We have seen Janie with three men in the book so far. In this chapter we are introduced to Tea Cake. Compare the different ways Logan, Jody, and Tea Cake treat Janie. Who treats her like an equal? Who doesn't? And how?
Tea Cake and Janie are immediately attracted to each other when they meet. What kind of relationship will Janie have with Tea Cake? How will it be different from her previous relationships?
Logan treats her more as a burden then as a wife. He has her work and doesn't try to make her feel important or special at all. Jody, on the other hand, makes her feel a little too important, like how she can't interact with the townspeople. He is possessive and doesn't let other people see her. even though he did "make a wife out of her" it was not a healthy relationship. Tea Cake, however, treats her as an equal. He doesn't see her as unable to handle herself like Joe did. The relationship with Tea Cake, I think, will be better because he 'lets her light shine through', he doesn't cover her like Joe with making her cover her hair and stuff. He lets her be independent and grow into her own person.
ReplyDeleteOf the three men, only Tea Cake really treats Janie like an equal. He and she have conversations and do things together, and from what he says and his actions you can tell he doesn't see himself as superior to her. This contrasts sharply with Janie and Jody's relationship, where Jody maintains that Janie ought to be seen as more of a possession than a wife, and that she should be grateful and subservient to him because he's "done so much for her". Finally, Logan treats Janie as a servant of sorts, treating her in a rather patronizing way and making her work.
ReplyDeleteI think Janie and Tea Cake's relationship will be much better than her previous two relationships because Janie and Tea Cake are close as friends as well as lovers. They are on equal terms with each other and they genuinely enjoy each other's company, unlike Janie and Logan or Janie and Jody.
The three men treat Janie very differently. Logan, Janie's first husband, treats her like she suppose to be someone that lives with her and helps him around the farm. At first he seems to be nice to her, but by the end of their relationship he is asking her to help out in the farm. Jody and Janie's relationship was different from this. Jody treats Janie like she is his prized possession, his doll. He treats her like she is his and nobody else should be able to look or talk to her. They are in no way equals. In the sharpest contrast, Tea Cake is unlike either of her prior husbands. Tea Cake treats Janie like an equal and they instantly connect with each other like they are friends. He is the most real person to her and leads to a real love between them.
ReplyDeleteI think Janie and Tea Cake's relationship will be a very good relationship. I think it will be healthy and they will be like equals. It will be Janie's first love relationship which will be good for her because that is what she is truly searching for.
Janie's three marriages have each been very different. Logan's is the most different because this is the only husband that she never loved. Jody and Tea Cake were both men that she chose for herself. Presley was spot on when she says that Logan treats Janie more as a burden. The two of them never connected or really got along. When Jody comes along, she is swept of her feet and is sure that he is the one for her. At first things are going well, but then he gets caught up with power and uses Janie as a prop. He doesn't like other men looking at her and forces her to work in the store. After he dies, Tea Cake comes along and treats her the way she deserves. Sure he makes a mistake here and there, but he treats her like an equal and tells her she is smart and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI think Janie and Tea Cake's relationship will be better than her others purely based on the fact that he treats her with respect and as an equal.
Like the others have said, Janie's 3 husbands really couldn't have been more different. Logan doesn't treat Janie like a wife. He barely talks to her and expects her to work on the farm. She feels no attraction for him, and they aren't in love at all. Jody is really opposite from Logan, being too possessive of Janie. He acts like she is his property or a prized jewel, and likes to show her off. Although we assume he is more attractive than Logan, he restricts Janie's freedom and has to micromanage everything she does. He also demeans her and is very bossy. Lastly, Tea Cake really treats Janie like an equal and has respect for women. At one point he even says you can't fool a woman. This is obviously quite different from her other two marriages in which the men had backwards views about women and felt superior to Janie. No doubt in her marriage with Tea Cake Janie will feel more emotionally satisfied and engaged.
ReplyDeleteOut of the three men, Tea Cake treats Janie like an equal. He also treats her with respect by asking her to do things that were commonly asked of for a man, like chess or checkers. Logan and Jody treat Janie without a sense of equality by ordering her how to act and what to do. I think the relationship between Tea Cake will be her most valuable and loving relationship out of many of them. I think this relationship will provide Janie with Physical and emotional satisfaction. She may receive the same experience as under the pare tree.
ReplyDelete