The Effects of Power

Much to Janie’s disappointment, leaving her husband and running away with Joe Starks was not the fantasy she dreamed it would be. He tells her, “You ain’t never knowed what it was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be de one tuh show yuh” (29). Because Janie hasn’t seen much or experienced the world, she easily believes anything someone, including her new husband and her Nanny, tells her. She is naive in thinking “she would love Logan after they were married” (21) just because people told her the love would happen. So when Joe creates this life for them through his words, she immediately takes hold and believes it to be true.

Similar to her last marriage, this hope is never met with reality. Joe soon gains power in the new town and gears all his focus on it’s success. Attaining this power and his long-awaited “big voice” (46), his true self and desires surface. Through these experiences, Janie has now met many challenges and failures that take the audience once step closer in knowing her story.

The men in the town also have their own opinions regarding Joe’s new power. Hicks, for example, is jealous of Joe and his prosperity. This clearly shows the clash of higher and middle/low class citizens. As soon as Joe begins running the town and making decisions, some of the perspectives held of him take a negative turn. Holding power among people always has it’s challenges and this situation undoubtedly shows the possible complications that might arise.

This quote resembles the relationship between Joe and Janie. He begins to put his want and "love" for power over the promises he made to his new wife.