IMPORTANT PASSAGES ABOUT FEMINISM
"Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men. Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember, and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly" (1).
ANNOTATION:
In this opening passage, Zora Neale Hurston defines the fundamental difference between men and women. She describes how women are resigned to their fate and do not have the chance to dream, but instead must put away those thoughts and resign themselves to simple actions and everyday life. Men, on the other hand, have the chance to achieve their dreams because society gives them greater freedom. Men are not held back by any circumstances like women are, confined to a supporting role in their own stories. Janie defies this stereotype of women, which is what makes her journey so unique. She is able to break out of the gender barriers and achieve her dreams and desires. Janie is able to follow her dreams and look boldly for her horizon, which sets her apart from the traditional women in society at the time and makes her the star of her own journey, not second to any man.
ANNOTATION:
In this opening passage, Zora Neale Hurston defines the fundamental difference between men and women. She describes how women are resigned to their fate and do not have the chance to dream, but instead must put away those thoughts and resign themselves to simple actions and everyday life. Men, on the other hand, have the chance to achieve their dreams because society gives them greater freedom. Men are not held back by any circumstances like women are, confined to a supporting role in their own stories. Janie defies this stereotype of women, which is what makes her journey so unique. She is able to break out of the gender barriers and achieve her dreams and desires. Janie is able to follow her dreams and look boldly for her horizon, which sets her apart from the traditional women in society at the time and makes her the star of her own journey, not second to any man.
"She stood in front of Joe and said, '...You have tuh power tuh free things and dat makes you lak uh king uh something.' Hambo said, 'Yo wife is like a born orator, Starks. US never knowed dat befo'. She put jus' de right words tuh our thoughts." (58).
"She got up that morning with the firm determination to go on in there and and have a good talk with Jody... He gave a deep-growling sound like a hog dying down in the swamp and trying to drive off a disturbance. 'Ah come in heah tuh git shet uh you but look lak 'tain't doin' me no good. G'wan out. Ah needs tuh rest.' 'Naw, Jody, Ah come in heah tuh talk widja and Ah'm gointuh do it too. It's for both of our sakes Ah'm talkin'" (84-85).
ANNOTATION:
In these two passages, Janie begins to use her voice. In the first, she speaks out in praise of Jody in front of the townspeople, who are shocked that she is so good with her words. Jody has suppressed her voice for so long that she has begun to lose it, and no one in the town has heard her speak since he does not usually let her talk in public. Her short speech after Jody buys the mule is an example of her underlying, hidden voice coming out. This is the beginning of her reclaiming her voice from Jody, who had taken it away.
In the second passage, Janie makes up her mind to go talk to Jody before he dies. As his voice and power fade, hers becomes stronger. He tries to order her around like he used to, but she ignores him because she is determined to make him listen to what she has to say, now that she finally has the voice and the words to do so. She refuses to sugarcoat the truth, and warns him that he will die soon. Janie has now fully come into her own, and when he breathes his last breath she goes to the window and cries out to the town that he is dead-- making her voice heard once again.
"She got up that morning with the firm determination to go on in there and and have a good talk with Jody... He gave a deep-growling sound like a hog dying down in the swamp and trying to drive off a disturbance. 'Ah come in heah tuh git shet uh you but look lak 'tain't doin' me no good. G'wan out. Ah needs tuh rest.' 'Naw, Jody, Ah come in heah tuh talk widja and Ah'm gointuh do it too. It's for both of our sakes Ah'm talkin'" (84-85).
ANNOTATION:
In these two passages, Janie begins to use her voice. In the first, she speaks out in praise of Jody in front of the townspeople, who are shocked that she is so good with her words. Jody has suppressed her voice for so long that she has begun to lose it, and no one in the town has heard her speak since he does not usually let her talk in public. Her short speech after Jody buys the mule is an example of her underlying, hidden voice coming out. This is the beginning of her reclaiming her voice from Jody, who had taken it away.
In the second passage, Janie makes up her mind to go talk to Jody before he dies. As his voice and power fade, hers becomes stronger. He tries to order her around like he used to, but she ignores him because she is determined to make him listen to what she has to say, now that she finally has the voice and the words to do so. She refuses to sugarcoat the truth, and warns him that he will die soon. Janie has now fully come into her own, and when he breathes his last breath she goes to the window and cries out to the town that he is dead-- making her voice heard once again.
"Ah know all dem sitters-and-talkers gointuh worry they guts into fiddle strings till dey find out whut we been talkin' 'bout. Dat'sallright, Pheoby, tell 'em. Dey gointuh make 'miration 'cause mah love didn't work lak theylove, if dey ever had any...
The wind through the open windows had broomed out all the fetid feeling of absence and nothingness...Here was peace. 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." (191-193)
ANNOTATION:
The entire novel is framed around Janie telling Pheoby her story and at the end, it is especially apparent that Janie has the confidence to deviate from norms in society in order to do what she pleases. She acknowledges that the porch-dwellers in the town will talk about her and make their own judgement but she is completely fine with that. Janie gives Pheoby permission to tell them all about it, because she does not really care if they think that her journey was not proper. Not only has Janie reached her horizon, she is not afraid to share it.
Furthermore, it is established in the beginning of the book (see first annotation) that traditionally, women do not seek their dreams and instead focus on reality. Their life is not one of hoping, but instead realism. Janie defies that by going to the horizon and back, then returning home and pulling it back towards her. After her experience in the "muck" and with Tea Cake, Janie has realized that being natural is the best way to go and she does not care if that disobeys some of society's rules or if other people will care.
Janie is no longer trapped by Nanny's expectations and she is truly able to do whatever she pleases, ignoring what is expected of her. By the end of the novel, Janie has found the confidence to rebel against society and be her natural self.
The wind through the open windows had broomed out all the fetid feeling of absence and nothingness...Here was peace. 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." (191-193)
ANNOTATION:
The entire novel is framed around Janie telling Pheoby her story and at the end, it is especially apparent that Janie has the confidence to deviate from norms in society in order to do what she pleases. She acknowledges that the porch-dwellers in the town will talk about her and make their own judgement but she is completely fine with that. Janie gives Pheoby permission to tell them all about it, because she does not really care if they think that her journey was not proper. Not only has Janie reached her horizon, she is not afraid to share it.
Furthermore, it is established in the beginning of the book (see first annotation) that traditionally, women do not seek their dreams and instead focus on reality. Their life is not one of hoping, but instead realism. Janie defies that by going to the horizon and back, then returning home and pulling it back towards her. After her experience in the "muck" and with Tea Cake, Janie has realized that being natural is the best way to go and she does not care if that disobeys some of society's rules or if other people will care.
Janie is no longer trapped by Nanny's expectations and she is truly able to do whatever she pleases, ignoring what is expected of her. By the end of the novel, Janie has found the confidence to rebel against society and be her natural self.