Chapter 14
In this chapter we see that someone (Tea Cake) finally is able to make Janie want to work on her own accord. Is it possible that Tea Cake uses his charisma in order to manipulate Janie? Or is he just very persuasive? Please use textual evidence if you can in your response.
I don't think that Tea Cake is trying to manipulate Janie but instead he is very persuasive. For example, when Tea Cake says to Janie, " Janie, Ah gits lonesome out dere all day 'thout yuh. After dis, you betta come git uh job uh work out dere lak de rest uh de women- so Ah won't be losin' time comin' home." Here Tea Cake is sweet-talking Janie into coming to work with him so he won't get lonely. Also, if both of them are working, they will get more money and will be a tad more financially stable. Their jobs as bean-pickers are far more promising than Tea Cake's gambling, and less dangerous as well. Another example is when Tea Cake says, "You don't think Ah'm tryin' tuh git outa takin' keer uh yuh, do yuh Janie, 'cause Ah ast yuh tuh work long side uh me?" Janie does not seem to mind it and says that it is better than sitting around the house all day, doing nothing. The fact that Tea Cake asked Janie and showed some concern really shows that he cares for Janie and does not seem like the type of guy that would use her for her money.
ReplyDeleteI think Tea Cake is more persuasive than manipulative towards Janie. Manipulation has a bad connotation to it and makes it seem like he would be tricking Janie for the wrong reason to work. Persuasion is a better word for what Tea Cake does because he is using his charm, which Janie fell in love with, to show Janie something that she was missing. It would be different if Janie didn't enjoy working, but SHE DOES! She realizes that she has missed out on something she enjoys all of these years. Also, Tea Cake doesn't blatantly tell her to work and force her to work. He just plants an idea in her head and lets her decide. He provides a way for her to gain a sense of accomplishment and independence, which is something she has never had before.
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