray in the novel with a literary voice (as a means of normalizing their "odd" differences in dialect), detaching them from being a subject to racial categorization.

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As a woman myself, there were several similarities and dissimilarities immediately interconnected between Janie and me. First and foremost, women are stereotypically labeled to be incentivized by the drive of feministic appeals (appeals concerning nurture and fundamental household occupations --- cooking and cleaning, for instance). Not to be a generalist, but on a universal scale, several cross-cultural women can arrive at a common middle ground that, at one point in their life, they, too, were expected to fulfill feministic appeals and depend on the men to fulfill their masculine appeals (providing life through monetary incentives). Specifically, Janie was transparent with the severity of her repression, as the readers were introduced to her grandmother predetermining her life's functional course. She was expected to fulfill her feministic appeals while simultaneously being confined in a household and vow marriage to a man that was expected to be the provider, fulfilling his masculine appeals. On both sides of the spectrum (from a feminine and masculine perspective), there is a representation of the thematic exploitation of power at the expense of stereotypical gender roles that pressurize and subjugate both genders from living a life considered to be personally meaningful to them (hence the reason Janie chooses to cope through her metaphorical escape route --- the horizon). Fortunately for me, I am privileged to the exposure of more promising opportunities than Janie; but, there are occasional instances where my parents disapprove of my affiliation in certain situations compared to my brother solely because of my gender identity. With that said, in the foreseeable future, I could experience more potential, frequent instances where I am not approved to affiliate myself in certain situational experiences because of my gender identity. Ultimately, no individual should feel the sentiment of being disadvantaged because of their obstinate gender identity. However, Janie was consciously aware of her gender-related disadvantage, highlighting the reason for her metaphorical visit to the horizon --- where she fantasized an imaginary life more suited to her personal interests and passions (however, she was too confined/constricted from ever pursuing those interests and passions in the realities of her life).

On a larger scale, the Arab culture and the one presented in TEWWG are insanely similar, as women are encountered with several adversities: the entitlement to receiving an education, exploring a career or hobby-related opportunities, and leading a life of explicit freedom (not the one where there are strings attached that involve a certain extent of being restricted in minor situational experiences).

Ultimately, being a female positively correlates with a sentiment of concern for several individuals (dependent on familial relations or culture-related beliefs/customs; it has the immediate power to limit the opportunities one is subject to, prohibiting one to lead a life of chosen experiences, and instead lead a life of predetermined experiences, causing subtle deceit to manifest itself in external relations. Without a doubt, stereotypical gender roles differ from person to person or across cultures, but it is universal.

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The most powerful theme of TEWWG is the exploitation of race and how that, in turn, oppressed those subject to the effects (representing a positive cause-and-effect relationship) and forced to deal with being socially labeled and positioned in a racial-based category. In the novel, it was apparent that an individual's race was in respect to their social identification, depicting the entire functionality of their life and hierarchical social ranking. It was interesting to observe Janie from an onlooker standpoint, recognizing the unconscious obsession the townspeople felt for her while simultaneously mistreating her with the permanent identity of being a member or directly associated with the POC community. It appeared as everyone was resistant towards uniting as one society, as they depended on the racial, structural classification of these categories as a superficial approach to leading a life that ensures all access and entitlement to power remains forever available.

As a proud member who is directly associated with the Palestinian community, TEWWG parallels the current, ongoing conflict happening with the land's occupiers. When I had the opportunity to visit Palestine, I felt the sentiment of being an individual subject to oppression. It was a form of social labeling and positioning into a hierarchical category, in the sense that if one shares a direct affiliation with a specific area, higher powers of authority (the ones "responsibly" in charge) are inclined to radically exploit their power at the expense of those affected by this exploitation - in most circumstances the oppressed (Palestinians, in this case).

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I was able to recognize and understand Janie’s experience of enduring prejudice from both Blacks and Whites, as her biracial identity placed her in this strange in-between state. Although I am not biracial, colorism within the Black community is something I was exposed to from a young, and feeling as though I didn’t belong to certain groups was similar to how Janie was often rejected by her black friends in the trial concerning Tea Cake’s death. Growing up as a Black person in a predominantly white area in the United States, I was able to relate to Janie’s experiences with racism in post-Slavery America. With respect to Janie’s self discovery, I relate to her yearning for independence and spiritual enlightenment, especially as a woman who never felt that she had full control over herself from a young age.

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I was able to recognize and understand Janie’s experience of enduring prejudice from both Blacks and Whites, as her biracial identity placed her in this strange in-between state. Although I am not biracial, colorism within the Black community is something I was exposed to from a young, and feeling as though I didn’t belong to certain groups was similar to how Janie was often rejected by her black friends in the trial concerning Tea Cake’s death. Growing up as a Black person in a predominantly white area in the United States, I was able to relate to Janie’s experiences with racism in post-Slavery America. With respect to Janie’s self discovery, I relate to her yearning for independence and spiritual enlightenment, especially as a woman who never felt that she had full control over herself from a young age. 

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I consider the theme of the adverse effects and trauma that arose as a result of Black persecution, during the post-Slavery era in America. The novel achieves an authentic depiction of Southern life during these times by examining the internalized racism and colorism that developed in these seemingly tight-knit communities due to the recurring stigma of White supremacy that inhibited a universal perspective of complete equality. This generated a sense of self hatred in members of the oppressed minority, which is reflected on certain characters, such as Mrs. Turner, as well as interactions Janie has with other Black folk. This can be applied to me personally, as I am able to recognize feelings or actions of internalized prejudice that some members of certain minority groups may have, and I can use these as opportunities to spark discussion on the topic to help eradicate forms of self hatred.

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The Unfortunate Death of Tea Cake.
Tea Cake functions as the incentive for Janie to transform her longed dreams envisioned from the metaphorical escape route of looking out to the horizon into a reality. He is one of the only romanticized relationships in Janie's life that supports her rather than subjects her to abiding or conforming to her predetermined life arranged by her grandmother. With that said, Tea Cake accelerates Janie's self-appreciation and prides her in herself, helping her to escape from the "solitary confinement" imposed on her and exposes her to something she has never had the opportunity of experiencing --- freedom. Tea Cake and Janie shared a two-sided relationship that proved itself to be free of limits and full of endless opportunities. Janie considers Tea Cake to be prolifically developed and vivacious, compared to Jody Stark, he enforces open conversations with Janie rather than continually stifling her, he encourages her. While Tea Cake is a vital character towards the development of Janie's character, he is not an indispensable part of her life, this is most accurately represented when Janie chooses to shoot Tea Cake. Tea Cake was the one who taught Janie how to shoot a gun, ironically, providing her with the tools necessary that can kill the realistically insignificant counterparts in her life (not literally, but metaphorically). Janie's decision to save herself rather than yield her life to Tea Cake, emphasizes her developed sense of self-appreciation and pride within herself. Furthermore, demonstrating that regardless of Tea Cake performing an essential role in the development of Janie's life, it is not as if she is dependent on Tea Cake for finding her horizon, but he merely supports her throughout her quest (portrays the recurring theme of a character in TEWWG discovering their sense of self-independence --- freedom).