Hurston uses Janie to show how easy it is to judge one by appearance alone without knowing the full story. The porch sitters "sat in judgement" (1) commenting on her hair, "What dat ole forty year ole 'oman doin' wid her hair swingin' down her back lak some young gal?" and clothing, "The women took the faded shirt and muddy overalls and laid them away for remembrance" (2). Hurston shows that it is mainly women taking part in the judgement and gossip. While the men are more interested in staring and lusting after her "saving with the mind what they lost with the eye" (2). Hurston also shows Pheoby to be a good friend, sticking by Janie's side "The worst thinkg Ah ever knowed her to do was taking a few years offa her age and dat ain't never harmed nobody. Y'all makes me tired" (2).
I wonder why Hurston chose to show the distinct differences between men and women? I also wonder why she chose to have only one person stand up for Janie? Why didn't Janie have more friends?
Hurston shows us a lot about the character's personalities through imagery using body parts, mainly the mouth and eyes. After hearing laughter from "the big road" Janie makes fun of the porch sitters "Ah see Mouth-Almighty is still sittin' in de same place. And Ah reckon they got me up in they mouth now" (5). The reference of mouth reminds me of the common saying of being a big mouth today. "Mouth-Almighty" (5) makes the women talking sound loud, obnoxious and annoying. I think Janie's nickname for the women is fitting and gives us insight into a slightly playful personality. After getting laughed at, she can still make jokes.
Hurston starts out the first paragraph with a reference to eyes "the watcher turns his eyes away in resignation" (1). Within the first page that same word is repeated twice more. In each reference the eyes do not seem to be taking in anything "turns his eyes away", "the sodden dead, their eyes flung wide open in judgement", and "These sitters had been tongueless, earless, eyeless" (1).
I wonder why Hurston uses so many references to the mouth and eyes? Why does the mouth seem more relevant than the eyes?
When Janie begins her story to Pheoby, she starts in the very beginning. From the start it is clear that her nanny has a very clear view of what women's place in society should be "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see" (14). She believes that women are there to help the man, to do their work. She wants Janie to marry well so that she will not have to experience so much hard labor. Janie, however, believes that one should marry for love. When this is not possible, she believes that marriage will create love. When Janie learns "marriage did not make love" and because of that "she becomes a woman" (25). I believe Hurston put this in here to show that being a women includes many hardships and when you learn to accept them, that is when you truly grow up.
I wonder why Hurston chose nanny to have such a harsh view of women? Why must Janie go through a failed marriage to learn how to become a woman?
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