Themes
Found Words
Facts and Such
What you meant by that...
Symbols & Motifs
100
Two of the three themes talked about in class.
What are Language (speech and silence), Power as a path to fullfillment and/or Spirituality (folklore and religion)?
100
Then Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and (languid).
What is weak or weakened?
100
What Janie does over the gatepost that has Nanny pushing her into a marriage.
What is kissing Johnny Taylor?
100
When Janie asks Logan what he would do if she left him, what she really meant was this.
What is did he love/value/respect/need her? (Multiple right answers are possible.)
100
This represents Janie's personal power and independence.
What is Janie's hair?
200
In works of literature, these are used to support and explain Themes.
What are motifs?
200
He says he never mean to lay de weight uh his hand on me in (malice).
What is anger?
200
The slave owner of Nanny, Marsa Robert.
Who is Janie's grandfather?
200
When one of the townfolk says of Joe that, “He got a throne in de seat uh his pants,” what he really means is this.
What is that Joe doesn't need the outward trappings of authority, he was born with it. (Multiple correct versions of this answer are acceptable.)
200
These represent the search for self knowledge and realization, right from the very first page.
What are "eyes?"
300
Joe Starks arrives in Eatonville and immediately asks who the mayor is, foreshadowing his own intention to run the town, giving us a perfect example of this theme.
What is Power and Conquest as a Means to fullfillment?
300
The vision of Logan Killicks was (desecrating) the pear tree, but Janie didn't know how to tell Nanny that.
What is violating?
300
Janie uses this sweet stuff to flavor the water she shares with Joe.
What is syrup?
300
On his deathbed, Janie tells Joe, "Ah run off tuh keep house wid you in uh wonderful way. But you wasn't satisfied wid me de way Ah was." What she meant was this.
What is they could have had a wonderful relationship, but he spent all his time trying to change her instead of accepting her for who she was. (answers may vary somewhat.)
300
This represents mystery and possibility, all in the distance.
What is the horizon?
400
When Tea Cake first meets Janie, the spend a lot of time in conversation, which Janie finds engaging and attractive, an excellent example of the talkative side of this theme.
What is Language (speech and silence).
400
Nanny sent Janie along with a stern (mien), but she dwindled all the rest of the day as she worked.
What is appearance?
400
Joe purchases this symbol of city sophistication and modernity from the Sears Catalog.
What is a street light?
400
When Janie reflect that, "Nanny had taken the biggest thing God ever made, the horizon - for no matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you - and pinched it in to such a little bit of a thing that she could tie it about her granddaughter's neck..." what she meant was this.
What is Nanny only saw a very narrow field of possibility, and she wanted Janie to accept that tiny view of the horizon and live in it, even if it hurt her to do so. (Answers may vary)
400
Both a representation of the power of nature and of Janie's connection to nature, this gets around a lot for something rooted in place.
What is the pear tree?
500
Though she hates it, Janie consents to wear a head rag, hiding her hair, in the store. In doing so she chooses the love side of this theme.
What is Relationship vs. Independence?
500
She bolted upright and peered out of the window and saw Johnny Taylor (lacerating) her Janie with a kiss.
What is ruining?
500
Joe's is fancy brass, but Janie's is white porcelain painted with flowers. It seems an odd thing to spit in.
What is a spittoon?
500
When Janies says to Pheoby, "Let 'em say whut dey wants tuh, Pheoby. To my thinking' mourning oughtn't tuh last no longer'n grief," what she means is this.
What is that you shouldn't pretend to grieve just to please society. (Answers may vary somewhat.)
500
A display of the destructive, rather than constructive, power of nature.
What is the hurricane?
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