Relationship Between Janie And Joe Starks

“It was generally assumed that she thought herself too good to work like the rest of the women and that Tea Cake “pomped her up tuh dat.” But all day long the romping and playing they carried on behind the boss’s back made her popular right away” (Hurston 157). Men on the field were surprised to see her pick of the basket to pick beans, but as time went on they grew fond of her and their opinions of her changed. TeaCake and Janie’s relationship is going so strong and so well, and Janie starts to reflect on her previous relationships and how they compare to hers with TeaCake. He makes dinner with her, respects her, and see’s her as equal to him, whereas the men in past relationships have not treated her, or seen her, like that.

Janie didn 't start living until Joe died and she met Teacake. With Teacake Janie felt alive, they understood and respected each other. Their marriage was full of love and compassion, two things that Janie always wanted. Her marriage with Teacake ended in a tragedy, but Janie felt like she lived a life full of new beginnings, and she was content with that. All the men in Janie’s life

A few months of being free of Jody, Janie meets Tea Cake who treats her like an actual human being. He involves her in conversations and take her to see and do things that she has never done before. Only though Tea Cake does she find the meaning of love, find her voice, and learn that she doesn’t need a man to do things for her that she can do

Janie's second husband, Joe Starks, represents her loss of dreams in regard to personal freedom and individuality. Joe is ambitious and determined to achieve success and power, but he does not value Janie as an individual. He sees her as a trophy wife and expects her to conform to his expectations and ideals. Joe restricts Janie's personal freedom and does not allow her to express herself or pursue her own dreams. Janie's experience with Joe is transient, as she realizes that his idea of success and power does not align with her own desires and beliefs.

Tea Cake brings new light to Janie's life. Janie mourns for Jody’s death as expected in her society but decides she is done mourning when she meets Tea Cake, a man who respects her and treats her equally. Janie is faced with the town's gossip and has to make a decision to either stay in the town as a lonely widower with a fortune or run away with Tea Cake, a not well off man who is 12 years younger. Janie decides to run away with Tea Cake who truly loves her and the age gap does not affect his decisions, Tea Cake exclaims, “You’se de onliest woman in de world Ah ever even mentioned gittin married tuh. You bein’ older don’t make no difference.

Because Janie was a single, wealthy female in need of a suitor, “Janie is left pecked over like the carcass of the mule by suitors throughout the town whom only want her for her appearance and money” (Garland 2). After her numerous failed marriages, “Janie realized that a woman is to be loved, respected, and self-sufficient” (Dilbeck 1). When she realized this, Janie finally decided not to settle for less than she deserved and soon found the love of her life. Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship is based solely on equality, love, and respect. She “can now feel settled as an independent woman who has finally discovered herself” (Dilbeck 3).

Next, Janie continues on her determined journey for love when she goes off to marry Tea Cake. In the quote,

She questions why Janie would marry a dark man like Tea Cake. Mrs. Turner falsely assumes, like the rest of the people form the town, that Janie only married Tea Cake for his money because she could not possibly love him. Janie informs Mrs. Turner that her assumption is incorrect because Tea Cake was not wealthy when they met, and he is the only person that has made her truly

When tea cake shows up janie 's feels something she has never felt before, she is set free but the townspeople don 't think so. “‘Ain’t you skeered he’s jes after yo’ money him bein’ younger than you?’” (Hurston pg.133)Janie is in love with Tea Cake because he loves her for her youthful young side that was forced into hiding for so long because of her previous husbands. However the rest of the community is discouraging her and trying to keep her in the image as a mayor 's wife. They told Janie that Tea Cake was after her money

In the beginning Janie feels as if Tea Cake’s age would effect their relationship. She has strong feelings for him, but on the other hand people are saying he will run off with her money. Janie proves them wrong and runs off and gets married to Tea Cake. He makes Janie feel wanted, she feels like she could be herself. Janie states, "We been tuhgether round two years.

1. Unlike Janie’s previous husbands, Tea Cake treats Janie with compassion and respect. In addition, he loves Janie for her personality instead of her looks and her role as a woman (housewife). 2. The speech characteristic that Tea Cake encourages Janie with is truth.

Women were to do what they were told and to marry when they were told to. But when Janie and Teacake moved, things were different. Janie felt a sense of freedom and power because Teacake was not as overbearing as Joe, her previous husband, or her grandmother. Geography is also significant because it started to change Teacake’s attitude towards life and Janie. Janie begins to have some complex questions about Teacake’s character.

She found the happiness that her two other marriages lacked. Jealousy and caring sets in during this chapter. Janie truly misses and cares about Tea Cake when he is gone for a long time. Janie turns to God and prays saying, “Ah been so lonesome, and Ah been waitin’, Jesus.

They had the kind of love that she had longed to have her whole life. One day Tea Cake had rescued Janie from a mad dog and was bitten instead. There were no effects for a few months, but when the rabies hit him, it was unbearable. Eventually it got so bad that Tea Cake tried to kill Janie. He didn’t do this out of hate for her but because of the mad dog that was within him.

Thus it is still possible to see Tea Cake as having a degree of control over Janie until the moment of his death. In each of her relationships, we watch Janie lose parts of herself under the forces of male domination. The men are not the only characters who see the traditional take on gender relations, where the men are dominant, and the women are obedient, as necessary and