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March 16, 2011 Chapter 1 & 2 Reflection and Connection

I really don't have a feeling for this book now. I can't tell if i like or dislike this novel. For one i hate this dialect, it's bringing me back to Huck Finn. I do like the foreshadowing in the first two paragraphs in the opening chapter when she writes " Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. that is the life of man.". Then she goes on about the women by saying " Now women forget all things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly.". and how it is saying that men give up their dreams, but women always stay true to their dreams. So i like the way she juxtaposes the two saying that men can let their dreams go but, women seem to never do so. That was a great saying to start the novel off with. Lets see how the other chapter go and see if they catch my attention. The connection that I extracted from the novel is when the women on the porch are gossiping and the one line on (page 1) where they said " their eyes flung wide open in judgement.". When you judge some one you can either right or wrong.This little passage in the novel reminds me To Kill a Mockingbird. In this case you can either be WHITE or wrong. When Atticus was the lawyer of Tom Robinson who was a black man in a very racist community in the south. Everyone in Maycomb judge Atticus for defending Tom who was accused of raping a white women. Atticus proves that he his innocent but, the all white jury convicts Tom just because he is pretty much black. So you shouldn't just judge someone because of their appearance or what their past is.

March 18, 2011  Chapter 3 & 4 Reflection and Connection   Reading these two chapters i'm starting to enjoy the book a little more. I like that we are starting to learn more about the marriage of Janie and Logan. I don't have any clue who would marry someone without loving them from the beginning and saying oh maybe i love them after and more into our marriage. Janie just did want to b lonely anymore and probably was think what the saying in the novel states (pg 21) "husbands and wives always loved each other, and that was what marriage meant.", so i think what Janie was thinking was if she gets married for one she would be lonely and two she might just find someone who loves her because that is what she has benn told. what caught me off guard was Nanny pretty much pushing Janie on Logan. Saying that she should be happy with what she has in life and what he can bring to the table for her. I just thought that Nanny was a whole different person then that. This section of the novel when Nanny is pretty much pressuring Janie to get marry reminds me of Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. Don't let the title fool you there is a story within a story about a daughter and her mother is pressuring her in to marring this guy, who has both wealth and is an important person in the city. What alot of people don't know is that he is beating her and only her sister and her mother know. Her sister tells her to leave saying that a man shouldn't treat you like that let alone no one should treat you like that. On the other hand her mother knows but just her to marry him for the money because she has spent her daughters trust fund and has spent all of her money from her late rich husband. So Madea finds out and isn't standing for it. So for the day of the wedding she said why don't you serve your future husband some grits, so Madea leaves the room and the daughter throws the hot grits on his face and starts to beat him with a cast iron pan. Then finally she throws the ring in his face. I mean this section isn't to that extreme but she was pressured into something she didn't want but, in the end she started making decisions for herself. March 22, 2011  ﻿Chapter 5 Reflection and Connection ﻿   So after reading this chapter i really liked wht Hurston composed. I liked that we are learning more about Joe Starks. I feel that while only being in this town for what five minutes, joe feels that he is the answer that the town needs. On pg 35 he states " "No wonder things ain't no better", Joe commanded. "Ah'm buyin' in here, and buyin' in big. Soon's we find some place to sleep tonight us menfolks got to call people together and form a commitee. Then we can get things movin' round here." ". So Joe iswanting to take over this town and wants power. I don't get if he wants to make the town a better place to live by buying the 200 acres and adding a post office and store or is this going back to him having a power trip. Then he has men going to recruit new residents for this town. So Joe is starting to seem like a dictator wanting as many people to live in this town, so he has a bigger crowd to rule over. Then he goes on by living ina two story house. while everyone else in town is living in a one story and pretty much rubbing it in his face by saying i'm better then you and have more overall power then you. In this chapter of the novel kinda reminds me of animal farm and how Napoleon and Snowball. Yeah they might not be in a relationship but Napoleon is in control and doesn't really care about anyone but himself. Just like when the farm is running out of money he still continues to order/buy the thing that he needs but not the farm. Napoleon goes on a power trip pretty much through the whole novel. Similar to Joe and how he is going on a power trip. Then Snowball i kinda see as Janie who cares and is passionate but can never get a word in like nowball when you have someone on a power trip.

