Black Womanhood: A History of Oppression and Hate PDF

**Black Womanhood: A History of Oppression and Hate** The marginalization of black women can be traced back to the era of slavery, where they were subjected to extreme forms of exploitation and dehumanization: - - The existing literature on slavery is extensive, but it focuses particularly o...

**Black Womanhood: A History of Oppression and Hate** The marginalization of black women can be traced back to the era of slavery, where they were subjected to extreme forms of exploitation and dehumanization: - - The existing literature on slavery is extensive, but it focuses particularly on black men, who are seen as the real victims of slavery -\> black women's experiences are relegated to the background and are deemed less important -\> in this way their contributions are marginalized, and they are render invisible, they are seen as passive and as less significant actors in the shaping of our world. Many historians have argued that black men suffered the most because they were stripped of their masculinity. Bell hooks, however, explains in her book, *Ain't I a woman*, that they were not stripped of their masculinity, but of their patriarchal status: - - - - - The tragic reality of the sexual exploitation of black female slaves began even before their arrival on American shores, during the Middle Passage -\> during this journey white sailors raped black women publicly in order to terrify the entire group of slaves and further humiliate the victims.\ Therefore, right from the very start the sexual vulnerability of female slaves was made evident in order to keep them is a constant state of fear to maintain control over them. Angela Davis stated explained that the rape of black female slaves was not merely an expression of white men's sexual desires, but it was an institutionalized form of terrorism aimed at the demoralization and dehumanization of black women. By subjecting black women to such violence, slaveholders sought to break their spirits. Racism was not the sole motivator behind the numerous acts of cruelty perpetrated by white men against enslaved black women -\> brutality against black women was also motivated and justified by the misogynistic and patriarchal ideologies of the time.\ Colonial American society was characterized by a misogynistic attitude towards all women, black and white.\ This attitude was rooted in fundamentalist Christian teachings that depicted women as evil sexual temptresses and the originators of sin -\> as morally inferior women needed to submit to the guidance and control of men and severe punishments were inflicted to those women who transgressed the boundaries defined by white men. The Salem Witchcraft trials were an extreme manifestation of patriarchal society's persecution of women, serving as a stark warning that any woman who did not conform to her passive, subordinate role, would face severe consequences, including death. In the 19th century, there was a significant shift in the male perception of women -\> women were no longer depicted as mere sexual beings, instead, they were exalted as the nobler part of humanity whose duty was to elevate man\'s sentiments, this new image of white women was diametrically opposed to the old image, they were now seen as goddesses, pure and innocent, devoid of any sexual connotation.\ This transformation in the image of white women from sinful and sexual to virtuous and ladylike coincided with the widespread sexual exploitation of enslaved black women -\> while American white men idealized white women, they simultaneously sexually assaulted and brutalized black women.\ This dichotomy in the treatment of white and black women highlights the deep racial inequalities of the time.\ However, it is important to recognize that, albeit in very different ways, both black women and white women were harmed by this misogynistic ideology.\ For black women, the price was the horror of the abuses they endured, for white women, the cost of being idealized as paragons of perfect purity was the imposition of rigid behavioral norms.\ They were expected to embody an unattainable standard of virtue and innocence, which required them to be submissive, under the control of their husbands, and entirely dependent on them.\ This idealization restricted their autonomy and freedom, forcing them into a narrow and oppressive role within society.\ Thus, while the manifestations of sexism differed, both black and white women suffered under the weight of these oppressive gender norms.\ What made the experience of black women far worse than that of white women was, as we have already noted, the intersectionality of their oppression: they suffered both racial and sexual oppression. The exploitation and humiliation of black women during slavery extended beyond rape to include floggings and forced breeding.\ Floggings were brutal public whippings of unclothed black women, which were not only extremely painful but also deeply humiliating -\> It was yet another tactic employed to rob them of their dignity.\ Breeding was the practice of coercing enslaved individuals to reproduce to increase the number of enslaved children available for labor or sale. This practice intensified following the abolition of the slave trade in **1808**, which halted the importation of new slaves from Africa.\ Female slaves were ordered to bear children, and if they refused, men were forced upon them.\ Being undernourished and overworked, female slaves were rarely in a physical condition suitable for safe childbirth: - - - - - the Mammy\ The Mammy stereotype portrays black women as loyal, nurturing caretakers who are content with their subservient roles.\ They work in the homes of white families, where they cheerfully cook, clean, and tend to the family. They are portrayed as obedient to their white masters and are often idealized as happy servants.\ They love the white children they care for more than their own black children.\ The mammy caricature was used as proof that black women were contented, even happy, at being enslaved.\ Moreover, by being obedient and by loving white children more than black ones, they accept and perpetuated the notion of white superiority.\ Through the mammy stereotype slave owner tried to convince people that black female slaves were not maternal towards their own children and did not suffer when separated from them.\ However, this was hard to believe, as black mothers were often seen crying in the streets when their children were taken away, clearly showing their pain.\ Moreover, the stereotypical mammy was described as an uneducated, big, dark skinned black woman who wears rags -\> in reality most house servants were attractive, young and fair-skinned. On the one hand, this inaccurate portrayal distinctly delineated the roles of the black enslaved woman and the white mistress. The black woman's physique was portrayed as robust and suited for labor, whereas the white woman's body was depicted as fragile and petite.\ On the other hand, this erroneous depiction was intended to reassure white women of the unattractiveness and asexuality of the black slaves living in their homes. Nonetheless, historical evidence indicates that many masters engaged in sexual relationships with their maids, often resulting in the birth of mixed-race children. - the Jezebel\ the Jezebel stereotype characterized black women as promiscuous and sexually insatiable, almost animal-like -\> for this reason they needed to be enslaves because they needed the guidance of the civilized white men.\ This stereotype was used to justify the sexual exploitation of black women because it shifted the responsibility for sexual advances onto the black women themselves -\> black women were the instigators of extramarital affairs, they were the ones who seduces men. Therefore they were not the victims, they were the ones to blame and for this reason they were treated with hostility and rage by the white mistresses.\ Moreover, this stereotype was used to hide the coercive nature of breeding practices, it was argued that repeated pregnancies were the natural results of this women's insatiable sexual appetite. - the Angry Black Woman\ the Angry Black Woman stereotype (also known as Sapphire) portrays black women as rude, loud, stubborn, overbearing , emasculating, nagging and perpetually angry and hostile. This stereotype was created to demean black women who did not conform to society norms that expected them to be passive, servile, non-threatening and invisible -\> It was a tool for social control that discouraged black women from any resistance or demand for better treatment -\> it undermined their credibility and humanity and it discredited their legitimate grievances by labelling them as irrational and inherently aggressive and problematic.\ Moreover, it downplayed the true brutality of slavery, making it seem like black women could in fact openly express sassiness or defiance without facing severe consequences.\ Lastly, it provided a justification for the harsh treatment of black women -\> they needed to be controlled and disciplined with all necessary measures -\> the mistreatment they faced was a result of their own behavior, rather than the actions of the oppressors -\> The physical and psychological abuse they were subjected to was necessary to keep them in line and maintain order. These pervasive stereotypes have significantly damaged black women's public image, dignity and self-worth. They have been deeply embedded in the collective mindset, distorting the perception of black womanhood for centuries.\ Sadly, some black men have internalized these harmful notions and, in certain instances, have begun to emulate their oppressors by mistreating and devaluing black women.\ On the one hand, they have accept patriarchal definitions of male-female sex roles that relegate women to the domestic household, raising children, and obeying the will of husbands.\ On the other, they have interiorized these stereotypes that view black women as inferior.\ This has led black men, who were grappling with their own marginalized status in a racially stratified society, to find ways to asserted dominance within the home, in the form of domestic abuse. One of the most troubling aspects of domestic violence against black women was their frequent inability to report such abuse due to the constraints of racial solidarity.\ Racial solidarity refers to the unity and mutual support within a racial group, often in response to shared experiences of discrimination and oppression.\ For black communities, this solidarity has been crucial in resisting racism and advocating for civil rights.\ However, this same solidarity can sometimes create complex dynamics for black women.\ In fact, racial solidarity often compelled black women to protect their community from external scrutiny and criticism, even at the expense of their own safety and well-being.\ Many black women have been reluctant to denounce abuse by black men, as doing so might be perceived as betraying the community or reinforcing negative stereotypes about black men.\ Moreover, black women feel an obligation to shield black men from the criminal justice system, which is perceived as disproportionally punitive towards them.\ In this way they silence their voice and prioritize the collective needs of the community over their individual needs. This issue is further complicated by the historical and systemic marginalization of black women, which often leaves them with limited access to resources and support systems.\ Economic dependency, lack of trust in law enforcement, and, as we have already said, fear of reinforcing negative stereotypes about their community, all contributed to their reluctance to seek help.\ These factors create an environment where black women feel isolated and unsupported, making it even more challenging to break free from abusive relationships. Crucial in this context has been the activism of some women of color who, starting from 1930s, have decided to shed light on the conditions within their communities.\ Zora Neale Hurston was one of the first authors to publicly denounce gender-based violence within the black community. She managed to: - - - - - - Alice Walker too faced criticism for her novel *The Color Purple*.\ Some male critics of her time argued that Walker\'s depiction of male characters, particularly Albert, was excessively negative and one-dimensional -\> according to them she reinforced harmful stereotypes about black men, portraying them as inherently abusive and oppressive. One notable critic, Ishmael Reed, suggested that her work undermined the progress of the African American community by focusing on its internal conflicts.\ Reed and others believed that Walker\'s narrative did not sufficiently acknowledge the broader socio-economic and racial challenges faced by black men, thereby presenting an imbalanced view.\ Walker responded to these criticisms by asserting that her portrayal was rooted in the lived experiences of many women and that her intention was to shed light on the systemic issues of sexism and abuse within the community. She argued that acknowledging these problems was a necessary step towards healing and empowerment for all members of the community. We can see how women have used "literature as a tool to describe gender inequalities and oppression of women in society. It is necessary to emphasize that black women did not passively submit to their oppression, but rather, rebelled and fought for a better future.\ Their resistance began during the Middle Passage and continued under slavery, through the Reconstruction era, the Jim Crow period, and into the modern Civil Rights Movement.\ It is important to honors their courage and challenges the narrative that portrays them solely as passive victims. 1. Middle Passage\ Black people resisted from the onset of their oppression, during the Middle Passage -\> they were acutely aware that the odds were not in their favor and that standing up could result in torture or death, nevertheless, they fought for their beliefs and for the right to be treated as human beings.\ Women played a crucial role in these acts of rebellion -\> unlike men, they were often left unshackled because they were considered less dangerous and intelligent. The greater freedom of movement - allowed women to gather essential information about the ship's layout, the crew's routines and the location of weapons - allowed them to move between different groups of captives and spread information to coordinate collective actions. - So it was women who planned and organize the revolt, who freed their male companions in shackles and who actively participated alongside them in the physical acts of rebellion -\> historical evidence, in fact, highlight that the more women on board a slave ship, the more likely a revolt would occur. 2. Slavery - Revolts - Sabotage of work - Cultural preservation - Literacy - Reproductive resistance - Running away - In *Their Eyes Were Watching God*, we see an example of this through the story of Nanny. - Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery in 1813 in North Carolina.\ Her early years were relatively happy because her parents were skilled and somewhat privileged slaves. When Jacobs was 6, her mother died, and she was sent to live with her mother\'s mistress, who treated her kindly and taught her to read and write.\ This period of relative peace ended when her mistress died, and Jacobs was transferred to another master who subjected her to relentless sexual harassment. In an effort to escape his advances, Jacobs entered into a consensual relationship with a white lawyer, with whom she had two children. Harriet hoped that her master's discovery of her actions would lead him to sell her to the lawer out of disgust. Instead, seeking revenge, he sent her to his plantation to endure the hardships of field labor. Upon learning that her children were to face similar treatment, Linda decided to rebel. She wanted to escape to the North, but she knew that escaping with two small children was impossible. Since she was not willing to abandon her family and run away on her own, she made the difficult decision to hide in the attic crawl space in her grandmother's house.\ She hid there for 7 years, in a space so tiny she could neither sit nor stand, and in total isolation. - Harriet Tubman, was born into slavery and from a young age she endured harsh conditions. She began working at 5 years old and a pivotal moment in her life occurred when she was 12 years old. Tubman, in fact, was severely injured in the head by an overseer for trying to protect another enslaved person from punishment. This injury caused her lifelong health issues, including seizures.\ At the age of 24 she married a free black, however, fearing she would be sold, 5 years later she escaped, leaving her husband and family behind. She made her way to Philadelphia, where she found work and began planning to rescue her family and others.\ Tubman became a \"conductor\" on the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses and routes used to help enslaved people escape to free states and Canada.\ She made approximately 13 missions to rescue around 70 enslaved people, including her family members. Her bravery and resourcefulness earned her the nickname \"Moses\" among those she helped. During the American Civil War, Tubman served as a nurse, cook, and spy for the Union Army. She played a crucial role in the Combahee River Raid, which led to the liberation of more than 700 enslaved people.\ After the war, she continued to fight for justice, becoming involved in the women\'s suffrage movement and working to support formerly enslaved people. 3. Civil War (1861-1865) 4. Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) and Jim Crow Period\ After the end of the Civil War, the Reconstruction Era began.\ This period, spanning from 1865 to 1877, aimed to rebuild the South and integrate formerly enslaved people into American society as free citizens.\ Hopes among African Americans were high, particularly with the Freedmen\'s Bureau promising to repair the damage done by slavery by giving each head of the family 40 acres.\ However, this was one of many promises that were ultimately betrayed.\ Initially, significant strides were made towards racial equality, exemplified by the 14th and 15th Amendments (1868 and 1870), which granted citizenship and voting rights to African American men.\ However, white supremacist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, soon emerged to violently oppose these changes and restore white dominance.\ These groups sought to prevent African Americans from exercising their newly acquired rights.\ For instance, in order to oppose black men's right to vote, white supremacists implemented literacy tests that most former slaves were unable to pass. Consequently, while African - They organized and participated in political rallies, supporting the Republican Party, which was then the party of Lincoln and emancipation. - They also mobilized voters by educating their community on their rights and they created platforms to voice the concerns of African Americans. 5. Civil Rights Movement (mid-20th century)\ The Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20th century was a pivotal period in American history, aimed at ending racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans.\ This movement sought to achieve constitutional equality and dismantle the barriers that upheld racial injustice.\ Black women were the backbone of the Civil Rights Movement. 1. First, it validated the immense efforts and sacrifices made by the African American community during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Their unity and perseverance demonstrated the power of collective action and nonviolent protest in challenging systemic injustice. 