Characters
“Janie, if you think Ah aims to tole you off and make a dog outa you, youse wrong. Ah wants to make a wife outa you.”
Joe Starks
“Come help me move dis manure pile befo’ de sun gits hot. You don’t take a bit of interest in dis place. ‘Taint no use in foolin’ round in dat kitchen all day long.”
Logan Killicks
The woman who took Janie and Nanny in and is later friends with Nanny
Mrs. Washburn
Ah wants to want him sometimes. Ah don’t want him to do all de wantin’
Janie
What Logan wants Janie to do while he is in town
Seed potaters
Logan told Janie she could do this when the "honeymoon" period was over
bring in the wood
When Janie returns to Eatonville, these people gossip about her and give her a hard time behind her back.
Porchsitters
Ah ain’t said nothin’ ’cause dat wasn’t de way Ah placed you. Ah wanted yuh to school out and pick from a higher bush and a sweeter berry. But dat ain’t yo’ idea, Ah see.”
Nanny
What Logan is going to buy Janie when he is in town
A mule
These are two of the three symbols or motifs in the novel
Gate, Hair, Horizon
The amount of time it takes Janie to leave Logan
a year (an orange time, a green time and a bloom time)
The woman who voices discontent with Janie's rudeness about not saying hello
Pearl
“Ah see you is. Gal, you sho looks good. You looks like youse yo’ own daughter.” [...] “Even wid dem overhalls on, you shows yo’ womanhood.”
Phoeby
What Janie symbolically flings this into the bushes when she leaves Logan for Joe
Her apron
Janie says she has this much in the bank so people can keep her name out of their mouths
$900
What Janie was physically doing when she decided she was leaving Logan
Making breakfast