During Janie’s marriage to Logan Killicks,
she realizes how unhappy she is with him. Janie spent much time contemplating
her loveless marriage and when she one day meets a man named Joe Starks, she
makes her decision to leave Killicks. This decision Janie has made is representative
of new beginnings. After Nanny dies, Janie realizes she has no one left to
love, besides Logan Killicks, but Janie refuses to give him her love. Killicks
believes in male dominance and often bosses Janie around, commanding her to help
him with his house chores but Janie is reluctant to obey him, arguing “You ain’t
done me no favor by marryin’ me. And if dat’s what you call yo’self doin’, Ah don’t
thank yuh for it.” (Hurston, 31). When Janie finally has enough of this, she
runs off to a new town with Joe Starks and they start a new life together.
Starks could tell that Janie was unhappy and trapped in a loveless marriage,
and so this change was a new beginning for Janie. Choosing to run away from
Logan Killicks, either with or without Joe Starks was something Janie had to do
for herself. She thinks to herself “Even if Joe was not there waiting for her,
the change was bound to do her good.” (Hurston, 32). Logan Killicks’ behavior towards
Janie is emotionally abusive and so she made the decision to run away to help
protect herself, and her happiness. The death of Nanny and her escape from him
signifies one part of her life coming to an end and another part that is just
beginning. Hurston emphasizes this change with the concluding sentence of
chapter 4, “They sat on the boarding house porch and saw the sun plunge into
the same crack in the earth from which the night emerged.” (Hurston, 33), which
is a metaphor for the new changes that are being made in Janie’s life.
This quote is significant to this part of
the story because it relates to Janie’s regret and how she often wishes that
she would have never married Logan Killicks in the first place, but finds hope when she runs off with Joe Starks.
Janie's decision to leave Logan really did seem like a new beginning for Janie. Logan wanted Janie to do things for him because of his belief in male dominance which was not right. She finally had a say in her own actions, kind of like what you said. Good quote as well, it really relates to your topic!
ReplyDeleteJanie's decision to leave Logan really did seem like a new beginning for Janie. Logan wanted Janie to do things for him because of his belief in male dominance which was not right. She finally had a say in her own actions, kind of like what you said. Good quote as well, it really relates to your topic!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your perspective on the manner. I do in fact believe that Janie has been given many opportunities to start new and to have a fresh start. Janie has been jumping onto every new situation that has come forth, in order to fulfill her need for a constant restart. She has suffered much in her short life, from losing the last part of family she had left, to discovering her husband for who he truly was. Janie has been through it all, and a new start is all she needs. A lost love helps to create a new relationship, while a death signifies rebirth. Janie had lost her family, lost the love she believed she once had, to leave with a new guy and start a new life. A rebirth. A chance to find herself, or rediscover who she is.
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