2. Second, this success provided a blueprint for future civil rights campaigns, showing that organized, peaceful resistance could affect meaningful change. It set a crucial precedent that would be used to challenge other segregation laws and discriminatory practices across the United States. It inspired activists and ordinary citizens alike to continue the fight for equality, knowing that legal and social change was possible. - The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and ended segregation in public places; - The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to eliminate barriers to African American suffrage, such as literacy tests and poll taxes. ***\ *** In the novel, Janie gets married 3 times and in her marriages, she undergoes domestic violence in different forms and out of different reasons. Hurston's genius lies in her ability to simultaneously denounce gender violence against black women while highlighting their strength and resilience.\ According to Schmidt (1985), "Hurston\'s female characters \[especially Janie\] are positive, tough, resilient and full of humanity. They stand for a new image of the black womanhood, an image absent in other works of Renaissance and of the p\ eriod immediately after." Schmidt\'s observation highlights Hurston\'s literary contribution to the representation of black women in literature.\ Her representation stands in stark contrast to the often one-dimensional or negative portrayals of black women in other works from the Harlem Renaissance. Hurston\'s characters break away from stereotypes, embodying a strength and complexity that challenge the existing literary norms.\ They offer a fresh, empowering perspective that had been largely missing, thereby enriching the narrative landscape and providing a more accurate reflection of black women\'s experiences and identities. Janie has been held up as a model feminist character and Hurston as a model feminist writer having created a character to whom women can look for many of the traits they are traditionally accused of lacking, such as strength, courage, enduring love, and wisdom.\ Make no mistake: Janie is not a perfect woman.\ In the novel, we observe that she does not always possess the strength or the will to fight, she does not always have all the answers, and she does not always make the right decisions.\ However, Janie is a woman who grows, who learns from her mistakes, who rises again after falling, and who, in her perfectly imperfect way, strives to live her life to the fullest, pursuing happiness wherever she can find it.\ I believe that Hurston's intent was not to describe a perfect role model, but to depict an authentic black woman. Hurston\'s aim was to portray the truth, to present a story that was as veritable as possible.\ If Janie\'s life was to represent the life of a real black woman, then all the contradictions in the novel are explained: thus, we understand why Janie has moments of strength and moments of despair.\ This explains why her actions are sometimes contradictory and why her journey is marked by both resilience and vulnerability.\ Janie\'s experiences reflect the complexities and nuances of real life, capturing the multifaceted nature of human existence and the challenges faced by black women. By presenting Janie in this light, Hurston challenges simplistic and stereotypical portrayals, offering instead a rich and layered character whose story resonates with authenticity.\ This approach not only enhances the literary value of the novel but also serves to deepen our understanding of the lived experiences of black women, emphasizing their strength, humanity, and the ongoing struggle for self-realization and dignity.\ By delving into Janie\'s experiences, Hurston invites readers to witness the complexities of black womanhood through Janie\'s trials, growth, and triumphs.\ This depiction underscores the societal and personal challenges faced by black women. The story is framed by Janie's return to Eatonville, Florida, where she shares her life story with her friend Pheoby Watson.\ Janie's narrative begins with her upbringing by her grandmother, Nanny and right from the start, we see that Janie's life begins with violence.\ In fact, both Janie and her mother are the results of sexual abuse.\ Nanny, Janie's grandmother, was born in slavery and "she was subjected to the 'habitual rape' by her white master who was responsible for her pregnancy with Leafy".\ Jainie's mother. Leafy, in turn, "was raped by her White teacher and gave birth to Janie".\ This pattern of violence and oppression profoundly impacts Janie, who, throughout the novel, grapples with the legacies of her grandmother and mother. "*Their Eyes Were Watching God* draws pictures of a whole bunch of women."\ Indeed, Hurston portrays the pain experienced not only by the protagonist Janie but also by her mother and grandmother.\ Through the novel we can see the suffering endured by a variety of women at the hands of both white and black men.\ Furthermore, Hurston illustrates the consequences of this violence to elucidate the profound impact of systemic oppression on black women.\ For example, the violence experienced by Leafy led her to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism and this addiction not only shattered her own life but also had lasting repercussions on Janie's.\ Leafy\'s inability to overcome her trauma and provide a stable environment for Janie meant that Janie was left to be raised by Nanny, who, in turn, had her own set of beliefs and fears shaped by her experience of slavery and abuse. Although Nanny tried her best to raise Janie, the extensive traumas she experienced undoubtedly affected her educational methods and perspective on life.\ This is particularly evident in how Nanny explains to her young and impressionable granddaughter the position of black women in society:... Nanny's words are a powerful commentary on the intersection of race, gender, and class oppression.\ They reflect the hierarchical structure of society as perceived by the character: in Nanny's worldview, white men hold the ultimate power and control -\> they oppress black men who, in turn, pass on their burdens to black women.\ Black women are depicted as the most oppressed group, bearing the weight of both racial and gender-based discrimination.\ Nanny calls black women "the mules of the world" and this metaphor highlights the extreme exploitation and dehumanization they face. Mules symbolize hard labor and suffering without recognition or reward. This imagery explains how black women are expected to endure the heaviest loads of societal oppression, often without any support or acknowledgment. They are oppressed both within their communities and in the broader society and this dual oppression severely limits their opportunities for personal and social advancement. Nanny speaks from a place of profound personal experience, having endured the brutal realities of slavery where she was dehumanized and treated akin to a beast.\ Her experience has left indelible scars, influencing her decisions.\ Driven by a deep-seated desire to protect her granddaughter from similar suffering, Nanny prioritizes financial stability over romantic affection.\ She sees marriage as a means to achieve this security and does not believe that black women can gain independence without a man.\ This belief leads her to arrange Janie\'s marriage to Logan Killicks, hoping to protect her granddaughter from the hardships she had to face.\ This pragmatic approach, however, comes at the cost of her granddaughter\'s personal happiness and emotional fulfillment, as the young woman is compelled to marry someone she does not love.\ Nanny\'s actions reflect a complex interplay of love, fear, and survival, highlighting the generational impact of trauma and the difficult choices faced by those seeking to break the cycle of oppression. In this scene we can see how harshly Nanny insists on Janie's marriage with Logan.\ The physical violence described destabilizes the reader and highlights Janie's early exposure to violence. Despite Nanny\'s good intentions, she has taught Janie from a young age about the dangers of expressing her opinions and asserting her will.\ However, Janie\'s resilience is evident as she continues to plead with her grandmother not to impose the marriage with Logan Killicks on her.\ Nanny then explains, not with violence but with tenderness this time, the reasons behind her insistence on this marriage. Nanny shares her own story of being born into slavery and how her white master raped her and impregnated her with Janie\'s mother, Leafy.\ A few days after Leafy\'s birth, the white master left, and the white mistress visited Nanny.\ When she saw the baby\'s complexion, she flew into a rage: This scene vividly illustrates that women of color were subjected not only to the abuses of their masters but also to the wrath of their mistresses.\ These mistresses did not perceive the unfortunate slaves as victims of abuse but rather accused them of willingly seducing their husbands.\ When Leafy\'s mistress saw the light-skinned child, she became enraged and threatened the most excruciating tortures and the sale of the newborn.\ To protect her infant daughter, Nanny decided to flee into the swamps, a dangerous and treacherous environment.\ The swamps provided natural cover and were less likely to be searched by slave catchers, however the conditions there were extremely harsh.\ Nanny's determination to protect her child helped her endure the threat of wild animals and the lack of food and shelter. This was an act of bravery and sacrifice and a testament to her resilience and maternal instinct.\ Nanny and Leafy hid in the swamps until the end of the Civil War.\ When slavery ended and they were finally free, Nanny began working for the Washburns, a white family in West Florida.\ She always refused to marry because she did not want any men in her house who could mistreat her daughter, and she worked hard to ensure that Leafy received an education.\ She dreamt of a better future for her daughter, but once again men's violence took that dream away from her. This heartbreaking passage vividly portrays Nanny\'s deep concern and helplessness as she waits for Leafy to return home.\ We can see her desperation as she takes a lantern and searches for her daughter, and we feel her anxiety and fear for Leafy's safety.\ Leafy\'s return, crawling on her hands and knees, is a powerful image of her physical and emotional devastation.\ This moment encapsulates the severe impact of the violence she experienced, both on her body and her spirit.