Symbols
What does the dog symbolize?
The dog represents the negativity, hatred and blood shed in Janie’s life.
What is the context of this quote?
“‘How come you ruther sleep on uh pallet than tuh sleep in de bed wid me?’ Janie saw then that he had the gun in his hand that was hanging to his side. ‘Answer me when Ah speak.’”
Tea Cake had already been bitten by the rabid dog and was arguing with Janie about what the doctor had asked him to do (not sleep in the same bed as Janie). The argument overall shows how Tea Cake was affected by the dog bite and is irrational towards Janie at the end of the book.
Who is Janie?
The main character
what are Pennington colors?
Red, Black, and white
What does the hurricane represent?
The hurricane represents destruction and necessary pain in order to bring about change In janie’s life
Interpret the quote. What does it mean?
“She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman”
The quote means that Janie realized that unlike what Nanny said, you do not fall in love with someone after marriage if you haven’t already, and that with the knowledge, she has grown as a person and an old part of her died with that.
Why does Nanny have these expectations for Janie when it comes to a relationship?
Nanny was raped at a young age and had janie’s mother. She never got to experience love and being taken care of. She wanted Janie’s life to be different from hers.
What is Janie’s first husband‘s name?
Logan
What does Janie’s hair represent?
Her hair is a symbol of her resilience and her independence which she constantly has hidden.
What does Janie become by the end of the book? How does her relationships help her get there and come to a realization about love and marriage.
Janie becomes a grown, understanding, wise, and romantically fulfilled woman by the end of the book. The relationships that she was in taught her to understand her value and that marriage does not produce love by itself.
How does Tea Cake change from when he first met Janie to when they get married?
Teacake hits Janie and flirts with other people.
At what age did leafy give birth to Janie?
17
What does the tree Janie sat under represent?
The tree represents Janie’s innocence and youthful passion.
What does this quote mean?
“The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace. She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.”
The quote is said at the end of the book and Janie finally feels at peace with herself because she had figured out what love means to her and truly found it. The quote also uses the theme of the horizon, which signifies her dreams and how she finally could grasp it and cover herself comfortably with it.
Who is Mr. Turner?
Ms. Turner‘s brother and the boy Ms. Turner wants Janie to get together. He is dominated by his wife and saddened by the loss of his son.
What year was Pennington founded?
1838
What does the horizon represents?
the horizon represents possibilty and dreams. Janie‘s hopes and dreams. (Progressive change)
How is language used in the book and specifically by the characters to show the importance of it?
Hurston alternates between her narrating perspective and the dialogue between the characters. The way the characters speak showed how they saw each other, understood each other, and the common things that were traditional to that time period. The characters themselves individually contributed to this theme by the “implied voices” and language that they used, especially to further develop their character and show important interactions between each other.
Who Is Nunkie?
The girl who flirts with Teacake (chapter 15)
How do you spell Ms. Burke’s cat‘s name
Nyx