Their Eyes Were Watching God: Comprehension and Analysis Blog

One thing that is apparent throughout chapter six is the internalized racism experienced by Janie in the all-black community of Eatonville.  Janie is light-skinned and has many white features, most notably her hair. During that era and today, lighter skinned black people were perceived to be a higher class of Negro compared to the darker ones.  Roderick Hicks agrees, “For years, American society made color the overriding issue in the lives of blacks.  So even now, blacks find it difficult to rid themselves of a preoccupation with color… shading of skin remains an important factor in the black community, particularly in social situations such as dating and marriage” (99).

Janie experiences this racism when she overhears townsfolk telling stories of Matt Bonner’s yellow mule. Janie enjoyed hearing this stories but Jody, “had forbidded her to indulge.  He didn’t want her talking after such trashy people” (Hurston 50).  Jody wants to maintain that Janie is of a higher class because of her light skin and status as his wife among the town.  He does not want her to associate herself with poor darker skinned blacks that, “don’t even own de house dey sleep in” (Hurston 51).

Even though Jody is dark skinned, his position of authority make him seem white.  He much like slave owners of past, controls every aspect of life for black people in the town.  Jody is the store owner, mayor, and primary business man, “He is a new type of Negro character—a wheeler dealer and in everything except color like his counterpart in white novels and white life” (Davis 31).

- Andy

In chapter six, there are occurrences at the store which portray the ancestral and cultural behaviors of the citizens of Eatonville.  It is clear that the characters set aside time “to sing, dance, play games and, most important, to tell stories…”  (Great American Writers 757).  This aspect can be noticed through the dialogue and dominate actions of the characters.  Some of the men tease and ridicule Sam for his treatment of his mule saying “ dat mule so skinny till de women is usin’ his rib bones fuh uh rub-board, and hangin’ things out on his hock-bones tuh dry” (Hurston 49).  This demonstrates the exaggeration and story-telling of the black community.  The eventual death of the mule leads much of the town to its funeral where the tale-telling continues; personification is used and gives a flock of buzzards’ voice and emotion towards the dead animal: “[The parson] Peered into [the mule’s] nose and mouth.  Examined it well from end to end and leaped upon it and bowed, and the others danced a response.  That being over, he balanced and asked: “What killed this man?”  The chorus answered, “Bare, bare fat”” (Hurston 58).  The birds play a role in exploring folklore and portraying the death of this mule without the use of people.  In a way, the birds represent the people, or more specifically, the men.  Now, the mule’s life plays as yet another tale to be told by the townspeople for “the yaller mule was gone from the town except for the porch talk…”  (Hurston 58).  The mule has become a part of the black folklore, to be passed down just as all the other tales have. 

            This almost foolish behavior can be noticed again when Daisy comes by the store.  She sparks a desire inside the men which leave them longing for her.  Dave and Jim find themselves in a game, each competing for Daisy’s acceptance and approval: ““Daisy, don’t let Jim fool you wid his talk.  He don’t aim tuh do nothin’ fuh yuh.  Uh lil ole steamship!  Daisy, Ah’ll take uh job cleanin’ out de Atlantic Ocean fuh you any time you say you so desire.” There was a great laugh and then they hushed to listen” (Hurston 65).  While the intentions of these man may be to steal Daisy’s heart, their second motives for acting this way is to entertain the townspeople and onlookers.  They are the performers and this is their show; their way of amusing the crowd while playing a game.  One critic believes that Hurston emphasizes “the community’s rhetorical rituals.  The characters tell tales, play games, use proverbs, and sing songs that their ancestors have passed on to them…”  (Great America Writers 758).  This is very apparent in the daily activities of the characters and how they spend much of their days at the general store, exchanging words, and ideas.  Folkloric elements seem to be evident in daily life for the people, causing it to hold much importance, and influence the town.   

Emily Ward

Janie, as was established from the beginning of the story, is a very strong female figure, but is treated horribly by the men in her life. Her first husband thought of her as a possession, and though she thought he was different, her second husband thinks of her in the same way. I believe that this wears Janie down over the years, and it is surprising that she actually stays with Joe Starks for such a long period of time. Throughout the length of their marriage, Janie does have thoughts of the degrading way she is being treated, and thinks about leaving. For instance, when the men of the town are baiting the mule, Janie tries to defend him, saying, “They oughta be shamed uh themselves! Teasin’ dat poor brute like they is! Done been worked tuh death; done had his disposition ruint wid mistreatment, and now they got tuh finish devilin’ ‘im tuh death. Wisht Ah had my way wid ‘em all” (Hurston 53). It seems that Janie draws a connection between herself and the mule. Like the mule, Janie is controlled by Joe Starks, and he makes her work in the store and the post office, and makes her do things just so that she will not be having fun or sharing her opinions. It is interesting that Janie draws this connection, because it shows that she realizes the injustice of Joe’s treatment, and is not just a helpless woman who doesn’t think she has any power in the world. Since these thoughts occur to Janie, it is surprising that it takes her so many years to actually stand up to Joe Starks. When Joe is trying to downplay his age by emphasizing her age, she finally says: “But Ah’m uh woman every inch of me, and Ah know it. Dat’s a whole lot more’n you kin say. You big-bellies round here and put out a lot of brag, but t’ain’t nothin’ to it but yo’ big voice. Humph! Talkin’ ’bout me lookin’ old! When you pull down yo’ britches, yuo look lak de change uh life” (Hurston 75). The fact that Janie has the courage to stand up to her overpowering husband shows great strength of character. Although it takes many years for her to do it, she finally does, which shows that over the years she has gained strength. This can only make way for Janie to further stand up for herself, and perhaps leave Joe Starks for a better life. -Lauren

Hurston seems to be putting an emphasis on the possession of land in the novel so far.  Janie’s first husband, Logan, seems to be obsessed with keeping the land and having it.  He is always out in the fields, and needs Janie to help out.

More importantly, in Chapter 5, Jody buys land for the community of Eatonville and he helps them with the money that he has.  He then becomes mayor, which implies that land is equivilent to power.  “Take for instance that new house of his.  It had two stories with porches, with banisters and such things” (Hurston 44).  The fact that the house had these porches seems important.
In Chapter 6, Janie describes the enviornment of the store that she works in.  When describing the store she says “When the people sat around on hte porch and passed around the pictures of their thoughts for the others to look at and see, it was nice.  The fact that teh thought pictures were always rayon enlargements of life made it ever nicer to listen to” (Hurston 48).  This implies that the porch is a place of significance. 
Also, Janie is telling the story on her own porch with a current friend of hers.  The porch seems to be the place where people can be themselves and must represent something of importance.

 Cassie Covollo