| 1. When was their eyes were watching god published? | Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in New York on September 18, 1937. |
| 2. What is significant about this time? | … |
| 3. Zora uses the small black town where she was born as the setting for her novels. Where is the town located? | Eatonville |
| 4. When the people in Town talked negatively of Janie, what did she do? | She talks back like good eveningMen notice her firm buttocks, black hair, and pugnacious breasts while women notice her faded shirt and muddy overalls. |
| 5. Who is Phoeby Watson? | Janie’s best friend. Janie’s best friend in Eatonville. Pheoby gives Janie the benefit of the doubt when the townspeople gossip viciously about Janie. She is the audience for Janie’s story and her presence is occasionally felt in the colloquial speech that the narrator mixes in with a more sophisticated narrative style. |
| 6. What metaphor does Janie use to describe the experience of being out in the world? | Gates symbolize beginnings, openings into new worlds or new stages in life. |
| 7.When the story opens is Tea-Cake still around | He died. But many people said thatthey took all Janie’s money |
| Chapter 2 | Chapter 2 |
| 1. Who raises Janie | Her nanny. |
| 2. Why is Janie called alphabet? | They nicknamed her this because so many people called her different things. |
| 3. Why does Nanny slap Janie? | Nanny slaps her because she does not want Janie to get married by John Taylor |
| 4. What does Nanny say about woman? | She wants Janie to get married and not end up an old maid. She cannot be forever guarding her and is afraid of people like Johnny taking advantage of her after she is gone.She says that black women are the mules of the world and that she doesn’t want Janie to be a mule. |
| 5. Whom does Nanny want Janie to marry | Logan Killicks. middle aged farmer |
| 6. What does Nanny do with her baby? | She planned to have Nanny viciously whipped and to sell Leafy once she was a month old. Nanny escaped with her baby and the two hid in the swamps until the war was over. Afterward, Nanny began working for the Washburns. |
| Does Janie love Logan Killicks? how do you know? | No, because Janie, however, wants a different kind of love, one that begins with clean feet and trimmed toenails. |
| Chapter 3 | chapter 3 |
| 1. Describe the marriage dinner of Jannie and Logan Killicks. | The guests are generously served three cakes and such hearty delicacies as fried rabbit and chicken. As always, Mrs. Washburn helps with the affair. Janie gets a good send-off into marriage, and she and her new husband ride away in Logan’s wagon to his lonely home. |
| 2. When Janie wants to wonder and think about love, where does she go? | the pear of tree |
| 3. Describe the way Janie criticizes Logan Killics. | she first mentions how ugly she thinks he is. She then mentions how he doesn’t speak beautifully to her. She feels no connection to him—neither physical, nor emotional, nor intellectual. |
| 4. What happens to nanny? | She dies in a month later…. |
| 5. What metaphor does Janie use to describe the world? | The gate again signifies a new beginning, a new experience, or a new adventure. The ending of this chapter heavily foreshadows that Janie’s life is about to change again. |
| Chapter 4 | Chapter 4 |
| 1. Describe Joe Starks when Janie sees him. | She sees a citified, stylishly dressed man. He is black, but seems to Janie to be acting white. The man’s name is Joe Starks. He is from Georgia. He’s worked for white people all his life, but heard that there is a new town called Eatonville that is entirely populated by black people. Joe Starks is on his way to become one of the town’s leaders. |
| 2. For whom does Joe Starks speak? | to Janie |
| 3. What does Janie do when she becomes fed up with Logan Killicks? | . Janie tells Logan that he hasn’t done her any favor by marrying her, and Logan threatens to kill Janie with an axe. Janie considers this statement, then runs out of the gate to run away with Joe Starks. They head to Green Cove Springs and get married before sundown. |
| 4. What is the last image of the chapter? | Joe Starks and Janie head to Green Cove Springs and get married before sundown. |
| 5. Why is this image significant? | As Janie leaves, she knows “The change was bound to do her good.” In reference to the pear tree metaphor, Joe serves as the “bee” for Janie’s “bloom. |
| Chapter 5 | Chapter 5 |
| 1. What does Joe Starks plan to do in Eatonville? | Joe demands to talk to the mayor, but one of the men tells him that there is no mayor. |
| 2. What does Hicks think about Joe Starks building a post office and a store? | The townspeople agree that building a store is a good idea. Very quickly, Joe earns back all the money he invested in building the store by selling land to people who want to move to the town. |
| 3. What took the bloom off Janie and Joe’s marriage? | This leaves her feeling “cold” when she should be flushed with warmth for love of Joe. the mayor is intervening their relationship. Afterward, Janie hints that she wants to spend more time with Jody now that he has done so much work. He replies that he is just getting started. |
| 4. What is the metaphor Janie uses to describe marriage? | …. |
| 5. What do the townsfolk do at the barbecue? | Joe arranges a large barbecue and party which is attended by people from miles around. |
