As some women are silenced, others preserver to gain an independent and influential voice. Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel that shows the journey of Janie Crawford from a girl to a woman. In a time of patriarchy women are often silenced of their opinion and are controlled by a man’s fist. Janie Crawford attempts to break the precedent of society that men dominate. Throughout the novel the readers can see Janie’s progression in acquiring a voice and controlling it. While restrictions are placed on Janie’s thoughts and opinions due to the fact that she is a woman, she slowly acquires a strong voice and learns to use it, which allows her to stand up for herself to others who assume a greater authority over her based on their gender.
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Jody constantly belittles Janie into thinking she is just the wife of a powerful man. When Jody is elected mayor the townspeople want to hear Janie give a speech, but Jody does not let her for she does not “know nothin’” about making speeches, “her place in in” the home (Hurston, 43). Jody also makes Janie wear head-rags so that her hair is not shown “in the store”; he demands that her hair is covered out of jealousy (55). Jody forbids Janie “to indulge” in conversation with “such trashy people” on the porch, his social status must be maintained by controlling his wife’s social affairs (53, 54). Janie learns from running away from Logan that she must assert herself to get the respect and equality that she deserves as a woman. Janie is fed up with being silenced so she finally expresses herself in a way that robs Logan “of his illusion or irresistible maleness that all men cherish” (79). After Janie stands up to Jody, she “let[s] down her plentiful hair” and acknowledges that “the young girl [is] gone, but a handsome woman [has] taken her place” (87). Janie discovers that the “proper application of verbal surprises can achieve” the respect she is looking for as a woman (Haurykiewicz, 3). Janie finally obtains the courage to defend herself against Jody’s unfair rule and restraints. Although Janie …show more content…
Tea Cake asserts his dominance over Janie with violence. Out of jealousy Tea Cake slaps Janie, the ability to physically dominate her reassures “him in possession” of her (Hurston, 147). Tea Cake also does not want Janie to think that she has more “influence” than he does, he wants the marriage they have to be one of equality. Despite Tea Cake beating Janie, he encourages her to express herself. The beating allows Janie to express her strength through silence. To show her control in her relationship, Janie never raises “her hand” to “hit [Tea Cake] back (147). Tea Cake allows Janie to “listen and laugh and even talk some”, while she did not “even holler” when he hit her (134, 148). Now that Janie “is in a give-and-take relationship” she “experiences the freedom of speaking her mind” in this marriage that is based on equality (Haurykiewicz, 8). Although Tea Cake uses violence to show his dominance, he gives Janie the ability to speak when she wants to. Through each relationship that Janie has, she develops into a woman that can respond to unjust treatment with an independent
As …show more content…
Jody constantly belittles Janie into thinking she is just the wife of a powerful man. When Jody is elected mayor the townspeople want to hear Janie give a speech, but Jody does not let her for she does not “know nothin’” about making speeches, “her place in in” the home (Hurston, 43). Jody also makes Janie wear head-rags so that her hair is not shown “in the store”; he demands that her hair is covered out of jealousy (55). Jody forbids Janie “to indulge” in conversation with “such trashy people” on the porch, his social status must be maintained by controlling his wife’s social affairs (53, 54). Janie learns from running away from Logan that she must assert herself to get the respect and equality that she deserves as a woman. Janie is fed up with being silenced so she finally expresses herself in a way that robs Logan “of his illusion or irresistible maleness that all men cherish” (79). After Janie stands up to Jody, she “let[s] down her plentiful hair” and acknowledges that “the young girl [is] gone, but a handsome woman [has] taken her place” (87). Janie discovers that the “proper application of verbal surprises can achieve” the respect she is looking for as a woman (Haurykiewicz, 3). Janie finally obtains the courage to defend herself against Jody’s unfair rule and restraints. Although Janie …show more content…
Tea Cake asserts his dominance over Janie with violence. Out of jealousy Tea Cake slaps Janie, the ability to physically dominate her reassures “him in possession” of her (Hurston, 147). Tea Cake also does not want Janie to think that she has more “influence” than he does, he wants the marriage they have to be one of equality. Despite Tea Cake beating Janie, he encourages her to express herself. The beating allows Janie to express her strength through silence. To show her control in her relationship, Janie never raises “her hand” to “hit [Tea Cake] back (147). Tea Cake allows Janie to “listen and laugh and even talk some”, while she did not “even holler” when he hit her (134, 148). Now that Janie “is in a give-and-take relationship” she “experiences the freedom of speaking her mind” in this marriage that is based on equality (Haurykiewicz, 8). Although Tea Cake uses violence to show his dominance, he gives Janie the ability to speak when she wants to. Through each relationship that Janie has, she develops into a woman that can respond to unjust treatment with an independent