\ It highlights the profound trauma that such experience inflicts on individuals, shaping their lives and futures.\ This traumatic event likely reinforced Nanny\'s determination to secure a stable and safe future for Janie, even if it meant making difficult and seemingly harsh decisions.\ Nanny\'s actions and decisions are deeply influenced by her desire to protect her family from the violence and exploitation she has witnessed and experienced. Nanny's words persuade Janie to accept the marriage with Logan, and Janie convinces herself that after the wedding, she and Logan would learn to love each other.\ Janie, despite her initial reservation, hopes and believes in the transformative power of marriage.\ After marring Logan, "Janie is removed from her home and the community centered around her grandmother in order to work on Killicks\' land. For her, 'It \[is\] a lonesome place like a stump in the middle of the woods where nobody \[has\] ever been'\".\ Nevertheless, she endeavors to approach this new chapter of her life with a positive mindset, trusting Nanny's advice and hoping that, over time, she will grow to appreciate both Logan and her new situation. However, as time progresses, Janie begins to realize that love cannot be forced or manufactured.\ The reality of her marriage to Logan starkly contrasts with her romantic ideals, and when she goes to Nanny to seek her advice the answer she receives forces her to reevaluate her expectations of love and marital life. This is Janie's last conversation with her grandmother before she dies of old age.\ The last piece of wisdom that Nanny imparts to Janie is to accept her situation, even if it brings her sadness and lacks fulfillment.\ Nanny sees Logan Killicks as a stable and respectable man who can provide for Janie, and she fears that Janie's desire for love and fulfillment might lead her into a precarious situation.\ By being Logan's wife Janie is respected and has both financial security and social standing.\ Nanny emphasizes that what truly matters in life is safety, not happiness.\ Therefore, she advises Janie not to struggle or complain. Upon hearing these words, Janie realizes that marriage is not synonymous with love.\ "She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie\'s first dream was dead, so she became a woman." This conversation marks the end of her initial, naive, dream that marriage would automatically bring love and happiness.\ It is a form of maturation, but it is also an additional act of violence towards Janie, who is forced to abandon her innocence and her dreams. Throughout the following year, Janie attempts to implement Nanny's advice and reconcile with her circumstances, yet this only results in further oppression.\ In fact, Logan soon ceases to provide for his wife and attempts to turn Janie into his mule.\ He demands that she works increasingly harder: Logan "thinks he has done \[Janie\] a great favor by marrying her, so she should kiss the dirt under his feet and treat him like a god".\ By marring her he has given her security and stability and so she should obey his every command and work tirelessly without complaints.\ He undervalues and takes for granted Janie's labor and he perceives her primarily in terms of her utility.\ His approach to marriage is pragmatic and devoid of romanticism.\ He does not worry about the fact that she desires a different kind of life because according to him women are like objects he can move around and put to use: "You ain't got no particular place. It's wherever Ah need yuh. Git uh move on yuh, and dat quick."\ He does not consider Janie\'s personal aspirations or emotional needs, which leads to a lack of mutual respect and understanding in their marriage.\ Logan embodies a traditional, patriarchal view of women, seeing them as laborers and dependents rather than as individuals with their own desires and agency.\ According to his ideology men hold a dominant position over women, particularly within the family structure where men's role as providers grants them the authority to dictate women\'s actions.\ "He regards Janie as not much different from an animal, a mule to be exact. And she is not supposed to have any feelings, nor is her opinion worth of listening. When she tries to tell her opinion or argue with him, he simply gets mad and threatens to kill her." However, Janie is not a submissive woman who easily allows herself to be dominated.\ She does not share her grandmother's belief that happiness, adventure, and self-fulfillment are unimportant.\ For Janie, these aspects are indeed crucial, far more so than financial security and reputation within society. Hence, "when \[Logan\] buys a second plow-thus revealing his plans to make Janie the dreaded mule Nanny warned against, Janie runs off with another man. Her rebellious behavior signals her early determination to defend herself against assaults on her giving and loving nature. \[...\] In escaping from Logan, Janie foreshadows her ability to triumph over patriarchal oppression throughout her life".\ In choosing to leave Logan and elope with Joe Starks, Janie defies social norms and expectations, asserting her desire for personal fulfillment and autonomy. Janie meets Joe while she is still married to Logan; one day, while she is working in the yard, Joe Starks, a well-dressed and ambitious man, walks by and greets her.\ They strike up a conversation, and Joe's charm and vision for a better life captivates Janie.\ They continue to meet secretly, and eventually, Janie decides to leave Logan and elope with Joe.\ Janie choses to elope with Joe Starks because she sees in him an opportunity for a new life and a chance to escape her unfulfilling marriage to Logan.\ He promises Janie a better future, filled with excitement and progress.\ He says he wants to move to a town run entirely by black people and thus he offers her a life where she can be more than just a farmer's wife. -\> *He spoke for far horizon. He spoke for change and chance.* After their wedding, Janie and Joe quickly head to Eatonville, the city Joe had described to Janie.\ They are both excited and filled with dreams and hopes about this city, which is inhabited exclusively by people of color.\ However, upon arrival, their high expectations are dashed when they find only a few shacks instead of the bustling town they had imagined.\ The city is far less organized and developed than they had anticipated, as evidenced by the fact that a mayor had not even been appointed.\ However, Joe does not lose heart and begins to work hard to improve the city.\ First, he buys another two hundred acres of land to expand the city and, secondly, he calls a meeting with the other men in the town.\ He explains to them that he wants to establish a store and obtain a post office from the government. The residents of Eatonville gradually perceive Joe Starks' behavior as emulating that of white people. "He was a seal-brown color but he acted like Mr. Washburn."\ Joe, in fact, exhibits a strong, controlling leadership style: he makes decisions unilaterally and expects others to follow without question, similar to how white masters behaved.\ "He loves obedience out of everybody under de sound of his voice \[...\] You kin feel a switch in his hand when he\'s talkin\' to yuh, \[...\] Dat chastisin\' feelin\' he totes sorter gives yuh de protolapsis uh de cutinary linin\'.\"\ Joe is convinced of his superiority; instead of trying to be a member of the community, Joe is trying to set himself apart and above them, much like the white masters they had hoped to escape.\ Regardless, no one can deny Joe's abilities; he swiftly attracts new families to the town by selling much of the land he purchased, and he also manages to quickly open a store.\ Recognizing Joe's exceptional business sense, the townspeople elect him as mayor.\ However, during what should have been a celebratory moment, Joe publicly belittles his wife, silencing her and denying her the right to speak.\ In fact, when the citizens ask Janie, the wife of the newly elected mayor, to give a speech, Joe interrupts her, saying: *"Thank yuh fuh yo\' compliments, but mah wife don\'t know nothin\' \'bout no speech-makin\'. Ah never married her for nothin\' lak dat. She\'s uh woman and her place is in de home."\ Janie made her face laugh after a short pause, but it wasn\'t too easy. She had never thought of making a speech, and didn\'t know if she cared to make one at all. It must have been the way Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything one way or another that took the bloom off of things. But anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold.* Through this interaction, we can see how Joe suppresses Janie's voice and defines her place.\ Joe's assertion that his wife belongs in the home and not in the public sphere of speech-making reflects the pervasive white patriarchal ideology of the time.\ His dismissive attitude towards Janie's potential to speak publicly underscores the limited roles women were expected to play, confined to domestic duties and subservience to their husbands.\ This moment highlights the power imbalance in their marriage, where Joe's voice and decisions dominate, leaving Janie with little agency or opportunity to express herself.\ Janie's reaction to Joe's statement reveals her internal conflict and growing discontent with her prescribed role.\ Although she forces a laugh, her discomfort is palpable, indicating her awareness of the injustice in Joe's words.\ The coldness she feels as she follows Joe symbolizes her anxiety about having escaped one oppressive marriage only to find herself in an equally suffocating one.\ The thought that black women's destiny is to be continually subjugated by their men, in various forms, gives her the chills.\ This scene foreshadows Janie's eventual quest for self-discovery and autonomy, as she begins to recognize the constraints imposed on her by societal norms and her husband's expectations. On the other hand, Joe, in his pursuit of success and recognition, fails to understand the emotional distress he causes his wife.