Journal 4

So Addison started to ponder about fear. Fear, that menacing creature who dwells in the dark. The unavoidable one who fallows in the depths of people's shadows. What purpose has fear for the light, it strengthens it, and what light can break the bond between shadow and foot? It arches underneath the sway of arms. Arches precisely and purposefully with its talons drawn back, waiting for the light to bid him come. Been waiting there before the sunset and after the sunrise. She was likely to uncover a talon from its injured claw burrowed within her shadow any day now. She became frightened. Poor Cameron! He should not have to battle in there alone. She asked the Police Officer for a visit, but the Police Officer said No. These Police Officers wuz decent with the wronged, but they didn't understand a thing about a case like his. He'd be all right just as soon as the jury found what he had been wrongly accused of. He wasn't going to die at all. That was what he believed. But the Police Officer told her different, so she understood. And then if he hadn't, the next afternoon she was confident to know, for citizens began to surround around the courthouse underneath the beaming sunlight. People who couldn't occupy the diminishing space within the courthouse slid along the keyholes in the doors. Just squatted under the sunlight and waited. Rumor, that fear had shadowed the trial.

Journal 3

During Stark's arrival, Hurston describes him as a smooth talking, ambitious man. This description proves stable throughout his and Janie’s relationship before he becomes successful. Once he became successful, and popular amongst the citizens, we see his character alter from a man of sweet talking, to a man revolving around his ego. At first we seem him as a promise towards Janie's ideal love. He talks "for far horizon" (check for accuracy), and this mysterious ambition excites Janie. But once that far horizon sprung closer to Starks' reach, he soon revolved around his increasing ego as his authority also increased. This power forecasted over Janie. His fame has stirred popularity towards his wife, and her beautiful hair. But what Starks' ego attempts to swallow back is his growing jealousy. He forces Janie to be more conservative by tying her hair back, and planting her roots into the grounds of the store. This upsets Janie, and he knows it but his ego wont allow this jealousy to be expressed so he explains to himself that he is "building a high chair for her to sit in and overlook the world"(62), while that chair is made for him.

Journal 2

"' He's uh whirlwind among breezes," Jeff Bruce threw in.
Speakin'n of winds, he's de wind and we'se de grass. We bend
which ever way he blows," Sam Watson agreed, "but at dat us
needs him. De town wouldn't be nothin' if it wasn't for him. He
can't help bein' sorta bossy. Some folks needs thrones and ru
ling-chairs and crowns tuh make they influence felt. He don't.
He's got uh throne in de seat of his pants."
"Whut Ah don't lak 'bout de man is, he talks tuh unlettered
folks wid books in his jaws," Hicks complained. "Showin' off
learnin"(40).

This passage that Hurston writes after Stark's newly formed society, describes the opinions of the civilians towards Stark's leadership. The importance of this passage is to highlight the impoverished situation of the civilians, and to express the envy they have towards Starks. One of the many literary devices I encountered while reading this passage is the most obvious: dialect. By using this dialect, it adds additional understanding to their impoverished lifestyle. By the slang they use, it suggests the characters lack education, which is usually the cause of lack of money. To add a contrast to this way of living, Jeff Bruce states Starks as "uh whirlwind among breezes", which is an allusion to Psalms 104:4 and 107.25. This allusion amplifies Stark's character, almost making him seem godly amongst the civilians. This evokes an envious mood throughout the passage between the civilians. Their lack of leadership and education acts as a foil to Starks' higher education and intense ambition. Yet they agree that without Starks, they would be in the same situation as their life began. The envy they share is a repetition of the envy from the sitters in chapter one. They envy the one who broke past the barrier, and actually attempted to build something from their life. But yet, they do not try to evoke ambition from this envy. They simply "chewed the back parts of their mind" and carried on.

Journal 1

Hurston's use of nature acts as a way to cease a view of the environment, and to highlight a special understanding for Janie that is referred to throughout the book. Janies experience underneath the pear tree is a defining moment in her life, and one that creates a new view of love. At first, the stereotypical repetition seems to come out within this page, but Hurston's careful language creates a give-and-take relationship between the bees and the blossoms of the pear tree. "The thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree"(11). While underneath this tree, she is introduced to the sexuality of the springtime, but also to the sexual and emotional fulfillment that she will spend her life aching to find. She soon craves the attention the pear tree attains, wondering "where were the singing bees for her?"(11). Janies marriage to Mr.Killicks on the other hand, acts as a foil to her desire of a springtime relationship: "Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think."(24) Janie searches for a relationship that carries both a physical and emotional fulfillment, one that Logan fails to promise. "She now knew that marriage did not make love"(25), but that the springtime relationship is the promise of her fulfillment craving.

I enjoy Hurston's use of nature throughout this section of the book; does Hurston repeat this technique within other books she has written? Also, the use of dialect within this book greatly enhances my understanding of the environment, but also knowing the date to which this book takes place would be helpful. What time does this book takes place? And depending on the time that this book takes place, was an arranged marriage common? Or just was purposefully placed on Janie to enhance her life?