March 24, 2011  Chapter 6 Reflection and Connection   ﻿I really didn't mind this chapter i didn't hate it and i didn't love it either. It was just ok. The only thing was it was a long chapter that seem to go on and on. I liked that we got to more of Joe's power tip in this chapter. When he tells Janie not to really listen or join in on the conversations that were being held on the porch because they aren't up to their standards. Then when Janie has to always keep her silence, on page 54 Hurston writes " She went through many silent rebellions over things like that. Such a waste of life and time.". Janie never could speak her mind because Joe doesn't want her too but, on page 57 she says "But ah hates disagreement and confusion, so ah better not talk.", so when Janie has a chance to talk or speak up she decides not because she doesn't like the concect. It's a paradox in itself. On page 58 he starts to look like their saver again by the townspeople saying "Freein' dat mule makes you mighty big man outta you. Something like George Washington and Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln, he had de whole United States tuh rule so he freed de Negroes.", those are pretty important people to be compared too. This chapter in the novel when Janie keeps her silence about him slapping her and almost everything remind me of the novel Speak. Maybe not that extreme but similar. When Melinda goes to a high school party over summer and gets raped but an older boy. After this scaring memory she keeps her silence on what happened that night. Finally she speaks after that same situation almost happens again in the closet/hiding place.



March 25, 2011 Chapter 7, 8, 9 and 10 Reflection Connecti ﻿ ﻿on

I liked these chapters that we read last night. I liked how Hurston was describing their appearances, on page 77 “The one day she sat and watched the shadow of herself going about tending store and prostrating itself before Jody”, I think that the reason that she talks about her shadow is because she doesn’t have the self-confidence to look in a mirror. Then she goes on to describe herself as itself showing again the lack of confidence. Then again Joe him self is looking to good either. I liked when Janie stood up for herself when she made a mistake while at the store and Joe belittled her. Then she stands up for herself saying not to tell her what to do because it was one mistake. On page 80 Hurston writes “Joe Starks didn’t know the words for all this, but he knew the feeling. So he struck Janie with all his might and drove her from the store.”, now all the people in the town know and feel how Joe treats Janie. I’m happy that Joe dies because now Janie can be the person that she wants and use to be.

This section of the novel where Janie finally stands up to Joe reminds me of another Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married. One of the couples is an overweight women and a man. He doesn’t like the way her appearance and starts to cheat on her with one of their friends. He is so rude to her behind her back and to her face, that when they are on a couple’s retreat she stands up for herself and says she wants a divorce. Finally he sees her a couple months later and she has lost all this weigh and is with someone that really loves her even before she lost all of the weight. He ends up wanting her back but she declines with the sweet revenge in her back pocket.

March 29, 2011  ﻿Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 Reflectionand Connection So after reading these chapters in the novel last night i really enjoy it. I was a little upset that when Tea Cake expressed his feelings for Janie that she was a little put back and said that she sees him more as friend then a lover. She just doesn't believe that a young person like him could love her. My favorite quote at the end of chapter 11 is on page 109 Tea Cake says "Janie, Ah hope God May kill me, if Ah lyin'. Nobody else on earth kin hold uh candle tuh you, baby. You got de keys to de kingdom." They just seem like a perfect match because as you can tell he truly. I mean if someone told you that you had the keys to there kingdom what would you do? Janie is finally being treated the way that she wants and deserves to be treated. Then when Tea Cake takes the the two hundred dollars from Janie, i was like can this girl catch a break with the people she loves because i don't think she can take anymore. Then he returned after he took his fellow works out to eat, the only thing she was about is that she didn't invited to eat with them. I would be pissed regardless because that is two hundred dollars of my own money. Janie but now is head over heels now for Tea Cake and it's about time, but knowing her life something is going to change.

While reading this section of the novel it reminded me of Runaway Bride. I know that the title and maybe the story line might be off but i think that there is a theme that can be extracted from the movie. In the movie Maggie ( Julia Roberts ) is a runaway bride she has made it to the alter four times but has never has gotten married. I the reason i think that this movie is similar in a way is because she is hesitant to get married just liked Janie is hesitant to fall in love with Tea Cake. Then she finally gives in and marries Richard Gere's character in the movie, just like Janie ends up falling for Tea Cake.

March 31, 2011  ﻿Chapters 15, 16 and 17 Reflection and Connection    ﻿Wow these chapters went by so fast. I liked these chapters they weren't my favorite chapters. I like that we get to see jealousy out of Janie when Tea Cake is hanging out and spending time with Nunkie. The beginning sentence of chapter 15 page 136 Hurston writes "Janie learned what it felt like to be jealous. A little chunky girl took to picking a play out of Tea Cake in the fields and in the quarters.". It shows that Janie really loves him but this type of behavior reminds me her late husband Joe and how he made her wear that head wrap that she had to wear so that the towns men wouldn't she her beuatiful locks. Then when Janie is talking to Mrs. Turner brings up to Janie about being with a lighter skin boy. on page 140 she says " It's too many black folks already. We oughta lighten up de race.". Finally Janie finds someone that she loves and she is being judged for it. These chapters of the novel remind me of Alicia Keys song Unthinkable. The song is about A interracial couple ( a black female and a white male) and they fall in love but everyone judges them and doesn't want the to be together. Just like Mrs. Turner not wanting Janie to be With Tea Cake because he is to dark. Alicia Keys: Un-Thinkable Lyrics

Featuring: [|Drake Lyrics] Verse 1:

Moment of honesty Someone's gotta take the lead tonight Whose it gonna be? I'm gonna sit right here And tell you all that comes to me If you have something to say You should say it right now (Drake: You should say it right now)

You ready?