\ His inability to perceive the offense and sadness he inflicts upon her mirrors the treatment Janie received from her first husband, Logan.\ Both men exhibit a profound disregard for Janie's feelings, prioritizing their own ambitions and societal roles over her emotional well-being.\ Joe's primary concern lies in his aspiration to be a prominent and respected mayor, reinforcing his perceived superiority over other men.\ This ambition blinds him to the impact of his actions on Janie, who is left feeling cold and discouraged by his domineering behavior.\ While Janie struggles with feelings of coldness and despair, Joe remains focused on his plans for the town's expansion. His drive for progress and control leaves no room for Janie's input or desires, further arginalizing her within their marriage.\ Joe continues to dictate the course of their lives without considering Janie's perspective, for examples he forces her to work in the store even though she does enjoy it.\ The only aspect of her job that she appreciates is listening to the conversations of the townspeople who everyday gather on the porch to share stories and engage in discussions.\ In one of these discussions, we reencounter the image of the mule previously mentioned by Nanny.\ The townspeople mock their fellow villager, Matt Bonner, for the way he treats his mule: The mule is a frequent subject of townspeople's daily gossip; everyone enjoys talking about it, about the poor conditions in which the beast is forced to live and work, and about the way it is mistreated, but no one truly cares about the animal\'s well-being.\ This situation mirrors Jainie's own experience: as the mayor\'s wife, she is often the subject of people\'s gossip, but just like the mule, no one genuinely cares about her.\ Moreover, in the same way that the mule cannot participate in its own narrative, Janie is excluded from the town\'s gossip because her husband forbids her to mix with the townspeople. Janie would love to participate in the conversation but once again her husband silences her.\ She is eager to share her thoughts and connect with those around her but once again she is forbidden to make decisions for herself.\ Joe does not allow her to participate in the story-telling and orders her to go working in the store.\ This leads Janie to despise the store just as the mule despises the plow. Joe does not want her to get involved with the neighbors because he considers them inferior to him and his wife.\ He considers himself a leader and visionary, while, from his perceptive, the other residents lack the same ambition and vision.\ His success in business further reinforces his sense of superiority and therefore he sees himself as the rightful ruler of the town.\ He views his wife, Janie, as a symbol of his own status and power and therefore he wants to closely control her every move.\ He deprives her of meaningful social connection and the opportunity to express herself freely and this attitude not only isolates Janie but also reinforces Joe's control over her.\ Ultimately what he really wants is to assert his authority both in the public sphere and in his private life; he wants to command both the citizens and his wife.\ In fact, Joe's oppressive behavior increasingly grows, as he dictates Janie's appearance, ordering her to tie up her hair and controlling her every move.\ Joe's way of treating his wife leads to an unhappy marriage, as Janie becomes increasingly aware of the limitations imposed on her by Joe's controlling nature.\ This can be exemplified by the fact that when one day the villagers begin to torment the mule without reason, Janie expresses her indignation.\ Janie becomes upset because she empathizes with the animal's suffering. She feels a connection to the mule, which, like her, is overworked, exploited, mistreated and mocked by the townspeople.\ Similarly, Janie feels oppressed and silenced in her marriage to Jody.\ Her empathy for the mule reflects her own desire for freedom and respect. Sensing Janie's disgust with the mule-torture, Joe decides to buy the mule from Matt Bonner and set her to rest. This is probably the only time that Joe is sensitive to what Janie feels inside and does something accordingly to make her happy.\ Janie is enthusiastic about this rare manifestation of love from her husband and feels a fleeting sense of hope that their relationship might improve.\ However, this moment of kindness is short-lived, as Joe soon returns to his domineering ways, reminding Janie of the limitations of her freedom.\ In fact, when soon after the mule dies, the townspeople organize a funeral for him and Janie is forbidden to participate.\ This prohibition was solely based on her gender.\ No further justification was provided, implying that womanhood itself is synonymous with diminished rights, domestic confinement, and exclusion from public community activities. The mule dies after Joe purchases it and put it to rest; it finally gets itself killed by fat.\ This mule reminds the reader of Janie's place in her second marriage.\ Joe did save Janie from her previous marriage, but his actions also placed her in a new kind of confinement. Just as the mule was freed from its burdens only to face a different kind of demise, Janie found herself trading one form of oppression for another.\ Joe's control over Janie is subtle yet pervasive, as he dictates her appearance, speech, and behavior, effectively stifling her true self.\ Through Janie's marriage to Joe Starks, the novel exposes the devaluation and aloneness of the middle-class woman whose sole purpose is to serve as an ornament and symbol of her husband's social status.\ Unlike Logan, Joe may have put Janie on a pedestal but pedestals are small and leave a woman very little room to act and to do anything but fulfill the prescribed role.\ Moreover, once women are placed on these pedestals, any attempt to step down can result in serious injury or death.\ This metaphor implies that once men, like Joe, put women, like Janie, in figurative pedestals they expect them to stay there.\ Any effort to leave this constrained position in search of freedom is met with violence\ The mule's death symbolizes the ultimate consequence of such control and constrain.\ Janie is beginning to learn that the freedom given from above is not always sweet, and sometimes the cost is even higher than if you fight for it.\ Despite the initial promise of freedom and a better life, Janie realizes that true liberation requires more than just a change in circumstances; it demands a fundamental shift in how she is valued and treated. When Joe comes home from the funeral, he notices that Janie is sad and he gets angry about it:\ He considers her ungrateful, mirroring Logan's feelings towards Janie.\ Joe believes that Janie should appreciate all his efforts, after all he is working tirelessly to ensure she lacks nothing.\ However, Joe does not realize that his wife's priorities differ from his own.\ For Janie, autonomy, freedom, and social interactions are far more important than material wealth and social standing.\ And these values are precisely what she lacks, along with the care and respect from her own husband. Furthermore, Janie cherishes the ability to "laugh and play," a notion that Joe simply cannot comprehend. Joe publicly belittles his wife and the entire female gender by saying that women, like chickens and cows, cannot think for themselves. They need men controlling them and ordering them what to do. Women, in his opinion. do not understand anything.\ Joe views women as incapable of thought and reasoning, akin to animals.\ He believes that women must obey men, as without them, they would be lost and unable to understand anything.\ Hearing such words from her husband is understandably devastating for Janie, who finally realizes the extent of his lack of respect for her.\ Janie tries to counter his husband's arguments but it doesn't do her any good, he wants her submission and he keeps fighting until he has it, Janie therefore learns to submit and to remain silent but the cost of this submission is nothing less than their marriage: Janie has now no affection for her husband, their marriage exists in merely a public, superficial form. It is maintained for appearances' sake, but it is not authentic. Their relationship hits rock bottom when Joe physically assaults his wife for the first time.\ One evening, Janie prepares a meal that Joe finds unsatisfactory, and he responds by striking her across the face "until she had a ringing sound in her ears".\ This moment marks a significant and tragic turning point in their relationship.\ Joe's violent reaction shatters any remaining resemblance of respect and affection.\ Janie is paralyzed by her husband's unwarranted aggression, and something within her shatters: it was her image of Jody -\> this is a moment of profound realization: the collapse of her idealized image of Jody reveals the dissonance between her dreams and reality.\ The shattering of this image signifies the end of her illusions and the beginning of a more authentic self-awareness.\ Janie's introspection leads her to recognize that her conception of Jody was never rooted in his true character but was instead a projection of her own desires and dreams.\ This realization marks a turning point in her emotional journey.\ Janie gains a more mature understanding of her emotions and relationships.\ She realizes she has a multitude of emotions and thoughts that she has not had the opportunity to express, that she had to pack up and put away in ordered to protect herself from Jody.\ She realizes that she must compartmentalize her identity.\ Internally, Janie acknowledges that her marriage is irreparably broken and that any affection for Jody has dissipated.\ She becomes increasingly aware of her dissatisfaction with her life, finding the silence and restrictions imposed upon her more intolerable each day.\ Externally, however, Janie continues to act as if nothing has happened, she takes a bath, she gets dress and she goes to the store Jody had time to send for her.\ She pretends that everything is fine to protect herself from further harm.