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1. Compare and contrast the illnesses and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake. What does each suggest about Janie and her respective relationship?

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1. Compare and contrast the illnesses and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake. What does each suggest about Janie and her respective relationship?

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The illness and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake are different because Joe’s death is a relief because she was escaping the life she never wanted, while Tea Cake's illness and death display Janie building a voice and standing up for herself. Throughout the novel, Joe and Janie's relationship starts as a new beginning for Janie through her process of reaching the horizon. Through this Journey, it’s shown that Janie starts to lose her voice. Joe is represented as a dominant figure who lives by social standards. When Joe begins to become sick, Janie starts to sympathize with him but then experiences consolation through his death. Jody thinks, “She was full of pity for the first time in years. Jody had been hard on her and others, but life had mishandled him too.” This quote shows that Jainie initially felt pain for Joe when he first died, but in the end, she realizes how their marriage was holding her back.

On the other hand, Tea Cake and Janie's relationship represents the “true love” Janie always aspired to have. Tea Cake's death represents Janie being able to act for herself and keep herself safe. In the scene where Tea Cake is shooting at Janie, and before Janie shoots Tea Cake, it states, “ No knowledge of fear nor rifles nor anything else was there.” This quote shows that Janie had developed the confidence to act for herself by shooting Tea Cake. Lastly, in both of Joe and Tea Cake's death Janie sympathized and felt remorse for both of them.

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1. Compare and contrast the illnesses and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake. What does each suggest about Janie and her respective relationship?

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1. Compare and contrast the illnesses and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake. What does each suggest about Janie and her respective relationship?

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The illnesses of Tea Cake and Joe suggest that Janie really loved Tea Cake and did not love Joe. Upon Joe’s death, Janie, “...starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see, and opened up the window and cried, “Come heah people! Jody is dead. Mah husband is gone from me” (87). Janie was not grieving and had to alter her appearance so that the community in Eatonville believed she was. On the other hand, when Tea Cake died, the moment is described as follows: “It was the meanest moment of eternity. A minute before she was just a scared human being fighting for its life. Now she was sacrificing herself with Tea Cake’s head in her lap. No hour is ever eternity, but it has its right to weep” (184). This description of Janie’s emotions shows the reader that she truly mourned Tea Cake, proving the discrepancy between her relationship with Joe and her relationship with Tea Cake. The difference between the illnesses of Joe and Tea Cake are that Joe died of kidney failure while Tea Cake died of rabies. Joe had a strong dominance over Janie throughout their relationship, but as he got sick, Joe became powerless and could not physically restrict Janie from speaking her truth. On the other hand, Tea Cake’s illness, rabies, gave him an irrational and crazy personality towards Janie which is completely opposite from how he usually acts towards Janie. Both Joe’s death and Tea Cake’s death were essential to Janie finding her identity. Joe’s death freed Janie from having to be silent and helped her see what type of a husband she wanted. Tea Cake’s death allowed Janie to reflect on her different relationships and realize all of the good things in her relationship with Tea Cake that she did not have with her other husbands.

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1. Compare and contrast the illnesses and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake. What does each suggest about Janie and her respective relationship?

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1. Compare and contrast the illnesses and deaths of Joe and Tea Cake. What does each suggest about Janie and her respective relationship?