| 6. What are folks celebrating? | celebration of Joe’s being the mayor.In order to make first lamplighting a real event, Joe arranges a large barbecue and party which is attended by people from miles around. |
| 7. Why doesn’t Janie like being Mrs. Mayor? | she cant because shes only the wife |
| 8. What does Joe Starks become in Town. | The mayor of Eatonville (west maitland)lol |
| 9. What does Joe Starks do to Henry Pitts and why? | One day, a fellow in the town named Henry Pitts steals a wagon of sugar cane from Jody; Jody catches him and makes him leave town. |
| Chapter 6 | Chapter 6 |
| 1. what is the main topic of conversation on the porch of the store? | The main topic of conversation on the porch of the Eatonville store was Matt Bonner’s mule. |
| 2. Why does Joe not want Janie to talk with the people on the porch? | becaus he feels jealous. |
| 3. Why doesn’t Janie enjoy working in the store? | Because she likes talking to the mule, and her friends. |
| 4. Do you think Mayor Starks should have pressured Matt into selling the mule for $5? why or why not? | He pays five dollars for the ownership of the mule so that he can protect it from any further damage. |
| 5. How do you answer the question: whut is it dat keeps uh man from getting’ burnt on uh redhot stove– caution or nature?” | This references to how Janie represented nature and often took a dominant role in her relationship with Tea Cake.??… |
| 6. Describe Mrs. Bogle | Mrs. Bogle has an irresistible sensuality about her; thus all her husbands have had to hold high ranks to win her hand in marriage. She treats marriage not as a matter of love, but like an economic system, where she gives her beauty and sensuality to the man who can offer her the most social prestige. |
| 7. What happens to the spirit of Joe Starks an Janie’s marriage? | Janie and Joe’s relationship continues to deteriorate. |
| 8. What act of domestic violence does Joe commit? Why does he commit this crime? | One day, he slaps her face for preparing a bad meal. Janie recovers from the slap by putting on a new dress and going back to the store. |
| 9. After the act of domestic violence, what is the metaphor that describes what happens inside Janie? | ….. |
| 10. How does Janie drastically change her perception of her inside and her outside self after the act of domestic violence? | she cant go anywhere her hair is tied, though he never reveals his motives to Janie. |
| 11. At the end of the chapter, Janie does “what she had never done before”. what does she do? | Janie will meet another, better man. |
| 12. What does this action symboize? what do you infer about Janie’s character? | Janie will meet another, better man. |
| chapter 7 | chapter 7 |
| 1. Why is Janie feeling so stultified and unfulfilled at the opening of the chapter? | … |
| 2. What changes have overtaken Joe? | Janie realizes that Joe has become very old, and that he has become more abusive to her than ever before |
| 3. Is Janie sympathetic to Joe’s feelings? Explain. | Janie realizes that Joe has become very old, and that he has become more abusive to her than ever before |
| 4. what is omniscient narrator?Where does the omniscient narrator come in and what does it explain? | the narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story. … |
| 5. Why did Joe Starks strike Janie? | because Janie spoke back at him. |
| Chapter 8 | chapter 8 |
| 1. What did Jody do after he felt that Janie had insulted him? | He moved his things and slept downstairs. |
| 2. Do you think Jody was justified in being angry with Janie? | yes because he made her still feel guilty |
| 3. What was one of the symptoms of Jody’s illness? | He didn’t eat his meals.What was one of the symptoms of Jody’s illness? He didn’t eat his meals. |
| 4. What is the cause of Joe’s illness? | Kidney failure. |
| 5. How does Janie describe death? “Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West. The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it.” | She sees that he is struggling with death and is filled with pity. |
| 6. Why was Joe disturbed with living with Janie? | He wouldn’t allow her to be the way she wanted to be. |
| 7. What happened to Jodie? | he died |
| 8. How did Janie feel about Jodie and what did she say after he died? | sad, pity and she thinks about all the time that has passed since she met him. |
| chapter 9 | chapter 9 |
| 1. Describe Joe’s funeral. | On the outside, Janie participates in the funeral and the requisite mourning period. |
| 2. Explain the following expression: “She sent her face to Joe’s funeral, and herself went rollicking with the springtime across the world.” | But, on the inside, she rejoices. She is finally free of the heavily restricted life that Joe forced her into. She celebrates by burning the headrags that Joe forced her to wear. |
| 3. What did Janie say she felt about her grandmother? | searching for the mother that abandoned her, but she realizes that neither woman encouraged her freedom and her quest for the horizon. |
| 4. What does the following expression mean: “Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships.” | Nanny is no longer the loving grandmother who wanted only good for her child, but a woman who valued only material objects and subjected her granddaughter to horrors simply to obtain such trivial wealth. Thus, life experience can change the way one parses her memories. |
