Their Eyes Were Watching God Test Review

Right off the bat, Zora zings us with some metaphors. What does she write that the dreams (or wishes) of men are?

They are like ships at a distance

What are the porch sitters compared to? Are the human or aren't they?

Mammal and yes they are human

The author makes a big deal about Janie's black "rope" of hair. Metaphorically, what is it supposed to stand for? How could it also stand for race?

It is something that is either holding her back or could even save her. Based upon her hair texture we can tell she is of mixed race

Hurston is careful to give us many of the particulars of Janie's life since she left this town. What do we know about her?

She traveled to the everglades for a year and a half with tea cake. Tea cake is younger than her.

Janie sees her life as a tree in leaf. How is that different from the image of life as a river?

She sees her life as a tree that grows and changes by the season rather than a river that is constantly moving in one direction.

Why does her grandmother marry her off to Killicks? Why might that be good thinking for the Grandmother?

She wants a better life for Janie and wants her to be taken care of

When Nanny calls herself a cracked plate, what does she mean?

She is old and has been through a lot. she is fragile

How does Janie's marriage change?

Logan stops spoiling her and begins to ask more of her. He starts to expect more of her and asks her to do labor

How does the metaphor of the tree affect it?

The tree is now in autumn in winter and dieing.

What attracts her to Joe Starks?

He dresses nice, nice, smart, and ambitious.

Is Logan a bad guy? What is bad about him?

Yes, he threatens Janie

How is Joe's character good for Janie? How might it be bad? What might he expect?

He fulfills her dreams in the sense that she marries someone she loves. He looks down on her and expects her to just look good.

How is Joe different from the rest of the town?

He is rich and ambitious. He wants to buy things for the town (ex: post office, street lamps, etc)

What rules did Jody have for Janie?

She had to hide her hair from other men because Joe would get jealous.

Is Janie selfish?

No, Janie is not selfish. She is not happy with her relationship and that is ok. She does not feel love in her relationship anymore.

What does Janie say that hurts Jody so badly? Why?

She says he looks like "de change uh life". After she says this, other men hear and Jody feels his reputation and power diminishing.

Why can't she leave?

She can not leave because she believes that she will not find refuge and thinks she has grown unattractive.

Why does Janie hate Nanny?

She doesn't like she taught and raised her to value wealth and status over following your dreams

What is the difference between mourning and grief?

Mourning is honoring someones death and the actions you take in remembrance of them. Grief is the actual sadness over someones death

How does Tea Cake endear himself to her?

He offers to play checkers with her which according most men women can't do

Chapter 12 starts in another voice. Whose?

The Towns People

Why does Phoeby argue for the funeral director?

Because he is rich and wants Janie to be in the same social circle. she doesn't want her to lower her standards

Is Janie Tea Cake's equal? Does she act that way?

No she is more educated than him and is in a higher social class. Janie acts as his equal but Teacake doesnt act as her equal

Do TeaCake and Janie have a strong relationship? What makes it so?

No because Janie cant trust Teacake

Does TeaCake treat her well?

He treats her well other than the fact that he takes advantage of her

What is different between the muck and Eatonville?

In Eatonville its all about social status and in the muck everyone is equal. The muck has a variety of diversity.

Is this a rape or not? Explain

No just because they were fighting at first then it turned into that doesnt make it rape. It was just passion.

Mrs. Turner is very clearly racist. How does Janie react to her?

Janie becomes friends with her until Tea Cake says he doesnt want her around anymore and Janie becomes cold and tries to distance herself from her

Why is she attracted to Janie?

She is a beautiful light skinned woman

TeaCake slaps Janie. How does she react to it?

She cried

Does this change the way you see TeaCake or Janie?

Tea Cake is jealous and insecure and Janie is weak for allowing him to hit her and not standing up for herself or leaving

How does the rest of the population react to the storm?

They evacuate

Why don't they leave?

They didnt think there would be a storm and bc he would lose wages

Describe the love Janie experiences and how her marriages end.

LOGAN- never wanted to be with him in the first place; left him for Jody

JODY- loved Jody, but she lost her love for him once he became dominant and controlling; died of Kidney failure TEACAKE- loved TeaCake; he was good to her almost all the time; he got rabies and tried to shoot Janie, but Janie shot him first; died

How does dialect affect the novel? Compare the narrator's speech and the characters' speech.

The dialect in the novel brings that characters alive, and we can imagine ourselves in their position. The narrator's speech is the proper american/english dialect where as the character's speech is their own dialect.

What are important, reoccurring symbols? Why are they important?

Hair- symbol of her power and unconventional identity; it represents her independence of the community standards the Hurricane- opposite of the pear tree- fury

Pear Tree- Janie's ideal views of nature; chases this ideal throughout the story; at the end she has achieved this horizon- harmony that she had sought since the beginning

Why is Mrs. Turner's devotion to Janie described in religious terms?

Mrs. Turner idolizes Janie. She idolizes her because she is beautiful and light skinned. In this case, she sees god as caucasians. She wants to be like Janie.

Discuss the significance of the title.

Janie always looked up to white people as a higher ability in the beginning of the novel. But, as the story continued Janie realized that she knows just as much as the white folks do and able to do the same things. She realizes that everyone, black and white, need keep their eyes on God

What are the themes of the novel?

racism, objectification, jealously, love, class