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Demonstrating her unique attachment to Tea Cake, Joe’s death frees Janie while Tea Cake’s presence represents her self-realization and ability to express herself. After her death, she expresses happiness over her newfound freedom: “She was just basking in freedom for the most part without the need for thought.” (93) When Joe finally passes on, Janie quickly moves on and starts to enjoy the freedom of being without him. Janie can be seen soon after revealing the death of Joe to be “basking in freedom without the need for thought.”(93) In her conversation with Phoebe, Janie adds, “‘‘Tain’t dat Ah worries over Joe’s death, Pheoby. Ah jus’ loves dis freedom.’” (93) Therefore, Janie is more concerned with her ability to be her true self rather than any emotions she may feel over Joe’s death. On the other hand, Janie refuses to accept Tea Cake’s death, believing that his presence will always be metaphorically with her. As Hurston remarks, “He could never be dead until she had herself finished feeling and thinking.” (193) In other words, so long as Janie continues to exist, Tea Cake will always be with her. Her love is everlasting; he will “never be dead” until she dies (193). Furthermore, in this moment, Janie has realized her own self: “Here was peace…[and] so much of life in its meshes!” The phrase “life in its meshes” represents Janie’s true desires to make her own decisions as she pleases. Due to this freedom, she has finally found “peace” with herself and who she is (193). This opportunity appears many times throughout her relationship, whether it is through teaching her to play checkers or giving her the opportunity to learn how to hunt and defend herself. These memories pose a sharp contrast to how Janie felt about Joe’s death–a relief over being trapped from her ambitions by an abusive husband.

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2. Critics of Their Eyes Were Watching God argue that the trial scene derails Hurston’s message about Janie’s growth and self-realization because of its silencing of Janie’s voice (no dialogue). Do you think Janie loses power in this scene? Why or why not? What broader significance does your answer have in the novel? 

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2. Critics of Their Eyes Were Watching God argue that the trial scene derails Hurston’s message about Janie’s growth and self-realization because of its silencing of Janie’s voice (no dialogue). Do you think Janie loses power in this scene? Why or why not? What broader significance does your answer have in the novel? 

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Despite others’ attempts to silence her, Janie retains her power in the trial scene by refusing to relinquish her voice as a black woman. She comes up against the unfriendly forces of white people who cannot relate to her background, her struggles, or her life situation. In spite of this hostility, Janie fights against it. As Hurston describes, “First thing she had to remember was she was not at home. She was in the courthouse fighting something and it wasn’t death…It was worse than death. It was lying thoughts.” (187) The “fighting” here is not only Janie’s literal fighting in the courtroom, or even against the “lying thoughts,” but also her broader pushback white people in society who ignore her voice. The action represents a new level of freedom to speak for herself that Janie gains and has not had under the suppression of Joe. Janie decides to push back on these lies by telling the truth and her own story. To accomplish this goal, Janie shows her true love for Tea Cake: “[Janie]…let them know how she and Tea Cake had been with one another so they could see she could never shoot Tea Cake out of malice.” (187) In this passage, Janie clears up the truth by explaining how she had a genuine love for Tea Cake and her actions were not “out of malice.” (187) By emphasizing “how she and Tea Cake had been with one another,” she reaffirms their mutual love. By speaking out, she pushes back against the public’s narrative against her. This moment of the novel represents Janie’s realization of her own voice. Janie is truly speaking by herself. Her lawyer, Tea Cake, Joe, and nobody else in the room is there to speak for her, so Janie finally gets a platform to express her true thoughts and feelings.

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2. Critics of Their Eyes Were Watching God argue that the trial scene derails Hurston’s message about Janie’s growth and self-realization because of its silencing of Janie’s voice (no dialogue). Do you think Janie loses power in this scene? Why or why not? What broader significance does your answer have in the novel? 

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2. Critics of Their Eyes Were Watching God argue that the trial scene derails Hurston’s message about Janie’s growth and self-realization because of its silencing of Janie’s voice (no dialogue). Do you think Janie loses power in this scene? Why or why not? What broader significance does your answer have in the novel? 

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Janie's voice was not silenced during the trial scene, although some side characters were more prominent towards defending her side. During the last chapter of the book, Janie is brought to trial because of Tea Cake's death. The trial ruled Janie innocent in the end. Even though Janie’s voice was not projected, the act of her being innocent displays that Janie’s displays speak for her. At the start of chapter 20, it states, “Tea Cake had gone crazy. You can’t blame her for puhtectin’ herself.” This quote shows how others present during the trial are standing up for Janie, although the act of standing up does not mean that Janie's voice is being shunned away. We believe that the significance of this passage shows that Janie develops a voice but still can rely on others to help and support her.

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2. Critics of Their Eyes Were Watching God argue that the trial scene derails Hurston’s message about Janie’s growth and self-realization because of its silencing of Janie’s voice (no dialogue). Do you think Janie loses power in this scene? Why or why not? What broader significance does your answer have in the novel? 

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2. Critics of Their Eyes Were Watching God argue that the trial scene derails Hurston’s message about Janie’s growth and self-realization because of its silencing of Janie’s voice (no dialogue). Do you think Janie loses power in this scene? Why or why not? What broader significance does your answer have in the novel? 

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In the trial scene, Janie’s silence shows her voice was suppressed but not necessarily lost, furthering the idea of a hierarchy in which Black women are at the bottom. The jury in Janie’s trial was all white and male which emphasizes the superiority in a racial hierarchy. Hurston’s lack of dialogue from Janie in this part of the novel suggests that the white male jury imposed themselves on Janie.

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1. In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

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1. In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

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2. By the end of the novel, what has Janie discovered about herself, life, love, God? Find some examples of imagery that relates to these life lessons.

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2. By the end of the novel, what has Janie discovered about herself, life, love, God? Find some examples of imagery that relates to these life lessons.

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During the last chapter of the novel Janie discovers what true love really means and its connection to having a voice. Within the beginning of her relationship with Joe, Janie believed she was in love. However, after Joe beats her for burning dinner, Janie realizes that “she had no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man” (72). The description of Janie’s feelings with the lack of blossoms and pollen corresponds with the imagery of the pear tree representing  true love. Therefore revealing Janie’s realization that her and Joe’s relationship does not represent true love because she is unable to voice her thoughts or feelings. However, after Joe and Janie’s relationship ends, she meets TeaCake, her next husband, who she truly loves until his death at the end of the novel. Janie feels as though she can voice her thoughts to TeaCake and she is often treated as an equal within their relationship. This achieves Janie’s desire for true love, which is displayed when she is described pulling “her horizon like a great fishing net” and draping “it over her shoulder” (193). The use of the imagery of the horizon displays Janie’s dream to have true love throughout the novel. However, because she loved TeaCake and felt safe speaking her thoughts to him, Janie is finally able to decipher what true love really means. Within the end of the novel, Janie is finally able to understand what true love means with a correlation to being able to use her voice, as displayed by the imagery of the pear tree and the horizon.

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1. In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

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1. In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

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In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

Tea cake forced to bury bodies

White doctor willing to help

For much of life he has not experienced racism

Thinks his money will prevent him from being treated poorly

White people on Janies side

Black people Tea Cakes friends on his side.

Tea Cake's experiences with white people in his life led him to believe that his money would prevent him from being racially discriminated against. At the beginning of Chapter 19, Tea Cake experiences racism from two white men who force him to take part in burying the dead bodies. Tea Cake believes that if  “they saw he had money they would realize he was not a tramp.” (169) This quote shows Tea Cake's lack of interaction with white people, and how he has not really experienced racism throughout his life. The Red Cross officers did not care about Tea Cake's money, and threatened to use their guns on Tea Cake if he did not do as they say. Tea Cake had never experienced racism like what the officers did to him, which is why it caught him so off guard. Normally, his money would be enough for him to be treated with respect. For example, the white doctor “had been around so long that he was a part of the muck.” (175) Although the doctor was white, he still helped the black people, because they were paying him. The doctor needed Tea Cake’s money in order to continue living, thus altering how a different white person would treat Tea Cake. Tea Cake's perspective on how he would be treated by other white people outside of the muck did not represent reality, due to him being treated with respect for most of his life.

This relates to Janie’s trial of Tea Cake's death, when the court room was full of white and black people.

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2. By the end of the novel, what has Janie discovered about herself, life, love, God? Find some examples of imagery that relates to these life lessons.

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2. By the end of the novel, what has Janie discovered about herself, life, love, God? Find some examples of imagery that relates to these life lessons.

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By the end of the novel, Janie has discovered new things about herself, life, love, and God.

