Dialectical Journal: Their Eyes Were Watching God (Pages 80-193)

Pg. 89 "In search of things"

The disallusion of material items.

Pg. 90 "Mislove"

Mistaken Love. Was that the emotions and actions of Janie's Grandma? Or has Janie misconstrued her Grandma's love in such a way to make it sound less than it was. What is love?

Pg. 96 "He was jumping her king"

Janie's king is this false front that she worked so hard to establish; the mastered disconnection between her appearance and true emotions. This fellowis playing at more than just a game of chess. He knocking down more than her hard won kings.

Pg. 99 "quenching the thirst of the day"

Do we live for rest? How much of the world that Janie lives in works in the day only to sleep at night?

Pg. 100 "Fact is, she decided to treat him...around there again."

Playing hard to get? For a woman complaining about how old she has grown, she sure is acting like a school girl. If she really did't care for him, she wouldn't intentionally treat him one way or another, just laugh off his advances like she does all the rest. She must like him.

Pg. 101 "Crazy Thing!...beaming out with light"

So much for treating him coldly. Amazing how simple kindness can overcome negativity.

Pg. 102 "they made a lot of laughter out of nothing"

Janie is loving life now, at this moment, with Tea Cake. The speaker has created a great connection between happyness, laughter, and love. For Janie at least, one cannot exist without the other.

Pg. 102 "Tea Cake went out to the lemon tree..had lemonade too"

The fruit motif. Life literally gave Janie lemons and she made lemonade. Metaphorically, too.

Pg. 116 "Hurry up and come...never could be mad with you!"

Sounds just too good to be true. I don't think that this bliss can last much longer.

Pg. 128 "she tooks things the way he wanted her to"

Maybe its innocent, but it seems that Tea Cake is getting a little too much control over her.

Pg. 132 "they made good money, even to the children...up with the present"

Foreshadow: perfection never lasts long.

Pg. 141 "Us oughta class off."

Mrs. Turner, human in her aspirations, and human in her flaws. Her close association with Janies proves that 'class' is only an illusion created in the mind.

Pg. 141 "You reckon?...We'se too poor"

Janie has grown.

Pg. 145 "all gods who recieve homage are cruel"

Interesting. We give gods the power to be cruel over us. Like Janie's grandma who saw material wealth as the end all of end alls. And how Janie saw Jody. The bodies Janie returned from at the begining of the story, mindless people "with their eyes thrown wide in Judgement", are those who worship at unattainable alters. Their eyes were watching God.

Pg. 145 "Half gods are worshipped...require blood."

Tea Cake...a half god? What blood will God soon be demanding?

Pg. 156 "If I never see you no mo' on earth, Ah'll meet you in Africa."

This was a phrase originally used by those slaves brought to America from Africa, by people who dreamed of returning to their home, freedom. These characters are still enslaved, although law declares them free. Slaves to class and to economics.

Pg. 156 "Others hurried east like...snakes and coons."

Formal education and money keep Janie and Tea Cake planted while others leave, which seems to be a bad descision of the part of Tea Cake and Janie. Again, we see people compared with animals. Only, in the case I predict that these natural instincts will be more valuable than anything taught in school. Books won't save you from a Hurricane.

Pg. 157 "Don't care how good anybody sould play a harp, God woudl rather to hear a guitar."

This speaks mountains about these characters. I have to say, I love this line. A guitar can capture the sorrow, soul, and spirit of these people in a way no refined, eloquent instrument could. If God's require blood, they demand a sacrifice of yourself. He wants the suffering, pleasure, and soul of these people. Pompous wealth means little to Him.

Pg. 159 "If you kin see de light at day break, you don't keer if you die at dusk."

Like all great saints, Janie has found the true meaning of purpose and God. When Moses saw the burning bush, he didn't care what he had to risk to get his people free.

Pg. 163 "swim, man. Dat's all."

This author has a sick sense of humor, naming him 'Motor Boat'.

Pg. 172 "De ones de white man knows...laughed with her"

Janie and Tea Cake fell in love making 'laughter out of nothing'. Is that what they are doing here? Finding humor in the empty anger and prejudice of people, that really amounts to nothing.

Pg. 184 "Tea Cake crumpled...teeth from her arm"

Has he gone to Africa?

Pg. 192 "Lawd! Pheoby breathed...about livin' fuh themselves"

So, Janie may free her people after all. She ain't no moses, and her people are slaves in a different way. But god is guiding her all the same.

Pg. 193 "Tea Cake, with sun for a shawl"

He is her burning bush. Tea Cake showed Janie the word of god.

Pg. 193 "She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net...over her shoulders"

A tree preparing for winter, pulling the nutrients from its leaves into its roots, and then dropping the golden leaves to the ground to create soil for others. Winter is coming in Janie's lifetime. She never had children, but one can already see rebirth in others. Pheoby 's won't be the only eyes Janie opens.