The article linked above explains a universal
archetype made world known by William Shakespeare, particularly in Romeo and Juliet: the generation gap. The Montague
and Capulet parents attempt to instill the same animosity toward the opposing
family in their children, though the teenagers find no reason for such hate. Shakespeare
exaggerates on the contrasting views of old and young as Hurtson does in
Chapter three with Nanny and Janie.
Nanny as a former slave reasons hardheadedly
about marriage. For her, it is the gateway to a higher social standing.
Contrastingly, Janie’s naivety and more privileged upbringing evoke her
yearning for love, passion, and desire. When the two discuss Janie’s love
affairs with Logan, Nanny disbelieves Janie’s unhappiness to be married to
someone she does not love. If Janie has protection and financial security to
last her a lifetime, how could she possibly be unhappy? The idea alone should
infatuate her, yet Janie shows almost disgust for the man in the way she
describes his physical features.
When Nanny attempts to reason with
Janie, she remarks “Grandma done been long uh few roads herself” (Hurtson 24). This
comment implies wisdom, but it is controversial whether Grandma has the wisdom
to lead Janie toward the right path. Nanny’s perspective is based on her
hardships at Janie’s age, decades apart from each other. Kurtson acknowledges
Nanny’s aging bones in a poetic way when she eloquently states, “Nanny entered
this infinity of conscious pain on her old knees” (Hurtson 24). Nanny’s dying
soul is ironically similar to how her viewpoints on marriage are becoming dead
in society.
Before reading your blog I would have never thought to compare "Romeo and Juliet" to "There Eyes Were Watching God". In a way Janie is like Juliet. Both refuse to give up true love. They would rather give up their life or social status then lose the one they truly love. Excellent job comparing the novel to Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteThe generation gap occurs in every era and whenever this idea comes up I am always reminded of the movie "The '60s" that we watched in history. It seems so natural for children to want to disobey their parents and Janie thinks in the same way. I love that you related this to Romeo and Juliet. It shows that although so much seems to change through the centuries, some things always stay the same.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be a generation gap between a set of parent and child generations. The intervention of Nanny with Janie and Logan's "relationship" (and Janie's love life itself) is one specific example of how one generation's view of an "ideal partner" has shifted from the other. The cartoon you included is another example of that generation gap, and the fact that the girl is portrayed as very young sort of widens the gap even further. Janie and Nanny, like the girl and her father, experienced two entirely different upbringings and reacted in the ways that their generation were taught to.
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