What do you make of Biff and Happy? Are they reliable characters? Are they happy?
When I first read that Biff and Happy were 30 years old and still living at home, I was in awe. I thought that they both cared about each other very much. Biff and Happy are brothers who both live in the upstairs of their parents house. Happy has a job but Biff does not. Biff was insecure about his job, which was working at the ranch. I don't think that Biff and Happy are deep down truly happy. Happy has a good job and is content with it but feels alone because he doesn't have anything other than his job. Biff is unhappy because he decided he didn't want to work on the ranch any longer. I don't think that Biff and Happy are reliable characters because they are so insecure about what they want with there lives that they could easily change.
Chapter 19 - End
Through out the entire book, Janie is quick to talk; however, she says almost nothing during the trial. Why?
Janie struggled to find her place in life because it was very hard to find true love. With Jody and Logan they just wanted things for themselves and didn't treat Janie properly. When Janie was on trail for Tea Cake's death, she didn't talk much. I think that she didn't talk much because she was afraid that he was gone. He was her one love that she truly loved for who he was and not just because her grandma told her to love someone. Janie talked quite often around Tea Cake because she was comfortable around him. She didn't have anything to say because the one who she talked to was gone.
Janie struggled to find her place in life because it was very hard to find true love. With Jody and Logan they just wanted things for themselves and didn't treat Janie properly. When Janie was on trail for Tea Cake's death, she didn't talk much. I think that she didn't talk much because she was afraid that he was gone. He was her one love that she truly loved for who he was and not just because her grandma told her to love someone. Janie talked quite often around Tea Cake because she was comfortable around him. She didn't have anything to say because the one who she talked to was gone.
Chapter 18
Chapter 18 contains the line the title comes from – “their eyes were watching God.” Explain what the line means in the context it appears.
On page 159, Hurston says,"ah'm glad y'all stop that crap-shooting' even if it wasn't for money, Janie said, Ole Massa is doin' His work now. Us oughta keep quiet." I believe that this is saying that God is in charge of the hurricane. In that quote Ole Massa is God. It this chapter God is mentioned in many ways. When Janie and Tea Cake were talking it seemed that they looking at each other but really "their eyes were watching god." God is the one who is controlling the storm, it is all in his hands. Everyone was questioning God because it was all his decision.
On page 159, Hurston says,"ah'm glad y'all stop that crap-shooting' even if it wasn't for money, Janie said, Ole Massa is doin' His work now. Us oughta keep quiet." I believe that this is saying that God is in charge of the hurricane. In that quote Ole Massa is God. It this chapter God is mentioned in many ways. When Janie and Tea Cake were talking it seemed that they looking at each other but really "their eyes were watching god." God is the one who is controlling the storm, it is all in his hands. Everyone was questioning God because it was all his decision.
Chapter 13-15
When they arrive in the Everglades, Janie is quick to work beside Tea Cake on the muck. How does this compare to the way she worked with Logan and Jody?
When Janie went to the Everglades with Tea Cake she quickly got to start helping him out. This was surprising because Logan never let Janie touch anything and would even get jealous if Janie could do something better than he could. Tea Cake isn't like Logan. If Janie could do something better than Logan could, He wouldn't care. Logan would accept all things about Janie. Tea Cake is allowing Janie to become who SHE wants. Logan always wanted her to work in the house or sit on the porch. Logan would allow her to do anything she wanted to do, even if it meant to do things outside. I think that the fact that Janie and Tea Cake went to the Everglades is symbolic. I believe it is symbolizing the outdoors that Jody never allowed Janie to be in. The fact that Tea Cake is with her and allowing her to be outdoors at the Everglades is showing that he is letting Janie become her own person unlike Logan and Jody.
When Janie went to the Everglades with Tea Cake she quickly got to start helping him out. This was surprising because Logan never let Janie touch anything and would even get jealous if Janie could do something better than he could. Tea Cake isn't like Logan. If Janie could do something better than Logan could, He wouldn't care. Logan would accept all things about Janie. Tea Cake is allowing Janie to become who SHE wants. Logan always wanted her to work in the house or sit on the porch. Logan would allow her to do anything she wanted to do, even if it meant to do things outside. I think that the fact that Janie and Tea Cake went to the Everglades is symbolic. I believe it is symbolizing the outdoors that Jody never allowed Janie to be in. The fact that Tea Cake is with her and allowing her to be outdoors at the Everglades is showing that he is letting Janie become her own person unlike Logan and Jody.
