Passage One
Page 192
"'Now, Phoebe, don't feel too mean wid de rest of'em 'cause dey's parched up from not knowin' things. Dem meatskins is got tuh rattle tuch make our they's alive. Let 'em consulate theyselves wid talk. 'Course, talkin' don't amount tuh uh hill uh beans when yuh can't do nothin' else. And listenin' tuh dat kind uh talk is jus' lak openin' yo' mouth and lettin' de moon shine down yo' throat. It's uh known fact, Phoebe, you got tuh go there tuh know there. Yo' papa and yo' mama and nobody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves.' There was a finished silence after that so that for the first time they could hear the wind picking at the pine trees."
"'Now, Phoebe, don't feel too mean wid de rest of'em 'cause dey's parched up from not knowin' things. Dem meatskins is got tuh rattle tuch make our they's alive. Let 'em consulate theyselves wid talk. 'Course, talkin' don't amount tuh uh hill uh beans when yuh can't do nothin' else. And listenin' tuh dat kind uh talk is jus' lak openin' yo' mouth and lettin' de moon shine down yo' throat. It's uh known fact, Phoebe, you got tuh go there tuh know there. Yo' papa and yo' mama and nobody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves.' There was a finished silence after that so that for the first time they could hear the wind picking at the pine trees."
Meaning
Using the Formalistic approach, this passage has a lot about the Theme, Symbols, Dialect and Frame.
- Dialect- the southern slang is used such as "tuh" instead of "to."
- Metaphor- this means that listening to the people on the porch judge is like giving up your true being
- This is the closing frame. Janie has finished her story and the book returns to the closing act, when Phoebe hugs Janie goodbye. The chosen words "finished silence" shows how the story is over and life can move forward.
- Symbols- The trees are excited. Janie has found her love and will always be married to Teacake; tied to Teacake by the bond of true love.
- Theme- Janie has finally found herself and she is able to live inside her true being. Now she advises for the others to do the same and instead of living behind the judgement of the community, to live free.
Passage Two
“When it was all over that night in bed Jody asked Janie, ‘Well, honey, how yuh lak bein’ Mrs. Mayor?’
‘It’s all right Ah reckon, but don’t yuh think it keeps us in uh kinda strain?’
‘Strain? You mean de cookin’ and waitin’ on folks?’
‘Naw, Jody, it’s jus’ looks lak it keeps us in some way we ain’t natural wid one ‘nother. You’se always off talkin’ and fixin’ things, and Ah feels lak Ah’m jus’ markin’ time. Hope it gits soon over.’
‘Over, Janie? I god, Ah ain’t even started good. Ah told you in de first beginnin’ dat Ah aimed tuh be uh big voice. You oughta be glad, ‘cause dat makes uh big woman outa you.’
A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely” (Hurston 46).
‘It’s all right Ah reckon, but don’t yuh think it keeps us in uh kinda strain?’
‘Strain? You mean de cookin’ and waitin’ on folks?’
‘Naw, Jody, it’s jus’ looks lak it keeps us in some way we ain’t natural wid one ‘nother. You’se always off talkin’ and fixin’ things, and Ah feels lak Ah’m jus’ markin’ time. Hope it gits soon over.’
‘Over, Janie? I god, Ah ain’t even started good. Ah told you in de first beginnin’ dat Ah aimed tuh be uh big voice. You oughta be glad, ‘cause dat makes uh big woman outa you.’
A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely” (Hurston 46).
Meaning
- Dialect: The Southern dialect used in this passage shows how the characters speak, using "dat" for that "uh" for a and "'cause" for because.
- Setting: This occurs in Eatonville where Janie is oppressed and cannot be her natural self. When she suggests this to Jody, he completely dismisses because he is too focused on being the mayor. She says that she is not happy, and feels that she is not being herself, but he does not notice.
- Connotation: Strain has a negative connotation and makes one think of a struggle or something unpleasant that takes a lot of effort. Janie uses the word strain in order to inform Jody of her feelings about being Mrs. Mayor. Because strain is not equivalent with hatred (her true feelings) she is introducing Jody to the fact that she does not enjoy being Mrs. Mayor without fully stating her true feelings.
- Hurston also uses the words coldness, fear, far, and lonely. All of these words have a negative connotation and illustrate Janie's sinking feeling that she will be forced to live this unnatural life until Jody dies.