In the last third of their eyes were watching god, Janie began off really happy. Happy that she could finally live life, and experience things that Jody had always told her were only for men to do. Tea Cake showed her new things, helped her to redefine her image of herself and cast away all the negative thoughts that Jody had instilled on her. When she ran off with Tea Cake she said, “It made her so glad she was scared of herself.” It was everything she dreamed of, with new exciting things to do and crazy Tea Cake always making her laugh.
I think that after all the doubts that the town had expressed about their relationship, and the actual site of it happening to Mrs. Tyler made her secretly wonder if she was going down the same road. She brought the 200 dollars just in case, to find that Tea Cake had taken it and spent it. Even though he paid her back, it was still not right of him to take her money. I think it showed that he though he had control over her enough to be able to say what is hers is now his. Even though they had only been married about a day. Also, when he would randomly pop in, and show up to see her at weird times that he used to not, when he should be working was also controlling. He expected her to be there each time, what would he have done if she wasn’t there? When she questioned him about where he was and if he was with another girl all he said was, “If Ah ever gets tuh messin’ round another woman it won’t be on account of her age. It’ll be because she got me in de same way you got me- so Ah can’t help mahself.” It is almost as if he is stating early on, if he cheats it’s obviously not his fault because the girl was too much like her so he can’t be blamed. That is a pretty awful response to give when you are trying to defend your loyalty if you ask me.
I think Tea Cake is like two different people. He acts one way to her, all sweet and loving, he promises her the world and him by her side for all of it. Then, he goes and gambles, gets into knife fights and beats people up, goes missing for days, and does some shady things. It is strange how he is one way with Janie and then another around everyone else.
I thought it was interesting that Hurston described both Jody and Mrs. Tyler as having hanging bodies when they met their failure in life. They are both described as their bodies giving up and bags hanging and resting on other body parts. It was as if they became broken once their pride was gone, and there was no regaining it or use in living anymore. They both decided to give in and attempt to die in peace; life had defeated them as they both had their self-importance shaken.
6 comments:
I liked how you talked about the negative qualities of Tea Cake. I never noticed them until I read your blog. I thought Tea Cake was the perfect man for Janie, her one true love. But I never took into account the little things that you mentioned. Tea Cake does seem controlling with Janie. He took the $200 without asking, and the strange thing is that Janie didn't even seem to get mad about it. It also seemed like he was checkig up on her by visiting her at random times, and Tea Cakes response to Janie questioning him about being with another girl seems to imply that he would cheat on her if another girl was like Janie. That would really bother me if I was Janie because when your married you are committed to that person.
He did all those things but he still was a bad person. He stole her money and used it for gambling. It was upsetting that she still couldn't find the perfect husband.
Janie never really had control of her own life. When she was young her grandmother had control over her life. Her grandmother made Janie marry Logan, transferring the control to him. During Janie's marriage to Jody, we all saw the control that he had over Janie. He didn't allow her to socialize and controlled the way she dressed.
Tea Cake's control over Janie was less obvious. Tea Cake gave Janie more freedom than Jody had given her. Tea Cake was more subtle about his approach. As you mentioned, Tea Cake took Janie's money without asking her what her plan was for it. He spent the money how he saw fit, even though it wasn't his. Tea Cake moved them to the muck. He also got Janie to work alongside him in the muck. But, he twisted it so that it seemed that she had made the decision herself. I think the reason Janie was so happy with Tea Cake was that she didn't feel like she was being controlled. Tea Cake did treat her with respect and was good to her, but he did have his say in every matter.
I never thought of the part when Tea Cake took Janie's money as a way to assert his new power position. The fact that he now owned Janie. But that is a very good point. After this day, he begins to other things that show this. Such as taking her money again, and then whipping her. That makes alot of sense when you put it that way.
Also, I never thought of that quote in a negative way. I took it as, if I ever cheated on you the person would have to be her and so he never would cheat. Perhaps I'm just a little too romantic.
I think that the part about Teacake taking the money from Janie without asking has a lot to do with gender roles at the time. As we encountered in other pieces such as "The Old Order;" and even earlier in "Their Eyes Were Watching God," men were in charge of the money, even if it was the woman's money to begin with. Sophia Jane was unable to make decisions with her money, and Jody also kept Janie from really dealing with any money or other things reserved for men (as you pointed out).
I agree that Teacake was like two people. He had his positives and his negatives. He liberated Janie, which leads me to believe that he was a positive character. I think it is like when your family likes your boyfriend because he makes you happy. Yet, he has so many negative characteristics that I'm not sure which way the pendulum leans, or if it simply balances out.
I think TeaCake is a really interesting charachter. I mean at first you get this idea of this wonderful guy who treats Janey like she is a princess and she gets all the things Jody said she would never be able to get or do. Then you do kind of see this negative change in him for example when he steals the money. Even though he was going to give it back it's still wrong and he did still make Janie get this nervous feeling about him. There is a big connection between all the males in this story and it shows the positive aspects of them and the negative aspects.
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