Bridge:

You give me a feeling that I never felt before And I deserve it, I think I deserve it (Drake: I deserve it, I think it deserve it..Let it go) It's becoming something that's impossible to ignore And I can't take it (Drake: I can't take it)

Chorus-Alicia & Drake:

I was wondering maybe Could I make you my baby If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy If you ask me I'm ready (Echo: I'm ready, I'm ready) If you ask me I'm ready (Echo: I'm ready, I'm ready)

Verse 2: I know you once said to me "This is exactly how it should feel when it's meant to be" Time is only wasting so why wait for eventually? If we gon' do something 'bout it We should do it right now (Drake: We should do it right now)

Bay, uh

Bridge:

You give me a feeling that I never felt before And I deserve it, I know I deserve it (Drake: I deserve it, I know I deserve it. Let it go) Its becoming something that's impossible to ignore It's what we make it (Drake: It's what we make it)

Chorus-Alicia & Drake:

I was wondering maybe Could I make you my baby If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy Or would it be so beautiful either way I'm sayin' If you ask me I'm ready (Echo: I'm ready I'm ready) If you ask me I'm ready (Echo: I'm ready)

Yeah, sing...

Hook:

Why give up before we try Feel the lows before the highs Spread our wings before we fly away I can't say I came prepared I'm suspended in the air Won't you come be in the sky with me

Chorus-Alicia & Drake:

I was wondering maybe Could I make you my baby If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy Or would it be so beautiful either way I'm sayin' If you ask me I'm ready (Echo: I'm ready, I'm ready) If you ask me I'm ready (Echo: I'm ready, I'm ready)

April 4, 2011 Chapter 18 Reflection and Connection

So i thought this one on the best chapters to show how much that Janie and Tea Cake love each other. Even through a hurricane and the the flooding of the lake. I liked the quote on page 159 " Six eyes were watching God", they were looking signs from God to know that they were going to be ok. I also like the quote from the novel on page 159 " Naw. We been tuhgether round two years. If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don't keer if you die at dusk. It's so many people never seen de light at all. Ah wuz fumblin' round and God opened de door.", they got there sign from god to leave their house and move on inland. They didn't care as long as they were together that was all that mattered.

This chapter reminds me of the movie The Day After Tomorrow. I know that is a natural disaster movie and i'm not connecting it to the hurricane that happened in the chapter but through these disasters you will do anything for someone you love. In the movie the father is a weather specialist in Washington D.C. and his son is in New York City. This strange event start to happen with the weather and the government issues that everyone moves to southern United States. the problem is that his son os trap in New York City with his friends in a public library doing everything possible to survive. His father does anything he can to get to his son even though the temperature is like below 100 degrees outside. He risks his own live to rescue his son. Finally he gets there and sees his son. I know that you might not connect this to the section but i saw that anyone will do anything with a loved one.

April 6, 2011  Chapters 19 & 20 Reflection and Connection    These were some of the best chapters in the novel I have read. Then when Tea Cake comes home early from work and is hungary but can't eat. The mood around that scene all I was thinking is he going to have cancer. The the doctor comes and sees him and Tea Cake ends up having rabies. the saddest thing about this whole ordeal is that they love each other so much and Janie finally was in a happy place and state of mind. The doctor said it was to that it is to late to cure him but the doctor will try to get medicine from Palm Beach. Tea Cake was just going so crazy and pulled out his gun pg 184 "Tea Cake, put down dat gun and go back tuh bed!", this just shows how crazy he is. Then when Janie shoots and kills Tea Cake YOu could just imagine how much it was eating her up inside and that by doing this he didn't have to get through to much pain. Then when Janie goes to courthouse and is found not guilty. Then towards the end I thought it was a good ending to the novel how the men of the town were saying sorry to her for all that they have said. At the end I feel that she is finally happy. For Ms.Ryce SPOILER ALERT   These chapters of the novel remind me of The Last Song. On page 193 Hurston writes " Tea Cake, the sun for a shawl. Of course he wasn't dead. He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall.". This quote from the novel reminds me of at the end of the movie her father dies of cancer. One of the last scenes they are in the church for the funeral and she starts to sing the song they worked on together and the light comes through the stain glass window that he made for the church. She knows that it is him shining through the window and finally knows that it is going to be ok.