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Life Changed at 16
Janie is 16 when she first kisses her crush Johnny Taylor. This is the first symbol in the book, which shows her sexual awakening. Janie's grandmother sees this, and realizes that she is growing up, which makes her want to have her get married. A quote to show this is on page 11 "She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom". -
No Marriage
Janie does not want to get married and trys to protest to Nanny. Nanny says that she has to and that its for her own protection. A quote to exemplify this is on page 15 when Janie says, "Ah ain't gointuh do it no mo', Nanny. Please don't make me marry Mr. Killicks." -
Nannys Story
Nanny tells Janie the story of her life. She tells how she was raped by her slavemaster. She had their baby, Leafy, and ran away until the Ciivl War was over. Leafy also got raped and had Janie as a result. Nanny does not want this to happen to Janie. A quote to show this is on page 15 when Nanny says "Every tear you drop squeezes a cup uh blood outa mah heart. Ah got tuh try and do for you befo' mah head is cold." -
Janies first marriage
Janie marries Logan, and assumes that love will eventually come. She then later visits Nanny to tell her that the love still hasnt come. A quote to show this is on page 25, "She knew now that marriage did not make love." -
Janie Meets Jody
While Janie is out and about, she meets Jody and he is a smooth talker and since she was bored with Logan she plans to run away with him. On page 32, she throws her apron on the ground to show that she is done with Logan, by saying "She untied it and flung it on a low bush beside the road and walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet." -
Second marriage
They get married and move away. This is the start of Joe's career in becoming a mayor. A quote to show this is on page 33 "So they were married there before sundown, just like Joe had said. With new clothes of silk and wool." -
Speech
Joe, as the mayor of Eatonville build a post office, a store, buys more land, and a city street lamp. A townsperson wants Janie to give a speech, but Joe says "wives don't make speeches". Even though this comment angers Janie, she lets it go after a while. -
Joe Dies
With all of the fights that Janie and Joe have, they have the worst one right before he dies. She feels like he is getting old, and saggy and not the person he was when she first met him. After this fight they do not sleep in the same room, and when they are talking later on he dies. -
Free
As soon as Joe dies, the firt thing Janie does is take off the rag from her head and lets her hair down. This is the symbol that she is finally free from Joe and can do what she wants now. A quote showing this is on page 87 "She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair." -
No more black
Janie decieds to stop wearing black and start wearing other colors signaling that she is no longer in mourning and that she is ready to go out and mingle with people again. A quote to show this is on page 93 when Janie said, "Let 'em say whut dey wants tuh, Pheoby. To my thinkin' mourning oughn't tuh last no longer'n grief." -
Tea Cake
Janie meets Tea Cake, and they begin to spend lots of time together and the people of Eatonville are starting to suspect that something is going on between them. A quote to show this is on page 106, where it shows their relationship starting to emerge when Hurston wrote, "All next day in the house and store she thought resisiting thought about Tea Cake." And later on it goes on to say that "He was a glance from God." -
Good Life
Tea Cake and Janie are in love and move to The Everglades for work. Janie does not care that he doesn't have money, because the love he provides for her is enough. A quote to show this is on page 128 when Tea Cake tells Janie that they must go to the Everglades by saying, "Oh down in de Everglades round Clewiston and Belle Glade where dey raise all dat cane and string-beans and tomatuhs. Folks don't do nothin' down dere but make money and fun and foolishness. We must go dere." -
Down Hill
Janie becomes jealous on Nunkie and she has a fight with Tea Cake, which turns into sex. After a hurricane hits the Everglades, and their house is not in the condition for them to live in anymore. Tea Cake then gets bite by a dog with rabies. A quote to show this is on page 166, "They fought and shomehow he managed to bite Tea Cake high up on his cheek-bone once." -
Getting Worse
Tea Cake gets more and more sick and soon becomes paranoid. During an arguement, Tea Cake pulls out a gun and Janie takes it from him to scare him. She shoots him and he dies. A quote to show this is on page 184, "Tea Cake crumpled as his bullet huried itself in the joist over Janie's head." -
Court/Funeral
Janie is put on trial and is sure she will be charged with murder, but because of powerful testmonies, she is not-guilty. Right after she gets free she gives Tea Cake a beautiful funeral. A quote to show this is on page 188 when she was found not guilty, "We find the death of Vergible Woods to be entirely accidental and justifuable, and that no blame should rest upon the defedant Janie Woods." -
Back to Eatonville
Janie cannot stay in the Everglades anymore and deciedes to go back to Eatonville, and this is where she meets up with Pheoby and tells her the story of her life. A quote to show this is on page 191 when Janie said, "Now, dats how everything wuz, Pheoby, jus' lak Ah told yuh." -
Content
At the very end of the book, Janie is laying in bed and she is thinking about everything that happened with Tea Cake, and she realizes that she is not unhappy with the way things turned out. A quote to show this is on page 193, " The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace."