Logan and Janie's marriage can be connected to modern day arranged marriages across the world. In countries like India, Pakistan, Japan, China, and Israel arranged marriage is common and used by the families to acquire wealth and/or an heir to carry on the family name. Most arranged marriages done by families that are poorer and they marry their young daughters off to an older, rich man. Nannie married Janie off to Logan because he symbolized power and stability whereas the young man Janie kissed over the fence symbolized childish experimentation
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Mules play a huge part in what I have read so far. The mule most commonly symbolizes Janie through her marriages. She is more or less bought from Logan by Joe. He buys her with the promise of taking her to an all black town away from the work Logan makes her do. She loves the idea so she goes with him after Logan yells at her to come help him in the barn.
I just realized that the boy Janie kissed over the fence and Tea Cake were both described as tall and lanky. I wonder if that was intentional.
ReplyDeleteI think that maybe the boy and Tea Cake might be meant to symbolize the same thing-if they aren't the same person...
DeleteI love the title of this! It really speaks to the point of these chapters, and the theme that the author is trying to portray.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are analyzing the symbol of the mule, what do you think Hurston meant by it? Was it to create theme? mood? tone?
ReplyDeleteA theme that the men Janie are with throughout the novel see her as property to be bought or sold.
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