\ Also, by preparing herself and going to the store before Jody could summon her, Janie asserts a degree of autonomy and control over her actions.\ This passage reveals her ongoing negotiation between her authentic self and the roles she is expected to play, highlighting the intricate balance she must maintain to navigate her world. As the years pass, Joe continues to belittle and verbally attack Janie, until one day, all the anger that Janie has repressed over the years can no longer be contained.\ Janie then does what she has never had the courage to do before: she speaks out and openly declares, in front of the entire community, what she thinks of her husband.\ She attacks his masculinity and reveal the emptiness of his authority.\ Because of Janie's words, now people laugh about him and Joe cannot beat the thought of being pitying by others.\ Joe initially cannot believe his ears, but then he realizes the incredible affront his wife has made to the authority he had meticulously constructed over the years.\ Joe's ego is built on the perception of others rather than genuine self-worth.\ His reaction, striking Janie, is a desperate attempt to reclaim his lost power and control, but it only serves to further illustrate his weakness and inability to cope with the public dismantling of his constructed identity. After Janie's word, Joe dies twice---metaphorically and then shortly thereafter quite literally.\ As previously discussed, Joe constructed his identity and sense of self-worth on the premise of his authority. When this authority is undermined, his entire life begins to collapse.\ It is perhaps for this reason that Joe does not fight against his kidney disease as he should, leading to a gradual deterioration of his health.\ His physical decline is accompanied by increasing bitterness and paranoia, particularly towards Janie, whom he believes is poisoning him.\ Janie is deeply hurt by Joe\'s accusation and seeks a confrontation with him.\ She wants to explain that she would never intentionally harm him, but she can no longer remain silent and must tell him what she has kept to herself all these years.\ Though Joe tries to shut her out, Janie insists on being heard, leaving him with no way to escape her words. Janie voices her frustration over Jody's failure to truly know her despite their twenty years of marriage.\ She criticizes Jody for being so absorbed in his own accomplishments and need to control others that he neglected to understand or appreciate her.\ He has always considered Janie as an extension of himself rather than as an individual with her own thoughts and desires, and his obsession with societal expectations of male authority stifled Janie's personal growth. Janie critiques the limited vision imposed by patriarchal structures, which fail to recognize or value the full humanity and potential of women.\ Janie declares the suffocating effect of Jody's dominance on her sense of self, which led to the loss of her identity.\ She now refuses to bow and obey, and therefore she refuses to conform to the subservient role that Jody, and society, expects her to play.\ This moment is a testament to her inner strength and growing awareness of her own worth.\ Janie\'s decision to confront Jody, despite his refusal to listen, signifies a reclaiming of her voice and agency. For years she has kept quiet but now she needs to articulate her dissatisfaction and demand recognition. This act of speaking out is a personal victory for Janie but also a statement about the necessity of women's voices in challenging and dismantling oppressive systems. Shortly after this conversation, Joe dies, and Janie's freedom grows exponentially.\ Freed from Joe\'s oppressive control, Janie experiences a profound sense of liberation.\ She uncovers and displays her hair as a rejection of the constraints imposed upon her as a black woman.\ She asserts her individuality and beauty in defiance of the oppressive forces that sought to suppress her. The decision to burn her head rags symbolizes a deliberate break from the past and a reclamation of her identity.\ Janie is symbolically rejecting this history of oppression and asserting her own identity and autonomy, reclaiming her personal freedom and dignity.\ Moreover, now that Joe is dead, Janie is finally able to engage with the world around her on her own terms. She can now participate in the community life of Eatonville, by engaging in conversations and social gatherings.\ Her interactions are no longer limited and she is not isolated anymore to the confines of her home and the store. Janie becomes an active participant in the social life of the town, attending gatherings, conversing with neighbors, and forming meaningful relationships.\ This reintegration into community life allows Janie to develop a sense of belonging, her interactions with others become a source of validation and affirmation, reinforcing her sense of self-worth and identity. Janie's feels deep appreciation for her newfound freedom, and for this reason she rejects numerous suitors who attempt to court her with promises of security and companionship.\ She values her independence and is wary of losing what she has worked so hard to achieve.\ However, Tea Cake\'s arrival brings about a profound transformation in Janie\'s life.\ Unlike the other suitors, Tea Cake embodies a spontaneity and charm that captivate Janie.\ His playful and genuine approach contrasts sharply with the controlling and domineering behaviors she experienced with her previous husbands.\ From their very first interaction, Janie and Tea Cake\'s relationship is characterized by a sense of playfulness and mutual enjoyment. Tea Cake enjoys introducing Janie to new experiences, such as playing checkers, an activity she was never encouraged to engage in by her previous husbands.\ This simple yet significant gesture symbolizes Tea Cake's respectful and inclusive nature, which stands in stark contrast to the oppressive control exerted by Joe.\ Tea Cake's encouragement makes Janie feel valued and appreciated and she rejoices at the chance of being treated as an equal. Janie especially values Tea Cake\'s disregard for societal conventions.\ Unlike the rigid behaviors she experienced with her previous husbands, Tea Cake\'s actions are characterized by spontaneity and a disregard for societal expectations.\ His refusal to adhere to conventional norms creates a refreshing and liberating atmosphere for Janie, allowing her to experience a sense of freedom and happiness that she had long yearned for. Tea Cake is totally free from the influence of white male values and he is ready to challenge all the conventional male and female concepts.\ Only with him is Janie able to fully explore her potential as a person, to freely display her physical beauty; to play chess; to shoot and to fish; and to enjoy the life among companions.\ Through their relationship, Hurston illustrates a love that is grounded in mutual respect, enjoyment, and the simple pleasures of life.\ Unlike Logan, Tea Cake does not want to make Janie his mule: "He wouldn\'t let her get him any breakfast at all. He wanted her to get her rest. He made her stay where she was;"\ and unlike Joe, he deeply values her opinions, and he encourages her to express herself, "Have de nerve tuh say whut you mean.\"\ This nurturing environment allows Janie to maintain her independence while also exploring the dimensions of love and partnership.\ In other words, Janie's love for her freedom is not compromised by her relationship with Tea Cake; rather, it is enhanced and celebrated. The townspeople are irritated because Janie does not adhere to a more restrained and conservative lifestyle.\ Her decision to engage in a relationship with Tea Cake, a younger man of lower social status, disrupts societal expectations and unsettles the residents. Soon, Janie and Tea Cake decide to get married, sell the store, and move away.\ With Tea Cake, she experiences for the first time the freedom to live life according to her own desires, rather than conforming to the expectations imposed by others.\ Thus, Janie decides to live life according to her own rules and marries Tea Cake for love.\ Unlike her previous marriages, her union with Tea Cake is grounded in genuine affection and mutual respect.\ This time Janie is determined to prioritize her happiness and desires.\ If this were a fairy tale, this would likely be the much-anticipated happy ending where the heroine finds her prince and they live happily ever after. The moment when all difficulties and challenges magically disappear. However, as we have established, this is much more than a fairy tale; it is a story that strives to be as truthful as possible.\ As such, it seeks to demonstrate that people are not perfect, and they are not always what they appear to be at first glance.\ This narrative reflects the complexities of real life, portraying characters with depth and authenticity, and acknowledging that true happiness and fulfillment often come with their own set of trials and tribulations. Indeed, Tea Cake, along with his virtues, possesses numerous flaws.\ For instance, shortly after their marriage, he discovers that his wife has 200 dollars from the sale of the store.\ Unable to resist, Tea Cake takes the money without Janie\'s knowledge.\ This act, while alarming and troubling to Janie, further highlights the stark contrast between Tea Cake and Joe.\ Both men are interested in money, but their motivations differ significantly.\ Joe\'s goal was to accumulate wealth and consolidate his power, whereas Tea Cake\'s mindset is fundamentally different.\ He spends the entire sum in a single night, buying dinner for everyone and purchasing a guitar, "an instrument of play to be used for gatherings and dances. \[...\] Rather than accumulating property and distinguishing himself from the remainder of society, Tea Cake concerns himself with active participation in communal rituals of disorder."\ This incident, though serious, reveals more about Tea Cake\'s character and priorities.\ Unlike Joe, who sought to control and dominate through financial accumulation, Tea Cake\'s actions are driven by a desire for enjoyment and community.