For many years this book has been a favorite of mine. Each time I read it, I find something new that I like about the book, and each time I read the book, I interpret the book a little differently. I suppose that because who I am at each moment I am reading the book is different than it was when the book was previously read. I think about the character of Janie and who she is throughout the story. Remember, she is telling the story after it has already happened to her dear friend Phoeby. I think about Janie's search for self and her search for her own voice. At the start of the novel she is under the care of her grandmother and then married off to Logan Killicks who her grandmother thinks will be a suitable match for Janie. In order to find her voice she must go on a journey both physically and spiritually.
She travels from her grandmother’s home to the “muck” and then back to Jody’s home in Eatonville to tell her story to her friend Phoeby.
Throughout her travels, she refers to the image of the blossoming pear tree, first mentioned on page ten. The end of Janie's journey with Tea Cake seems far removed from the image of this blossoming pear tree, but I can't help but think it really is that pear tree she has been dreaming of. The pear tree seems to be a symbol for freedom and expression and love. In the muck, Janie is allowed freedoms she had never previously held.
After reading the novel how do you view Janie's search for herself? Do you think that she has truly found her perfect love in the muck with Tea Cake? What does Tea Cake allow her to do that she had previously not been able to do? What about the relationship between Tea Cake and Janie surprised you?
The device of a flashback is used to tell Janie’s story. Remember that she is not telling the story as it is happening, but as it has already happened. Why might Hurston, the author, choose this type of narration to tell the story of Janie? Does this give Janie the role of guru (someone highly regarded for his/her wisdom who serves as a guide to others) because of her journey?
I look forward to hearing your responses - as always :)
Janie's search for herself was inspiring, the battles she had to fight to find love. However, the love she had with Tea Cake was after she had married others that had shown her nothing close to love. I think this tainted her idea of the pear tree blossoming image of love, and Tea Cake was the closest thing she found to it.
ReplyDeleteTea Cake also allows Janie to partake in any and all activities she wants, and he lets her use her voice.This is really what Janie seemed to want the most. Tea Cake and Janie's relationship was surprising, because they truly were equals. Their love was also real and not ever was there abuse.
Janie tells her story after it happened to allow the readers to see that regardless of everything she could still come back to her hometown and tell her story with understanding and confidence. Janie is a guru and her story inspires Pheoby to improve her own life and no longer settle.
I think that Janie's search to find herself was long but needed. Everyone changes over time, so it would take her a long time to find out who she really is therefore making her long journey necessary. I don't think that Janie found her perfect love with Tea Cake because I don't know if she even knew the difference between love and kindness. The thing that Tea Cake gave her that her other husbands didn't give her was freedom. Her other husbands were controlling and didn't let her do anything; whereas Tea Cake was more laid back and let her do more. The thing that surprised me the most about their relationship was their age difference, but I thought that it was necessary because in her previous marriages she was robbed of her younger years.
ReplyDeleteI think that the author choose a flashback because it allowed Janie to reflect upon her life. I think that Janie is a guru because she is telling Pheoby about her life and what she learned from it.
Janie's journey was long, but it was a lesson over time. With Jody, she wasn't ever really happy. She was confined to live the life of a doll. She wanted to live her life to the fullest, and with Tea Cake, was finally able to do. Her tale allowed Pheoby to really see what made Janie, Janie. It also showed her that living the life you want, isn't always easy, but the struggle to get there is worth the while.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the narrator used this style to tell the story because, it let Janie look over what all she had done, and to help Pheoby understand her a little more.
Janie is a guru because her journey taught her how to be herself and not regret her decisions.
Janies journey was very long but necessary. Her search and battle for love was very inspiring but like Kristina stated I think that Janies previous relationships clouded her idea of the pear blossoming tree and Tea Cake was the closest thing she could find.
ReplyDeleteTea Cake also gave Janie the freedom she needed in order to search for her "voice". This is very important to Janie and is a main cause, in my opinion, to why the relationship is strong.
I think that the flashback ways of the story is important because it allows Janie to review her past and teach Pheoby more which is what makes Janie a guru.
