Sam+TEWWG


 * March 16**

Reflect:

Okay, honestly I was almost positive that I was going to hate (and I mean absolutely detest) this novel as soon as I started reading it.I really need to just start going into these things with an open mind though, because we're only two chapters in and I'm already starting to feel really attached to Janie. I really like that she's the independent type of character, and oh- at the beginning with all the gossiping women I was reminded of the opening of the novel 'The Scarlet Letter'. Wondering now if I can use that for my comparison. Anyway, I'm really starting to get high hopes for liking the rest of this novel, and the rest of the characters as well.

Connection:

Well, not really sure if this counts as contemporary, but I'm going to connect TEWWG to The Scarlet Letter. While both novels do not necessarily hold the same plot, each introduces the reader to a very strong, independent female lead character, as well as plenty of the town gossip that is accumulated by their presence.




 * March 18**

Reflect:

Okay, I really, //really// did not like Logan Killicks right off the bat. He's an extremely unappealing character. I'm really worried about Janie's relationship with Joe Starks though, my gut is telling me nothing good can come of it. I felt super-amazingly-horrible for Janie in chapter three, what with the marrying Logan and not being in love with him. My personal views on marriage are very much love centered, so this did not sit well with me //at all//. Yeah, sure okay your nanny wants to make sure you're having a fine and dandy life once she's gone, but augh- good intentions gone bad! Moving on from that though, it really made me smile to see Janie getting smart and sassy all up in Killicks' "grill" in chapter four. She's such a fabulous and independent woman! Reiterating somewhat here, but Joe Starks you had **better** take good care of her. Or else. I'll...Be very mad, grr >:C

Connection:

Hold onto your hats you guys, because I'm about to make two connections. I know what you're thinking, "Sam NO! It can't be done!" It's okay little guy, just relax. Anyway, I'm picking two of my favorite charismatic ladies men to compare to the character of Joe Starks. Maybe it's just because that I associate any character that is even mildly smooth with these two beauties, but seriously I immediately thought of both of these guys as soon as he came on the scene.

First up, the fabulous prince Naveen from Princess and the Frog.



And then we have one of my absolute favorite characters of all time, Billy Flynn, the undefeated lawyer from the musical Chicago.



Both of these men are the embodiment of charm, and I call me a fool, but I have high hopes for Joe (:


 * March 22**

Reflect:

Whoa, darn it I definitely knew Starks was going to turn out to be a bum, what a shame :( Really was not fond of this chapter as a whole, but maybe that's just because of Starks. That's crazy that he got that town going though, oh geez. Not gonna lie I was still thinking of Billy Flynn almost the entire way through. Anyway, I'm really hoping Janie puts him in his place, but that seems pretty unlikely right now. Ah well, I can have dreams -cue tears-

Connection:

Okay, this is probably going to go way, waaaaaaay far out on a limb, but roll with me here. There was a point during the chapter in which there was discussion about Starks being almost no different from a white man, if I remember correctly. Let me go check that...For some reason I can't find the exact quote that I was looking for, but I think this one will suffice- oh wait I found it. ""It was bad enough for white people, but when one of your own color could be so different it put you on a wonder. It was like seeing your sister turn into a 'gator. A familiar strangeness." (pg48) Now, going with that, I was reminded of the pigs from Animal Farm (always with the Orwell references, you can never escape). The more power they gained, the more they began to resemble (both metaphorically and physically) the human farmers that they had tried so hard to overthrow. That can relate to Starks, or so I believe. What with the big house, fancy spittoons (I mean seriously?), etc, he is more or less turning into a 'pig' himself.



Also I have no idea what this image is from, but I found it while searching for the pigs from Animal Farm and just...I mean look at their faces. So beautiful.


 * March 24**

Reflect:

I remember when I was only a few pages into the chapter I asked Erin "What is this even about? Why do I care about a mule augh!"**,** but as it usually goes I ended up liking the chapter. Especially towards the end Janie finally starts having her image of Starks break apart. UGH WHY DID THAT TAKE SO LONG. Girl you can do so much better, stop getting involved with crappy guys! I'm really really praying that she shows us some more sass in chapter seven. Put that scoundrel in his place >:C

Also, that mock funeral made me really extra super mad. Joe Starks I hope you die or something. Seriously, you pig.

Connection:

Okay, so as always my connection is going to be a bit on the weird side, but I'm starting to think that's what everyone expects from me so let's just roll with this. So I was pretty much just sitting here trying to come up with some kind of connection, when suddenly iTunes decided to be a bro and play Shipwrecked by Genesis. And then I had a bit of an epiphany.

The song can be used to represent Janie's feelings of shock, loneliness, and confusion towards Joe. And while yes, I realize that the end of the song has a bit more of a "cool love story bro" undertone, I believe that it is fitting. Especially the part that goes "I'm helpless and alone driftin' off to sea I can't believe what you said to me"

media type="custom" key="8816956" I'm a million miles from anywhere, where can I be Somewhere out on the ocean Just take a look at the horizon, what can you see There's nothing there for me

I feel shipwrecked, I might as well be shipwrecked I'm helpless and alone, drifting out to sea I can't believe what you said to me

Even standing on the corner of a busy city street I still feel so lonely Why do you say you want to be with me But the next day say you don't

I feel shipwrecked, I might as well be shipwrecked I'm helpless and alone, drifting out to sea I can't believe what you said to me

Without you I feel shipwrecked But I can't let it show A million miles away from anywhere

Is it my imagination Or is it getting darker, are the waves getting higher I'm a million miles from anywhere A million miles from anything I know