\ His willingness to spend the money so freely and generously showcases his spontaneous nature and his approach to life, which is centered around immediate pleasures and shared experiences rather than long-term security and power. Nonetheless, Tea Cake\'s actions raise concerns about his reliability and trustworthiness.\ While he celebrates all day and all night, Janie is at home, gripped by the fear that she has been betrayed. The most worrying aspect is that Tea Cake seems unaware of the pain he has, albeit unintentionally, caused his wife.\ This lack of empathy towards the person he professes to love above all others is certainly alarming.\ What saves their relationship during this first storm is the fact that, with Tea Cake, Janie is free to express her thoughts.\ Janie is now free to speak up and sets clear boundaries with Tea Cake.\ She expresses her need for respect and honesty in their relationship and her straightforwardness underscores her unwillingness to tolerate once again betrayal or disrespect.\ She wishes to share everything with Tea Cake.\ She doesn\'t want to be placed on a pedestal, as Joe did, nor does she want to be ignored, as Logan did.\ She seeks a relationship where she and her new husband can share everything equally and fully with one another.\ This underscores Janie\'s evolution and her understanding of what a fulfilling relationship should entail.\ Her past experiences have taught her the importance of balance and reciprocity in love.\ With Tea Cake, Janie hopes to build a union founded on mutual respect, shared experiences, and emotional intimacy. Tea Cake is willing to acknowledge and adapt to Janie\'s expectations.\ He shows respect for Janie's feelings and demands, and he commits to being fully honest in the relationship.\ Tea Cake fulfills his promise to share everything with Janie and to treat her as an equal.\ For instance, when they move \"on the muck, \[...\] down in de Everglades,\" Tea Cake takes it upon himself to teach Janie how to hunt, and they both find great joy in sharing this experience together.\ Their practice sessions attract the attention of others, who watch with interest.\ She got to be a better shot than Tea Cake.\"\ For the first time, Janie experiences a relationship where her success is celebrated; Tea Cake\'s is genuinely happy in her becoming a great shot.\ Unlike her previous marriages, where her abilities and autonomy were either suppressed or disregarded, Tea Cake takes pride in Janie\'s skills and encourages her to excel. Janie and Tea Cake share a love so bright that, like a beacon, attracts other villagers who want to partake in their happiness.\ That is why the community often gathers in Janie's and Tea Cake house always laughing and full of fun. With Tea Cake, Janie is no longer isolated from society; on the contrary, the doors of their home are always open, and their house becomes a lively and welcoming space, where community bonds are forged and strengthened.\ Unlike Joe, Tea Cake does not believe he is superior to others.\ Instead, he finds joy in being with people, and Janie wholeheartedly shares this sentiment.\ They are both more than willing to share their happiness and form meaningful relationships with their neighbors.\ Finally, Janie experiences the joy of being an integral part of a community.\ In the Everglades, she finds a sense of belonging and contentment previously unknown to her.\ Life in the Everglades is much more modest compared to the life Janie was accustomed to in Eatonville, but in Janie\'s eyes, it is far more fulfilling. In the Everglades every hour is filled with intense emotions and activities.\ People live their lives at the fullest and they do not worry about accumulating wealth.\ All earnings are spent on parties and entertainment, every day is lived like it is the last, celebrating every moment. Janie loves every aspect of this life, and she also enjoys working side by side with Tea Cake.\ With her husband, even the most laborious tasks are enjoyable.\ They manage to infuse their work with play, laughter, and joy.\ Janie takes part in picking beans, and Tea Cake contributes to the household chores.\ Their relationship defies traditional gender roles; they are equals in every sense. However, just as their love and passion are profound and consuming, so too are their jealousy and anger. For example, when a younger woman becomes infatuated with Tea Cake, Janie, driven by the fear of losing him, reacts with violence.\ Janie is terrified at the thought of losing Tea Cake and this fear reveals her internal vulnerability.\ She feels insecure about her age, fearing that she is too old for Tea Cake and that, over time, he will grow tired of her and seek the company of younger women.\ This is why Janie reacts so violently when a young girl shows interest in Tea Cake, because she witnesses her worst fear come to life.\ Having been undervalued by others her entire life, Janie has internalized a sense of diminished self-worth. Fortunately, despite her outburst, Tea Cake\'s persistence in reconciling with her brings them back together. Tea Cake is not shocked by Janie\'s violent jealousy because he himself is familiar with the same emotion. Like Janie, Tea Cake hides a profound sense of insecurity, rooted not in his age but in his dark complexion and inferior social status.\ This feeling of inadequacy is exponentially heightened when Mrs. Turners enters their lives.\ Mrs. Turners is a mixed-race woman who exhibits internalized racism and expresses disdain for black individuals with darker skin.\ She is very proud of her lighter features, such as her pointed nose, her thin lips and "her buttocks in bas-relief" as she believes "all these things set her aside from Negroes".\ She believes that her physical features, which align more closely with European standards of beauty, underscore her superiority to darker-skinned people.\ Mrs. Turner\'s belief in the superiority of whites is anchored in the pervasive racism and colorism of her time. By introducing the character of Mrs. Turner, Hurston "broadens the concept of racism".\ Conventionally, when we think of racism, we tend to frame it as a binary opposition between black and white.\ However, Hurston highlights that racism can also manifest within the black community itself, taking the form of colorism.\ Therefore, "the 'light-skinned' person is treated better than the 'dark-complexioned' black person for the fact that lighter-skinned people have white blood in their veins.\ As Bertice Berry (1999) points out, the power of whiteness is evident in the black popular saying that "if you were light you were all right, brown you could stick around, but if you were black, you had to get back" Hurston, through the character of Mrs. Turner, clearly exemplifies the concept of colorism.\ She illustrates that racism is not solely an external force imposed by one racial group upon another; it can also be an internalized prejudice that fractures communities from within.\ "Although she is black, Mrs Turner is as racist as any white American."\ She idolizes light skin and European features, which she perceives as markers of higher social status and inherent worth, and hates black individuals.\ That was why she wants to be Janie's friend.\ She idolizes Janie\'s light complexion and her straight hair.\ In Mrs. Turner's eyes the marriage between Janie and Tea Cake is a terrible mistake.\ Tea Cake represents everything she seeks to distance herself from.\ She cannot comprehend why Janie would choose to marry someone like Tea Cake.\ She is concerned that if Janie has children with Tea Cake, they will inherit his darker skin tone, while she would like to \"lighten up the race\"\ This disapproval is not only based on Tea Cake\'s appearance but also on his social status.\ Her disdain is a manifestation of her own insecurities and self-hatred, projected onto Janie and Tea Cake\'s relationship.\ Mrs. Turner has internalized the colorist and racist ideologies that privilege lighter skin over darker skin, leading her to devalue her own identity and heritage.\ Mrs. Turner attempts to influence Janie, urging her to leave Tea Cake for someone she deems more suitable, someone like her brother, who has straight hair and an important job.\ One day Tea Cake overhears Mrs. Turner's plan, and he is both hurt and scared by her words.\ He worries that Mrs. Turner's insidious ideas might plant doubts in Janie\'s mind, potentially jeopardizing their relationship.\ For this reason, he tells Janie to treat Mrs. Turner with coldness to discourage her from visiting their home. He hopes that by showing disinterest and distance, Mrs. Turner will cease her attempts to interfere in their lives.\ Janie tries to do so but Mrs. Turner believes in racial hierarchy, an ideology that ranks individuals based on their proximity to whiteness, and she views her association with people she perceives as \"more white folkish\" as a means of elevating her own social status.\ "When she was with Janie she had a feeling of transmutation, as if she herself had become whiter and with straighter hair."\ For this reason, she is willing to tolerate insults from lighter-skinned individuals, which in her mind have every right to treat her with distain.\ Despite Janie\'s attempts to dissuade her, she remains undeterred in pursuing her plan.\ Her persistence exacerbates Tea Cake\'s fears, causing them to grow uncontrollably and ultimately transforming his behavior.\ *When Mrs. Turner\'s brother came and she brought him over to be introduced, Tea Cake had a brainstorm. Before the week was over he had whipped Janie.\ Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him.\ Being able to whip her reassured him in possession.\ No brutal beating at all. He just slapped her around a bit to show he was boss.* Tea Cake beats Janie to "relieve the awful fear inside him".\ In other words, he "pass\[es\] on the burdens \[he is\] carrying to Janie, leaving her to deal with the aftermath of \[his\] flaws and the emotions \[he\] refuse to manage."\ Just when we think Janie has finally escaped the mule image Nanny warned her against, we can see it come to life again in full force.