Towards the end of chapter 20, Janie’s inner monologue states, “He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking.” (193) This quote shows that Janie knows that closure will come eventually, but the love she had for Tea Cake will likely never subside. She knows that Tea Cake will never be fully dead, because she will always have him in the back of her mind. Janie is talking to Pheoby, who mentions the optimistic side of dea th. “They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ fuh theyselves.” (192) This helps Janie realize that dying creates new opportunities for both the living and the dead to explore life on their own. She knows that Tea Cake was not himself when she killed him, and is able to experience a whole new life with God. Janie now has complete freedom, and gets to live her life individually. Janie says to Pheoby, “Dis house ain’t so absent of things lak it used to be befo’ Tea Cake come along.” (191) Janie expresses how much Tea Cake changed her, and the house she once viewed as bare, she now viewed in a new light. It turned into something “full uh thoughts.’”(191)

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1. In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

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1. In a novel that centers Black people and communities, what is the effect of Hurston’s describing instances of racism in Chapter 19? How does the racism Tea Cake experiences relate to other moments in the chapter?

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In chapter 19, Hurston’s depiction of racism gives insight into characters like Teacake and compares his external struggles with Janie's internal struggles. This chapter's emphasis on, racism, mainly targeted toward Tea Cake, shows much about his character. It shows his resilience, determination, and pursuit of Janie.

An example of the discrimination he faces is when the white doctor almost gives up on him. He says, “He’s liable to suffer something awful before.” The doctor does not put much thought into this, and it's sort of clear. He orders some pills and is on his way. They can't get help from anyone, no matter how friendly the doctor is supposed to be. They don't have access to proper health care, and that shows an imbalance. A once vibrant Tea Cake is now dying in bed, and he can't get betting because of the discrimination he’s facing. I think Hurston is trying to show the impact that racism has on every single person in this book. The book also discusses class a lot, something that, at this point in age, is associated with color. Janie’s reaction to Tea Cake’s illness shows their resilience and genuine care for each other regardless of the racism they face. Aside from them, there is a general sense of racism by all; aside from the few colorists, the majority of the white people think less of the colored. When the awful hurricane hit, those of caucasian complexion were put in coffins where, as colored folk were simply buried with no thought to honor them like they did the white people with coffins. There is a clear separation of class and hierarchy in the world. We also see this in the passage we previously read about the storm. There is a separation between the two, and the whites are usually the ones who benefit from the said divide.

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2. By the end of the novel, what has Janie discovered about herself, life, love, God? Find some examples of imagery that relates to these life lessons.

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2. By the end of the novel, what has Janie discovered about herself, life, love, God? Find some examples of imagery that relates to these life lessons.

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By the end of the novel Janie discovers her own independence and confidence and becomes comfortable with the idea of being on her own. In chapter 20 Janie is speaking to Pheoby and says, “So Ah’m back home agin and Ah’m satisfied tuh be heah. Ah done been tuh de horizon and back and now Ah kin set heah in mah house and live by comparisons”(Hurston, 191). She is satisfied with how her life has turned out after trying to pursue her “horizon”. Throughout the novel, Janie has experienced love from many different perspectives. Janie states, “Love is lak de sea. It’s uh movin’ thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it’s different with every shore”(Hurston, 191). This quote can be compared to Janie’s life. With every new person she finds love with she becomes a new version of herself. Janie has experienced her many “shores” and ultimately finds Tea Cake, who she is the most happy with. Janie finds this love because she began listening to herself and what she wanted in life instead of the numerous influences. For example, Janie reveals that she does not like her grandmother nor agree with her insights for Janie. She begins to find her voice as the book goes on and gains independence along the way. God becomes a prominent topic towards the end of the book. Janie puts a lot of trust and faith into God and thinks that is important to carry with you throughout life. Janie says there's “two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ fuh theyselves” (Hurston, 192). These are the two most important ways of life according to Janie. This quote demonstrates the importance of God in her life and the extreme amount of trust she has in him. It also shows the importance of finding love in yourself and being satisfied with your own independence.