Jody's Oppression
Don't Know Nothin' 'bout No Speech-Makin'
"'Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech- makin'.. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home.'" (Pg. 40)
When Jody becomes mayor, Janie is asked to make a speech and Jody stops her by saying it is not a woman's place. His statement angers Janie however she remains respectful. This quote shows his chauvinist view toward women. Jody is trying to make Janie conform to some male oriented idea that women should be in the kitchen and have the same ideas as their husbands. Janie is a independent woman that does not take kindly to being told how to act or how to live. Janie feels oppressed by Jody and soon her inner self starts to retreat into herself. There was now a Janie the town and Jody knew and a Janie that was real. Jody ends up dying of kidney failure. He dies without ever knowing the real Janie, the free, independent Janie.
tv.zap2it.com (picture)
Mourning and Grief
"To my thinkin' mourning oughn't tuh last no longer'n grief." (Pg. 93)
Janie lived with Jody for over 20 years and for 20 years she was the "perfect" wife. Jody required Janie to be obedient and Janie felt trapped. She could not be herself and was not happy with Jody. She mourned his death but felt an emotion that was not sorrow, it was the feeling of freedom.
Janie confides in Pheoby her feelings for her new found freedom. Pheoby warns her that if she doesn't act sad then the people in the town will think that she is not sad the Jody is gone; even if it has been nine months. Janie believes that if she is not sad then there is no reason for her to be mourning anymore. Being sad when someone passes it perfectly fine, but there is a certain point when life must go on.
flickr.com (Sad Spongebob) hijact4life.4t.com (Happy Spongebob)
