Tea Cake serves as the incentive for Janie to transform her life-long dreams, which were envisioned from the metaphorical escape route --- the horizon --- into a reality. He is one of the only romanticized relationships in Janie's life that promises unconditional support; instead of subjecting her to abide by and conform to the predetermined life arranged by her grandmother, Nanny. Although Tea Cake is an influential character towards Janie's character development, he is not an indispensable part of her life; this is most accurately represented when Janie chooses to shoot Tea Cake. Ironically, Tea Cake taught Janie how to shoot a gun, explicitly providing her with the tools necessary to "kill" any other 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 pride and self-appreciation. 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 entirely dependent on Tea Cake for finding her horizon. However, he merely supports her throughout her quest to find her horizon (portrays the recurring theme of a character in TEWWG, discovering a sense of self-independence --- freedom).

Everything in Janie’s life from her birth up to the end of her marriage to Logan Killicks can be considered part of her character’s “normal world”. While she is with Logan, Janie comes to one of her important realizations - and that is that marriage does not automatically lead to love, as her grandmother had falsely led her to believe. Janie realizes that she does not and will never love Logan, and when she meets Joe, an opportunity arises. Similarly to after Joe’s death, Hurston re-establishes the central theme of love when introducing Joe, a man  who promises Janie to give her more from life. By running away with Joe, and committing to a life with him, she is crossing a threshold and entering a new world she has never experienced. Janie’s transition from normalcy to the special world is represented by this. Janie’s decision to cross the threshold can be related back to the dynamic between Janie and Logan, and the fact that Janie realized that she doesn't love Logan and would always be unhappy with him. These internal realizations are paired with an external factor, the introduction by Hurston of Joe, the shiny and appealing new character, who promises her more from life - and thus Janie’s taking up of this offer can be seen as her crossing the threshold.

Janie channels a prominent sentiment of jealousy after noticing Nunkie flirting with Tea Cake in the fields and is afraid of the slightest possibility that Janie might lose Tea Cake. Furthermore, this prominent sentiment of jealousy causes Janie to provoke an argumentative fight with Tea Cake, serving to remind her of his deep admiration and affection for her (providing Janie reassurance). The incident with Nunkie exposes how Janie demands absolute monogamy with Tea Cake; because he wholly possesses her, but that possession is not reciprocated for him due to the interference of Nunkie. After their fight, the two reconcile through the expression of their bodies; however, Janie remains to depend on the reassurance of speech. Despite the physical connection that is reciprocated and shared between Janie and Tea Cake, Janie insists that Tea Cake admittedly and directly states that he does not love Nunkie and that Janie has exclusive possession over him.

Mrs. Turner (appears as a representative of the majority of the white community, as she socially shares direct association) has an egotistical sense of pride within herself, and she is consciously prejudiced. She parades her Caucasian features, intentionally condescending to those that possess prominent features that shape an African appearance. Mrs. Turner accepts Janie because of her light skin and physical beauty, maliciously believing that Janie is more superior to other African Americans due to the distinct difference of her lighter skin. Furthermore, she maliciously believes that heaven is entirely composed of those that are "straight-haired, thin-lipped, high-nose boned white seraphs." With that said, it is self-evident that Mrs. Turner is racist towards black individuals, as she regards the whites to be "gods" and the blacks to be "accustomed to worshipping their gods." Therefore, revealing how Mrs. Turner tends to avoid Tea Cake's presence and disapproves of his marriage to Janie. She disdains his skin (she contempts the general black community; although, she has a divided association with the black community) while simultaneously attempting to match Janie with her lighter-skinned brother (demonstrating how Mrs. Turner is mixed herself). Ultimately, Mrs. Turner represents the animosity and delusion derived from idolizing physical features and how this intense sense of devotion transforms ordinary people into either "gods to worship" or "fiends to demonize."

Hurston uses dialogue as a way to contrast Janie's inner growth throughout her journey ‘on the road back’ in the novel. For instance, silence is used as a powerful tool to show strength rather than passivity in Janie's voice during the time of the trial. Janie’s development of her voice is inseparable from her inner growth. This enhances the theme of maturity as Janie’s voice finally becomes independent and powerful on the road back. 

Hurston uses dialogue as a way to contrast Janie's inner growth throughout her journey ‘on the road back’ in the novel. For instance, silence is used as a powerful tool to show strength rather than passivity in Janie's voice during the time of the trial. Janie’s development of her voice is inseparable from her inner growth. This enhances the theme of maturity as Janie’s voice finally becomes independent and powerful on the road back.