| 5. Why didn’t Janie enjoy working in the store and collecting rents after Joe died? | because she doesnt care anymore she wants freedom. |
| chapter 10 | chapter 10 |
| 1. After many people go to Winter Park to see the game, who visits Janie in the store? | Tea cake |
| 2. What is your first impression of Tea Cake? | handsome |
| 3. What does Tea Cake do that no one has done before? | play checkers |
| Chapter 11 | chapter 11 |
| 1. Describe the way Tea Cake came to visit Janie the second time? | he misses her, went fishing |
| 2. Why didn’t Hezekiah want Janie going around with Tea Cake? | people might be gossiping around |
| 3. How did Janie describe Tea Cake? | He looked like the love thoughts of woman. He could be a bee to a blossom a pear tree blossom in the spring. He crushed herbs with every step he took. He was a glance from God. |
| How did Tea Cake visit Janie on the fourth day after no seeing her for three days? | Tea Cake arrives in an old car. He has come to take her grocery shopping for the Sunday picnic |
| 5. How does Tea Cake feel about Janie? | No one can hold a candle to you. You got the keys to the kingdom, he said. |
| Chapter 12 | chapter 12 |
| 1. What did the townspeople think about Tea Cake’s and Janie’s relationship? Give specific examples. | The town criticizes Janie for ceasing to mourn the death of her husband so soon and for taking up with a man with no money or power. |
| 2. What does Janie mean by the following remark: “Ah done lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means to live mine.” | shes tired of listening she wants it to be her own way now. |
| Chapter 13 | Chapter 13 |
| 1.At the opening of the chapter, where is Janie going? | they are going to jacksonville to get married |
| 2. When Janie went upstairs to dress at twelve o’clock, what did she discover? | she lost her money |
| 3. What story came to mind when she couldn’t find her money? | mrs. anne taylor |
| 4. What story did Tea Cake tell Janie, about where he had been? | he went to his friends and partied on the railroad gangs with him and their wives and friends. |
| 5. How does Tea Cake think he’ll get Janie’s money back? | gabling $322 |
| Chapter 14 | Chapter 14 |
| 1. Where are the Everglades located? | okechobee |
| 2. What did Tea Cake and Janie plan to do in the Everglades? | They arrive in early September to ensure that they can find a house, because when the bean-picking season begins, the boarding houses will be too full to even find floor space to sleep on. |
| 3. What does it mean to be “on the muck”? | it is where Tea Cake takes Janie to work on the muck (picking beans and sugar cane). |
| 4. Why was Tea Cake’s house so attractive to others? | because he is so openguitar and his stories |
| 5. What did Tea Cake and Janie do for entertainment? | dance sing music lose love fight laugh |
| Chapter 15 | Chapter 15 |
| 1. How did Nunkie go about getting Tea Cake’s attention? | Janie becomes extremely jealous after she finds Nunkie flirting with Tea Cake in the fields. |
| 2. How did Janie react when Nunkie made a play for Tea Cake? | she was mad but then instead of fighter they made love. |
| CHapter 16 | CHapter 16 |
| 1. Describe Mrs. Turner’s personality. | she is mixed race woman |
| 2. Why did Tea Cake hate her? | because he overheard their conversation of Mrs. Turner and Janie and she needs to stay away from her |
| 3. What did Janie mean by the following remark about Tea Cake: “He kin take most any lil thing and make summertime out of it when times is dull. Then we lives off a dat happiness he made till some mo’ happiness comes along.” | ………… |
| 4. why does Mrs. turner admire and visit JANIE? | because she is half white and black |
| chapter 17 | chapter 17 |
| 1. What did the workers do Saturday afternoon when their work tickets were exchanged for cash? | buying liquor |
| 2 How did the fight start in Mrs. Turner’s Restaurant? | two guys Dick an coode were drunk and tea cake intervene and made it worse |
| What happened to Mrs. Turner during the melee (confused fight) in the restaurant? | A fight breaks out at Mrs. Turner’s restaurant between several drunken migrant workers. |
| 4. why does the fight start in mrs. turner’s restaurant? | she has the best beef stew and coode wants his tray to be eaten by the waitress since theres no table |
| chapter 18 | chapter 18 |
| 1. at the beginning of the cahpter, who is leaving the muck? | they are leaving for the hurricane |
| 2. what are these people leaving the mock? | hurricane |
| 3. what is the reason tea cake gives for not following the exodus? | because he said he will be fine |
| 4. what is old okechobee? | … |
| 5. what is the metaphor used to describe old okechobee? | … |
| 6. what is the metaphor Janie uses to describe love for tea cake? | ….. |
| 7. what does Janie grab onto to keep from drowning? | cow |
| 8. what else threatens jeanie | she was scred to be left or separted by tea cake |
| 9. what does tea cake do to save jennie? | attacks a dog |
| 10 what happens to tea cake while he is saving Janie? | he got bitted by a rabid dog |
| chapter 19 | chapter 19 |
| 1. | … |
Study questions for their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
June 15, 2020