December
2008
In the beginning (ch. 1&2)0
The purpose of the first two chapters was to give an in site into who our main character, Janie, is and where she comes from. We learn about her difficult life of being raised by her grandmother and being the product of a rape. In class we discussed how many African Americans who read this book were offended however we could not understand why. I do not believe the reason for this hostility was based on the language used in the book as many of the words are slurred “Ah takes dat flattery offa you, Pheoby, ’cause Ah know it’s from de heart.” pg 5. Instead the harsh feelings come from the story behind the people. Just from the first few chapters it seems like the only thing these people do is sit and gossip about another person in the town. From Janie’s story about growing up, we only see a story about a young women whose daughter was raped and had a child. The women who was raped became a drunk and left her baby in the hands of her mother. And in the present day, no one knows where she lives, and if she is even alive.
The core story of the book so far is not flattering at all for the people who live that life. All these characters are African American which could explain why the black community was not thrilled with the publication of this book.
Just as in The Great Gatsby and Moby Dick, there is a person (Nick/Gatsby and Ishmael) who go into a situation, or new society they are not familiar with (West egg and the Pequod). We see this pattern again in Their Eyes Were Watching God as although Janie lives in this town with the same people as before she left, they see her in a different light now as she returns in dirty cloths and man-free. It will be difficult for Janie to continue her life here as there are so many people who already know her past, but do not know what has happened since she left the town with a younger man.
