BEFORE LOGAN KILLICKS:
Before Logan Killicks, Janie was very confused on what she was going to do with her life and Nanny feared the same. “’Dat’s what makes me skeered. You don’t mean no harm. You don’t even know where harm is at. Ah’m ole now. Ah can’t be always guidin’ yo’ feet from harm and danger. Ah wants to see you married right away’” (Hurston 13). This is Nanny speaking to Janie about what she wants for her. Nanny’s point proves to be true throughout the whole story. Janie was interested in a man named Johnny Taylor who she had gone out with on a few dates before she set off to marry Logan Killicks. Johnny was a kind of like a pretty boy to Janie. He had no real value to offer her except for his looks and charm. This was exactly what Nanny feared. Nanny knew that Janie’s good looks were very appealing to the men who would come across her and she was also a very pretty, young lady so she knew the burden of receiving attractive attributes. She knew that some men would take her for granted and not treat her the way she should be and that’s what Nanny tried to tell Janie, but as most teenagers are, she was arrogant. “’Tain’t Logan Killicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it’s protection. Ah ain’t gittin’ ole, honey. Ah’m done ole – Mah daily prayer now is tuh let dese golden moments rolls on a few days longer till Ah see you safe in life’” (Hurston 15).
AFTER LOGAN KILLICKS/BEFORE JOE STARKS:
After Logan Killicks had threatened to kill Janie, she ran off with a man named Joe Starks. Before they had gotten married, Janie felt like she had, at last, found the man who she would grow old with. “’De day you puts yo’ hand in mine, Ah wouldn’t let de sun go down on us single. Ah’m uh man wid principles. You ain’t never knowed what is was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be de one tuh show yuh. Call me Jody lak you do sometime’” (Hurston 29). This was the same type of man that Nanny warned Janie about. To me, there seemed to be a trend with Janie and that trend was her being constantly misinformed, and the misinformation was coming from the men she decided to marry. For example, Joe goes on with this long speech about how he knows how to treat women, and in the end, it was all an act. Before Janie and Joe were deep into their relationship, he treated her like a queen. He got her what she wanted, when she wanted it and it all seemed like a fairy tale to Janie. Later, in their relationship Janie starts getting less privileges. Joe has her tie up her hair while she was in the store, he doesn’t allow her to talk with the other people in the town. This eventually starts to tear down their relationship. Joe begins insulting Janie to deflect attention from him because of his growing age. Janie then fights back and insults Joe publicly. Later, Joe falls ill and on his deathbed Janie tells him all the things she’s held back about how Joe was selfish, and why she doesn’t care for him anymore.
AFTER JOE STARKS/BEFORE TEA CAKE:
After Joe Starks, Janie must’ve felt completely lost. She was now through two marriages and the future was blurry. Janie’s persona was much different after the death of Joe. “’ Tain’t dat Ah worries over Joe’s death, Pheoby. Ah jus’ loves dis freedom.’ ‘Sh-sh-sh! Don’t let nobody hear you say dat, Janie. Folks will say you ain’t sorry he’s gone.’ ‘Let ‘em say whut dey wants tuh, Pheoby. To my thinkin’ mourning oughtn’t tuh last longer’n grief’” (Hurston 93). Janie feels no remorse for Joe’s death. In her eyes, it was a just death. I feel like Janie was very desperate going into most of her relationships, especially when she got involved with Tea Cake. She was very eager to find a new partner, and the perfect candidate waltzed right in front of her. Tea Cake was exactly what Janie was looking for, a loose spirited, fun, adventurous man. Tea Cake was full of optimism for himself, and this was seen clear as day by Janie.
AFTER TEA CAKE:
After Tea Cake’s death, Janie returned to Eatonville to tell Pheoby all about her adventures. In the book, Hurston often refers to Janie’s soul. “He drifted off into sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place” (Hurston 128). The image of her soul coming out from its hiding place is often used as an indicator of Janie’s happiness. This quote was from the beginning of Tea Cake and Janie’s relationship and it shows how Janie was finally able to open her heart to Tea Cake and fully experience his love and affection. “She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see” (Hurston 193). This was the last couple of sentences of the book. She was feeling depressed looking back on the day Tea Cake was killed, but she then remembered that Tea Cake showed her all the great things in the world and what it truly meant to love someone. She was finally at peace, and her soul was there to see it.
By Alexander Lapierre
Their Eyes Were Watching God 