Chapters 7-9
In Chapter 9, Janie talks about how the angels grew jealous of man and chopped up and covered him in mud. How does this parable relate to Janie’s own experience?
Janie felt that her true self had been swallowed up by Jody. She felt that she had lost her freedom and was not being true beliefs as a strong women. She found she did not mind her lonesomeness and that she was finding her freedom. The angels were jealous of men just like people were jealous of Janie because of her husbands job, her independence, and her ability to befriend everyone in the town. While Janie's external self is weeping, her inside wants to be free, go back to the porch, and forget Mrs. Mayor.
Janie felt that her true self had been swallowed up by Jody. She felt that she had lost her freedom and was not being true beliefs as a strong women. She found she did not mind her lonesomeness and that she was finding her freedom. The angels were jealous of men just like people were jealous of Janie because of her husbands job, her independence, and her ability to befriend everyone in the town. While Janie's external self is weeping, her inside wants to be free, go back to the porch, and forget Mrs. Mayor.
Chapter 6
Jody makes Janie work inside the store and isn't allowed to sit outside the store with the townspeople. This upsets Janie because she wants to go outside and listen to the funny things the townspeople say even if she doesn't agree with what they are saying. One day the mule was found outside the store that Janie works in. The townspeople sitting on the porch of the store start to laugh, make fun of it, treat it with cruelty. Janie knew this wasn't nice of them, so she decided to tell them to stop. I think that Janie feels sympathy for the mule because everyone talks about the mule just like people talked about her. Janie doesn't think it is right for her to be treated the way that Jody is treating her and she doesn't think it is alright for people to treat the mule poorly. I believe that Janie cares for the mule so much because she knows how the mule feels. People treat the mule and Janie poorly.
Chapter 5
Jody's true personality is revealed in Eatonville. Explain why he is allowed to act the way he acts.
When Janie met Jody, she thought that he would be the one. I think Janie was so excited because she thought she would actually love a person that she married. In this chapter we find out that Jody doesn't have his priorities straight. He starts acting like a man who Janie never met. In the town of Eatonville, Jody is elected Mayor. I think that this is main problem because Jody thinks he is better than everyone now. Janie was asked to give a speech for the new town that Jody made, but Jody says no. He says that women aren't supposed to give speeches. Janie starts to see a different side of him and realizes that this is not the kind of love she is looking for. I believe that Jody can get away with this because he is the mayor. He has authority over Janie and people are afraid to stand up to him.
When Janie met Jody, she thought that he would be the one. I think Janie was so excited because she thought she would actually love a person that she married. In this chapter we find out that Jody doesn't have his priorities straight. He starts acting like a man who Janie never met. In the town of Eatonville, Jody is elected Mayor. I think that this is main problem because Jody thinks he is better than everyone now. Janie was asked to give a speech for the new town that Jody made, but Jody says no. He says that women aren't supposed to give speeches. Janie starts to see a different side of him and realizes that this is not the kind of love she is looking for. I believe that Jody can get away with this because he is the mayor. He has authority over Janie and people are afraid to stand up to him.
Chapter 3 and 4
Nature imagery comes up a lot in the first few chapters. Explain what you make of the last paragraph in Chapter. 4.
The last paragraph in the book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, says, "They sat on the boarding house porch and saw the sun plunge into the same crack in the earth from which the night emerged." I believe that this quote is saying that two things are happening at the same time. Janie just left her husband for a new man. She didn't think she deserved Logan and after meeting Joe she believed that she didn't deserve Logan even more. After analyzing this quote I believe that it shows that Janie's life will change. When they talk about the sun in this quote, I think it means that things are known, like Joe. The sun is good, calming, and bright. When talking about the dark, I think it symbolizes the evil and Logan. Both the sun and the dark happen in the same day, together. This means that Janie will experience darkness and sunlight.
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