Journal: Chapter 5-6

In the chapters 5 & 6 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, I felt that my perception of Jody keeps changing over time. In the beginning when Janie and Jody meet, Jody sweet talks to her saying she shouldn't be working behind a plow or doing any kind of hard work for that matter. For example, Jody says,"A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self and eat p'taters that other folks plant just special for you." (29). My thoughts on Jody here seem to be that he is a nice man meant on being polite to her. As I read through it seems that Hurston starts to describe him more like a white man, more than anything and makes it difficult to perceive that Jody is black. Hurston/Janie describes, "Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw. Kind of portly like rich white folks." (34). Hurston also says that Janie starts getting "proud of what she saw", meaning that Janie thought really good about herself that she had chosen a man that she can rely on and that it was of her own choosing. Jody is also very 'in control' about things, and needs to be in charge of every operation he does and he wants it done quick. Once Jody sees how the town is, he immediately demands to see the mayor, i which there is none, and then proceeds to ask questions and take over without anyone's real consent. 

Janie and Jody's relationship starts out fine. But once Jody starts feeling more in charge and more demanding once his control over the town, thieir relationship starts tension. Jody starts telling Janie that she isn't a one for making speeches. "mah wife don't know nothin' bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat." (43). Janie feels a little offended that he would not let her make a speech, but dismisses the thought thinking that not like she would ever make one. Janie feels like she is being repressed by Jody not letting her wear her hair out by making her wear a bonnet and yet he makes her do these things for him in a demanding tone, "Janie, Ah reckon you better go fetch me dem old black gaiters. Dese tan shoes sets mah feet on fire." (57). Janie tries really hard not to retaliate too much because she wants the marriage to work out really well. "She got up without a word and went off for the shoes. A little war of defense for helpless things was going on inside her...she wanted to fight about it." (57). Her thoughts reflect that Janie does feel like things are changing a little bit and feels a bit different about their relationship. Janie also alludes to Abraham Lincoln which is also an example of juxtaposition, "Abraham Lincoln, he had de whole United States to rule so he freed de Negroes. You got uh town so you freed the mule." This stands out a lot because Jody is not at all like Lincoln, Jody is power-hungry and only did it to please Janie, while Lincoln did the deed because it was ethical and a good change.