You know that's why I'm shipwrecked I might as well be shipwrecked I'm helpless and alone, drifting out to sea I can't believe what you said to me You know that's why I'm shipwrecked, shipwrecked Losing my direction Please come and rescue me Shipwrecked, Shipwrecked, Shipwrecked


 * March 25**

Reflect:

'Scuse my excitement, but CHAPTER SEVEN AW YEAAAAAH. So much happiness. Janie you are such a beautiful character I cannot even handle this. Pretty sure I was smiling through all of the chapters this time, sooo overdue for putting Starks in his place (: Whoa and I totally knew that that guy was Tea Cake that showed up in the store, yay for being right! He's so adorable though, finally a good person for Janie to be with. Unless he's actually got a secret too :0

Connection:

Here's one that's not contemporary, but at the same time still is. Ready for this? Okay. So I was thinking about Queen Elizabeth in relation to Janie's refusal to marry. And to make this more modern, I'm specifically thinking of the movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which we actually watched in here earlier this year (: Both characters are very independent, strong females that have no desire to settle down or bow down to any man. Also as a side note, I love Cate Blanchett so much <3




 * March 29**

Reflection:

Oh my goodness, I am soooo happy right now! I was having a lot of back and forth feelings about Tea Cake for almost the entire reading, but I really like him now! Not to say that he doesn't have his faults, but he's definitely a cooler guy than our dead friend Starks over in tombstone land. Too soon? Just- wow though. I had a lot of moments where I was wondering if Tea Cake was actually going to just up and leave Janie, especially at the missing two hundred dollars part. Whew! I'm really glad that Janie's finally starting to live her own life now though, it's about time (:

Connection:

Another somewhat far fetched connection, but for some reason Janie and Tea Cake's relationship reminded me a lot of that couple from Holes, ohhh what were their names...Sam and Kate? The onion seller and the school teacher lady. Okay I know what you're thinking- whoaaaa Sami, Janie and Tea are not even close to that! And you would be right to say that, honestly. But I think about like...Tea Cake's personality really reminds me of Sam's, and I think that's because he's just always trying to do his best with what he has to make Janie happy, kind of like what Sam did with Kate. I really hope her name was Kate. Kissing Kate or whatever she was called. Anyway. And I was thinking about the town's disapproval of Tea and Janie being similar to the feelings of the town that Sam and Kate lived in. The one major difference being that...Ya know, Sam and Kate had more of a "forbidden" type of relationship than what Tea and Janie have, since Sam was black and Kate was white.



March 31

Reflection:

I swear, these chapters keep on making me increasingly nervous. Or maybe paranoid is a better term. Yeah... I'm actually kind of glad that we got to see the jealous side of Janie though, shows just how deeply she cares for Tea Cake. Good Lord, I hope things with him turn out okay. I keep sitting here on my bed making very strange faces to express my suspicions that he might still end up terrible. It doesn't help that I keep thinking of the beginning of the book where Janie is walking back to her house alone. That really doesn't seem to bode well for their relationship. Guess we'll just have to wait and see, and oh geez Ms.Ryce you have me very excited now for chapter 18, I would like to make a Lost reference oh-so very badly. Also, and I assume this opinion is about the same for everyone, I really cannot handle Mrs.Turner. Can you say loony bin? Kind of glad her hand got all messed up- actually I lied, I'm really glad that that happened. All the talk about people trying to flirt/'steal' Tea Cake and Janie away from each other is also not really helping my growing anxiety about them, and I still think that Tea is not exactly the super great person that he's made out to be.

Connection:

This connection is really out there, but the passage that goes "All gods who receive homage are cruel. All gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be worshiped. Through indiscriminate suffering men know fear and fear is the most divine emotion. It is the stones for altars and the beginning of wisdom. Half gods are worshiped in wine and flowers. Real gods require blood." (pg 145) reminds me of the movie The Road to El Dorado. More specifically the character of Tzekel-Kan. I'm thinking of the scene when Tzekel is talking to his henchman about Miguel's facial wound. I think the quote goes "Why do gods require blood? Because gods don't bleed! -cue rage-"



April 4:

Reflection:

I started out sooo insanely excited for this chapter just because Ms.Ryce said that I could connect this to Lost, not going to lie ;D Uhh, really don't know what to say about it now though. Motor Boat is an idiot, in my opinion. In what universe do you think sleeping is more important than, oh I don't know- staying alive. I think maybe I see the Lost connection right now though, this is very exciting. Edit: After reading Jim's blog I do have to say that I felt like this chapter kind of draaaggged on for awhile. Climax yes, exciting...Not so much. Usually I can get into these chapters very easily, but this time around I think I had to go back and reread a few pages somewhere around three times before it really started sinking in.

Connection:

So at first I just kind of looked at this like "well okay I guess both of them have crazy weather?", but looking at it more I think it's more along the lines of both of them being situations in which the characters have absolutely no control of their surroundings. In Lost, the cast is constantly being pitted against nature, natives, polar bears, a smoke monster, John Locke and his crazy escapades, and this invisible guy with a disappearing house named Jacob. Needless to say, they really don't have any control over their environment.



Did my picture disappear?

April 6:

reflection:

Oh, wow! I have to say, although it was sad, I really liked the last two chapters of this book! What a way for a person to go though, sheesh. That dog will forever go down as one of the most villainous characters in literature. I still don't really know how I feel about Tea Cake- I mean obviously everyone in the book likes him, but he still sort of irks me somehow. I got pretty scared when he had the gun oh man, that was kind of intense!

connection:

Not much of a connection this time, oops. I thought of Scrubs (this one's for you Jim when Tea Cake ended up with rabies, more specifically that episode where Ms.Tracey had rabies and ended up donating her diseased organs, resulting in I think it was three deaths. Those two-three surrounding episodes are my favorites! (irrelevant)