I think the Janie's search for herself was a long and difficult one, but well worth it in the end. She knew what she wanted in life and I'm glad she found it. Her first two relationships with Logan and Jody had nothing to do with love and freedom, the two things she'd always wanted. Her third relationship though was quite the opposite from the other two. I believe that Janie found what she was always looking for in Tea Cake. He gave her the love she sought out and the freedom to do anything she wished. This was all she ever wanted, it was absolutely perfect.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the way the book was written from a flashback. I think that it really allowed for an advice giving attitude. It gives Janie the ability to truly serve as a guide for those who want to follow their dreams. Through her journey, she showed that it's alright to want something and go after it, you can reach it.
The use of the flashback as a method of telling Janie's story adds a lot to the story. The use of a flashback causes the reader to say Janie as a much wiser person because she has dealt with many different experiences, and is sharing and reflecting on those experiences, rather than dealing with them in real time and simply reacting to her actions.
ReplyDeleteThe book begins with Janie telling her best friend Pheoby, about what has happened in the years since she left Eatonville, along with reflections of her childhood. Hurston narrates with a third person view point, and this allows us the readers to experience Janie's problems or conflicts on her journey. This also allows Janie to reflect and be a guru with life lessons to share phoeby about her journey
ReplyDeleteI thought what Janie did on her journey was inspirational, not to mention a hard thing to do. She at first took the advice of someone old, wise, and trusted. But it didn't really make her happy. I found that surprising, since many stories seem to conclude that the young should ignore their wild urges and listen to the advice of the old, or else they won't end up happy. The reminder that older generations weren't necessarily perfect is refreshing. I think Tea Cake was the perfect match for her. (Despite myself not trusting him at first) The first husband expected her to act like a 'man' and to work rather than play or be loved. She found she wanted more respect than that. The second expected her to be a 'woman' and stay idle and not think. Tea Cake was different in that he expected her to be herself. That's all he wanted, just her, and he loved her the way she was. The author did a great job getting across the distrust she had for him at first, so much so that I felt it strongly, too. Yet soon I too came to love the character of Tea Cake. He may have been odd, poor, and low-class, but he treated her well and he made her life one filled with love and laughs. I would love to learn from Jamie's adventure if I ever found myself in a situation like that. I tend to think a bad marriage would spell the end to happiness. Yet here Janie proved that you have to keep trying until you find someone that makes you truly happy. That's a great kind of moral.
ReplyDeleteThe author's use of flashback as a way of storytelling was very effective. For one it allowed the reader to experience the dialogue between the characters. The way they speak sets up the place and time in which the story occurred.(It also gives the readers a chance to get used to reading something so ridden with grammatical errors) They way it began with the women insulting Janie about the way she wore her hair and clothes made little sense at the time, but by the end of the book it becomes a powerful statement. At the end we can see why she can ignore their jeers. Tea Cake has taught her to love being herself. Using this flashback method, one can re-read the beginning and perceive whole new meanings to what Jaine and the women meant. It also does kind of set Janie up as a guru. The reader feels a lot like the women Janie is telling the story to. We are hearing her whole story for the first time. Though unlike the women, we have the youth to learn from her mistakes and live a little happier.
ReplyDeletejanie is and inspiration, if anything her story and journey teach us never to give up. even though road is tough, in the end with a little perseverence its worth it in the end.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone needs a "Tea Cake" in their life. though as Christine said, i didnt quite trust him either, its good to have someone point you in the right direction and help you in your life. and also as Christine said, i find it funny about her point of view on taking advice from someone younger, instead of the "old and wise"
ReplyDeleteI always like to see stories or movies that have flashbacks in them. I just feel as if you get more storyline that way. It was iffy to understand at the beginning but by the end of the story I could tell what Janie and the women were talking about. We can portray Janie as a more suffisticated person because we see what all she had been through. When you get into the book, it feels like you are one of the people that is being told the story. It adds to the suspense of the book and that's what I like, suspense.
ReplyDeleteThe flashback adds a bias, in a way, to the story. I think it helps to show foreshadowing in the story. It also helps you to see a better view of what Janie had to go through, and how her life had been affected.
ReplyDeleteI do truly believe that Janie did find her true love with Tea Cake. As Christine mentioned, he made her feel okay to be herself. Love isn't real if you can't be yourself. How could someone ever love you, if you weren't being "you" to begin with. The other men in Janie's life did not understand this concept, because all they wanted was to change her into someone they wanted. With Tea Cake, Janie could bring out her real self; therefore, allow herself to be loved.
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