Nature Of Janie

Life tests our goals with the situations it puts us in. It proves our character and shapes our dreams. Oftentimes that means finding what we truly want by having it taken away. Janie is introduced as a naive young girl looking more for love than a future. As a woman, however, Janie’s test becomes having her expression, independence, and romantic goals pushed in her marriage with Jody. Seemingly the perfect opportunity for true love, the relationship that comes from their marriage does not amount to what Janie finds she truly desired.
The gentle nature of Janie’s character is revealed in the way she handles potential fights with her husband. When Jody sent her for shoes in the midst of the struggle of the mule, she “wanted to fight about it,” but she thinks to herself, “Ah hates disagreement and confusion, so Ah better not talk.” (Ch.5,P57) In the situation she wishes to call her husband to the aid of the poor mule outside, but instead resolves that speaking up is not worth the trouble. She sets aside her own
From Jody’s perspective, he feels he “was just pouring honor all over her...and she here pouting over it!”(Ch.5,P62) At this point, Joe had just denied Janie’s request to go to the dragging-out, and considers how Janie’s values are different from many other women. Janie is not attracted to honor or respect, she is interested in the freedom to enjoy life. Janie responded to Jody’s criticism by stating, “Somebody is bound tuh want tuh laugh and play.”(Ch.5,P62) She finds the idea of maintaining honor boring and tedious, and doesn’t understand why Jody labors under it. The statement reveals Janie’s underlying child-like nature and playfulness, and how it is brought about by the confines of her marriage. Both of theses qualities that Janie would have been unlikely to come across had they been readily