Zora Neale Hurston's Janie Character Analysis

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

Janie was strong, confident, happy and content with her life in the end of this book. She got everything she could out of her life. Ultimately that’s the best thing Janie could get and gain from her whole experience. Overall Janie did what neither her mother or Nanny could do. Get through life growing and getting everything she wanted; love and adventure.

Eventually, Janie decided to leave Logan for another man she met names Joe Starks, and her quest for love continued with her new marriage. Janie was instantly attracted to Joe’s innate power because he gave her hope that she could reach the “horizon” (page 36). Joe took over as mayor of Eatonville and his influence increased dramatically with his improved confidence. He made decisions for Janie, just as her grandmother had, and forbid her from living like every other townsperson. For example, Janie was not allowed to associate with any customers in the store she helped Joe run, she could not wear her hair down in the store, and she had to dress a particular way because of Joe’s raging jealousy.

In the end, Joe values material wealth more than Janie. Jody forces Janie to avoid socializing with the locals, putter around the store day in and day out, and hide her beautiful hair. Joe keeps Janie socially and emotionally isolated. Throughout their relationship, Janie was constantly forced to keep

After hearing her say this about him Joe slaps Janie, which isn’t something a good husband would do. This situation is what causes the marriage to really go downhill, and soonafter Joe gets sick and he dies, while still fighting with Janie and overall being a bad

He had ceased to wonder at her long black hair and finger it "(Hurston 26). III. SECOND POINT- MARRIAGE TO JOE a. The marriage with Joe best her down. It started with what she thought was true love and ended in his death.

She expected to love her husband just because he was her husband. Janie even

It cannot be said that Janie rejoiced when Joe died, however, the sense of relief that follows his demise in undeniable. Objectively, Joe’s death is one of the best things to happen to Janie because he leaves her a secure, wealthy, landowning widow, which means that she must no longer depend on others for security and

As time pass Janie grows tired of waiting and being with Joe. Still she stays with him because she has the hope that he will change. Joe Starks in the other hand sees Janie as his ticket to get know by more people, including the porch people, and to recieve more property. He like demanding Janie, “Janie, Ah reekon you better go fetch me dem old black gaiters,”(C.6 P.57) but deep inside he still feels something for Janie. Their respected because Joe is mayor and Janie is Mrs.Mayor Janie.

Throughout their marriage Janie learns that Joe doesn’t treat her right, he treats her like an object. Janie begins to hate Joe, and she insults him in front of the whole town. Soon Joe becomes very ill, and Janie doesn’t talk to him for

Even if Jody was not there waiting for her, the change was bound to do her good” (32). The quote shows how Janie is thinking for herself and starting to release her mentality to always look to someone else. Logan threatened to kill Janie if she left, but her determination to reach her goals let her go past that fear and put her own life on the line to push towards her goals. Also, if she left Logan, Janie would leave her known world to venture off into potential dangers and her safety from their marriage would be gone. Even with all these threats and dangers over her head Janie was determined to reach her dreams for love, so nothing could stop her.

Next, after Logan she finds a man who she actually is attracted to; his name was Joe Starks. Janie thought he was the one she was looking for but as time went on she realized she could be living better. Janie, over their 20 year marriage began to lose love for him and on chapter 7, pg.77 she says “His prosperous- looking belly that used to thrust out so pugnaciously and intimidate folks, sagged like a load suspended from his loins.” Eventually Joe died from stomach cancer and now she was a widow and had to pretend like she cared in front of the people of her town.

A point where she wanted to leave Logan. Joe Stark saved Janie from this unmatched love. This has been displayed as a man who was needed for Janie to be saved. For women to be saved, they need a man by their side. In the town setting, a conversation was held between a group of men including Joe Stark and Janie.

Jody wanted Janie to know that women were less than men and that they don’t think for themselves, he almost compares women to animals, “Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don’t think none theirselves” (Hurston 180). Once he passed away, Janie took a more feminist stand in her life, she started doing more of what she wanted to do and how she wanted to do it. Letting her hair down is an important point in the novel because it shows strength, “Before she slept that night she burnt up every one of her head rags and went about the house next morning with her hair in one thick braid swinging below her waist”

She had a huge turn in her personality, she was doing what she felt not what other people would see right or appropriate. Janie also thought on Joe and how much he would hate it but she still did not care, she expressed relief and freedom at the