Journal #4

Don't retire so soon Mr. Sloan

Prompt: Identify three patterns that appear in these chapters (but may extend through the entire book) and record the examples for each (include page numbers).

    The first thing I noticed that MIGHT be a pattern is the appearance of the mule and the parallels it shares with Janie/women in general.
        Example 1: The pattern first shows itself on page 14, as Nanny speaks to Janie: "De nigger women is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. Ah been prayin' fuh it tuh be different wid you."
        Example 2: Janie sees the mule being abused by the men and disapproves on page 56.
"Everybody was having fun at the mule-baiting. All but Janie. She snatched her head away from the spectacle and began muttering to herself. 'They oughta be shamed uh theyselves! Teasin' dat poor brute beast lak they is!'" (56).
        Example 3: Jody sees how Janie relates to the mule and crushes her buying the mule from Matt. He kills two bird with one stone by showing his wealth as well as symbolically "buying" the mule and therefore Janie. (although I think that was analysis. :( )
"Freein' dat mule makes uh mighty big man outa you. Something like George Washington and Lincoln. [...] You got uh town so you freed uh mule. You have tuh have power tuh free things and dat makes you lak uh king uh something" (58).

       The second pattern that I noticed is the appearance of Janie's hair in the literature whenever her sexuality/individuality is brought into play.
       Example 1: When the males in the town check Janie out as she returns home on page 2, one of the first things they notice is her hair.
"The men noticed her firm buttocks like she had grape fruits in her hip pockets; the great rope of black hair swinging to her waist and unraveling in the wind like a plume; then her pugnacious breasts trying to bore holes in her shirt" (2).
       Example 2: As Janie realizes that her marriage with Logan is failing on page 26, she first brings up her hair.
"Long before the year was up, Janie noticed that her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her. He had ceased to wonder at her long black hair and finger it" (26).
       Example 3: When Jody attempts to control Janie, he first targets her hair.
"Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn't seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was. He never told her how often he had seen the other men figuratively wallowing in it as she went about things in the store" (55).

       A possible third pattern present in the story might be the "coldness" she feels toward her husbands.
       Example 1: When Jody denies Janie the right to give a speech on page 43.
"It must have been the way Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom off of things. Buy anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold" (43).
       Example 2: Janie experiences the "coldness" during one of her talks with Jody on page 46.
"'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'' (46)