Garrett's Their Eyes Were Watching God Site

 

Communtiy

Communtiy comes through in the story in many ways, both good and bad.  There are times when Janie wants and craves community and other times when she resents the gossip and rumors that grow in communtiy. 


The Good

            "Oh yeah you kin.  Me and You and Motor Boat kin all lock arms and hold one 'nother down. Eh, Motor." (Pg. 161)

         In the hurricane, Janie, Tea Cake and Motor Boat are together and Tea Cake comes up with a plan to get away from the storm; to walk.  Motor Boat would rather stay in the house and sleep. This is a time which they would want to stay together; safety in numbers.  However Motor Boat goes upstairs and sleeps.  Janie and Tea Cake wish for the community now since they decided to wait out the storm.

The Bad

                    "She felt them pelting her with dirty thoughts. They were there with their tongues cocked and loaded, the only real weapon left to weak folks." (Pg. 185)

             In the courtroom, almost every black person in the area is standing in the back of the court.  All of them blame Janie for Tea Cake's death.  It is however, all rumors.  Nobody knows that Tea Cake had rabies and he was about to kill Janie.  This is an instance that Janie would not want want community.  Janie wants to get away from the dirty looks and judgemental actions.  The words and actions of the people in the courtroom make her embarrassed.  Janie still cares about what other people think of her because she is still trying to find herself. 

hanoverparkillinois.org (Community Picture)