Symbols and Motifs
What did the hair wrap symbolize?
The control Jody exerted over Janie
What is Tea Cake's full name and what is his age gap with Janie?
Vergible Woods; 12 years
What does Janie's gun end up foreshadowing?
Her having to shoot a rabid Tea Cake
What order did Janie marry each man and for how long?
1st = Logan Killicks 1 year
2nd = Jody (Joe) Starks 20 years
3rd = Tea Cake (Vergible Woods) about 2 years
Nanny compares herself to a cracked plate. What does she mean by this?
This simile is meant to show that she is old (and broken) and close to the end of her use (life)
What does the pear tree represent?
To Janie, the pear tree represents love but also acts as her guide through life. When the tree is falling apart, she sees her life as the same.
Who does Tea Cake run out of town through a bar fight?
Mrs. Turner and her family
In the beginning of the novel, what does the line, "So the beginning of this was a woman and she had come back from burying the dead...She had come back from the sodden and the bloated; the sudden dead..." (Hurston 1) foreshadow? What type of foreshadowing is this?
This is partial foreshadowing of Tea Cake's death
Which of Janie's husbands plays an instrument? What instrument?
Tea Cake
What is "de angel wid de sword" a metaphor for?
How does the image of the black woman as “the mule of the world” become a symbol for the roles Janie chooses or refuses to play during her quest?
The image of the black woman as “the mule of the world” represents women who are expected to work hard and carry everyone else’s burdens. Janie sometimes takes on these roles, like when she works hard in her marriages, but she also refuses to stay stuck in them. Over time, she learns to assert herself, make her own choices, and follow her own dreams, showing that she won’t let society or men decide her life for her.
What was Janie's mother's name?
Leafy
What does Tea Cake teaching Janie the game of checkers symbolize?
the equality and playfulness of their marriage
After just two days of marriage, what does Tea Cake do that leads Janie to experience major shame and doubt?
Daily Double (600 points)
He steals her hidden $200 and throws a lavish party without her
What was Jody's "big voice" meant to represent vs. what it ended up representing according to Janie
Power, influence, & leadership vs. Control & dominance
What is the importance of the concept of horizon? How do Janie and each of her men widen her horizons?
The horizon represents the beginning and end of Janie's life story. Initially, her marriage to Logan left her with a small horizon (confined life with nothing), which slightly broadened with Jody (still confined but access to more experiences), and completely opens with Tea Cake (freedom and expression).
How did Nanny's past affect Janie's future? How was it ironic?
Due to the instability and hard work from being a slave, Nanny wanted safety and protection for Janie so that she would not end up in a similar situation. It was ironic because Janie's first two marriages forced her into servitude.
What does Jody's line to Janie "made to sit on the front porch and rock and fan yo'self," foreshadow about their upcoming relationship?
his desire to control her and keep her from being independent.
How does Janie feel about Jody’s death?
After Jody dies, Janie enjoys “being lonesome for a change.” She feels sorry for him and thinks about how life “mishandled” him, but she also feels free from the control of her marriage. Right after he dies, Janie takes off her kerchief and lets her hair down, showing that she can finally be herself again.
The thing made itself into pictures and hung around Janie’s bedside all night long. What is she referring to?
While waiting for Tea Cake, Janie worries that her relationship might end like another widow’s, which left the woman heartbroken, and she can’t stop thinking about it (like watching a movie)
What does the hurricane symbolize?
the destructive force of change as well as the destruction of her connection to the pear tree.
In what ways does Janie fit or break the roles that men expect women to have?
At first, she conforms by trying to please the men in her life—especially Logan and Joe—by being obedient and quiet. They expect her to work hard, look pretty, and stay in her place. However, as Janie grows, she begins to break those expectations. She challenges Joe’s control by speaking up for herself in public, and later, with Tea Cake, she finds a relationship built more on equality and love. By the end of the novel, Janie fully rejects society’s idea that women should live only to serve men; instead, she defines her own voice and independence.
What does the "uncomfortable wagon" that she and Logan ride in after their marriage foreshadow?
The emptiness of her marriage to Logan and her discomfort in being near him.
How does Janie decide when to use her voice and when to stay silent?
Janie speaks up when she needs to assert herself or protect her freedom, and stays quiet when speaking would put her under someone’s control.
What do the names of Janie’s husbands – Logan Killicks, Jody Starks, Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods – tell us about their characters and their relationships with Janie?
Logan Killicks sounds stiff and serious, which matches how he expects Janie to work hard and follow his rules. Logan "kills" the pear tree for Janie.
Jody Starks has a strong, commanding sound, showing his pride and desire to control Janie and others. Stark literally means severe or harsh.
Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods sounds friendly and playful, which fits his kind, loving, and fun relationship with Janie, where she can be more herself. Tea cakes are a sweet treat -- like Tea Cake is for Janie