\ Tea Cake's inability to manage his own emotions and flaws leads him to project his inner turmoil onto Janie, who becomes the unfortunate recipient of his misplaced aggression.\ This moment starkly contrasts with the initial harmony and equality they shared, highlighting the destructive potential of unaddressed emotional issues.\ "Tea Cake\'s jealousy and violence is the novel\'s most intense and disturbing representation of the pervasiveness of domination because he is so unlike Logan and Joe, yet sporadically performs the same dominant masculinity that they do". Tea Cake's beating of Janie proves that "racism and sexism can distort even the most satisfying relationships". What is most troubling of all is the reaction of the other men and women in town who, instead of blaming Tea Cake, envy him. Those within Tea Cake and Janie\'s community \[...\] perceive the slap as a socially acceptable expression of possessive love and authority.\ Indeed, this passage highlights the pervasive and normalized violence against women within the black community.\ Tea Cake and Sop-de-Bottom see women as commodities, property that they can whip to \'reassure their possession'.\ \[In this context,\] Janie is not a person; she is objectified as something owned by Tea Cake.\ When Tea Cake beats Janie, he ceases to see her as a human being deserving of respect and instead views her as an object to alleviate his own anxieties.\ This act of violence reveals the darker aspects of Tea Cake\'s character and the destructive impact of his insecurities.\ By resorting to physical abuse, Tea Cake dehumanizes Janie, reducing her to a mere vessel for his emotional turmoil.\ This act of violence is not only a betrayal of their bond but also a reflection of the societal norms that equate masculinity with dominance and control. This toxic masculinity is illustrated by Sop-de-Bottom\'s remarks; through his words we can see how men derive a sense of superiority and satisfaction from the visible marks of their violence on their partners. Moreover, the specific reference to Janie\'s lighter skin, which shows the marks of abuse more prominently, underscores the intersection of colorism and gender-based violence, highlighting once again the double burden of black women. One of the most perplexing and striking aspects of the narrative is how "these acts of violence \[seem to be\] romanticized by Hurston".\ In fact, the narrator seems to accept and justify violence against black women as a sign of passion.\ She does not openly condemn this violence and instead seems to minimize it and deem it of little importance.\ How, then, can we assert that this is a feminist text when the author herself appears to condone violence against women?\ This question challenges readers to critically examine the underlying messages in Hurston\'s narrative and the complexities of her portrayal of gender dynamics.\ Marks states, "For Hurston, violence is an ever-present, imminent possibility in passionate love relationships.\ Therefore, adds Munger, she "depicts intimate relationships, especially the one with Tea Cake, as she has \[...\] experienced them during her own lifetime."\ "For Hurston to romanticize Tea Cake\'s love for Janie, to make it free of the violence she observes in sexuality, would be to give the lie to her own experience of male-dominated, periodically violent love relationships."\ Once again, we witness the author\'s commitment to creating an authentic narrative.\ For Hurston, acknowledging the presence of violence in relationships is a way of remaining truthful to the lived experiences of many women.\ By presenting relationships that encompass both tenderness and violence, she portrays the complexity and imperfection of human connections as she has observed and experienced them.\ The intricate relationship of Janie and Tea Cake challenges simplistic narratives about love and violence, urging readers to consider the societal and historical contexts that shape individual behaviors.\ In this sense, Hurston's work can be seen as both a reflection and a critique of the challenges black women face.\ She invites critical reflection on the norms and values that perpetuate gender-based violence and encourages a deeper understanding of the need for change. Another significant aspect of this violent episode is the total absence of Janie\'s voice.\ The narrative provides no insight into her emotions or reactions, leaving them to the reader\'s imagination. Considering Janie\'s previous growth in self-expression, her abrupt silence is particularly alarming.\ Her muteness in the face of Tea Cake\'s violence suggests a regression, a moment where her hard-won voice is stifled once again.\ This moment of silence highlights the difficulty women face in articulating their experiences of abuse.\ This silence is not just Janie\'s but represents the collective silence imposed on women by a patriarchal society.\ Moreover, I believe this silence, which starkly contrasts to the lively and assertive voice Janie has cultivated, is intended to leave room for the reader\'s thoughts.\ In this situation, Janie is unable to defend herself (once again revealing her humanity through moments of weakness) and takes a step back.\ It is up to the reader to feel indignant on her behalf, to get angry, and to transform this indignation into a desire to effect change. This is why the narrative does not delve further into this crucial scene.\ After depicting another violent episode, this time involving Mrs. Turner\'s family, the story abruptly shifts focus to concentrate on another storm, not a metaphorical but a literal one this time. We are told how Janie and Tea Cake are warned about the impending hurricane by the Seminoles, who, being familiar with the land, recognize the signs.\ Despite Janie\'s concerns and her suggestion to leave the area, Tea Cake dismisses her worries, believing the storm will not be as severe as predicted.\ This decision ultimately places them both in grave danger when the hurricane strikes with full force, yet even in these moments of great fear and peril, the love between Janie and Tea Cake stays strong.\ (Janie says she does not regret her life choices, even though they led to her eventual death. She is happy to have spent years with Tea Cake and doesn\'t regret anything) These final lines effectively convey the characters\' anguish, terror, and helplessness.\ Confronted by what appears to be the wrath of God, they are left with few choices.\ However, their intense love for each other drives them to seek every possible means of survival.\ This is why they decide to abandon their shelter and head for higher ground, out of the lake\'s reach.\ The genuine love between the couple is evident as Tea Cake not only carries his own weight but also Janie\'s when she is too weary to swim.\ This love also propels Tea Cake to risk his life to protect Janie from a rabid dog, resulting in his being bitten instead. After Tea Cake gets bitten by the rabid dog, the situation takes a tragic turn.\ At first, they manage to escape the hurricane and reach safety.\ However, as time passes, Tea Cake begins to exhibit symptoms of rabies.\ His health deteriorates rapidly, and his behavior becomes erratic and violent.\ Janie begins to fear him but her love for him prevails, and she remains by his side even when the doctor advises against it.\ One day, Tea Cake, overcome by the illness, tries to kill Janie. At this point, despite her deep love for him, Janie recognizes the necessity of defending herself.\ Therefore, she shoots Tea Cake, bringing a tragic end to their love story but also demonstrating her strength and resilience. In the end it Janie chooses herself and her own life -\> Finally Janie has the strength to fight for herself, to recognize her worth, to acknowledge that her life is valuable and deserves to be protected.\ Despite the profound love she feels for her husband, Janie also learns to love herself.\ This signifies her ultimate triumph over the oppressive forces that have sought to diminish her throughout her life.\ By defending herself, she asserts her right to exist and to be respected as an individual. After being cleared of all charges and organizing a grand funeral for Tea Cake, Janie decides to leave the Everglades and return to Eatonville.\ In Eatonville Janie recounts her journey to her friend Pheoby.\ This storytelling is therapeutic for both Janie and Pheoby, highlighting the importance of sisterhood.\ By narrating her story, Janie reflects on the experiences that have shaped her and this allows her to process the grief of losing Tea Cake and to come to terms with the many trials she has endured.\ On the other hand, Pheoby, upon listening to Janie, is inspired to recognize her worth and demand a better treatment for herself.\ Pheoby gains a new perspective on her own relationships and the potential for growth and change.\ Janie's narrative motivates her to seek out her own path to fulfillment and self-realization.\ Through this intimate exchange, both women experience a profound connection that reinforces their bond. Janie\'s sharing of her journey provides closure for her own turbulent experiences while simultaneously planting seeds of change and empowerment in Pheoby\'s life.\ This shared moment of vulnerability and strength encapsulates the essence of their friendship and the theme of mutual support among women. Despite the pain, Janie\'s return is marked by a sense of closure and self-realization.\ Her experiences have transformed her, and she is no longer the same person who left.\ She is now a woman who has lived fully, loved deeply, and emerged stronger for it.\ The novel concludes with Janie finding a sense of peace within herself.\ She has navigated pain, joy, violence, excitement, love and loss, and has emerged with a new profound understanding of her own worth and strength.\ She has grown and transformed, and her return to Eatonville symbolizes not an ending, but a new beginning grounded in self-awareness and inner peace. **\ \ ** **Works cited:** *Ain't I a Woman* by bell hooks *Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl* by Harriet Jacobs *A Kick in the Belly* by Stella Dadzie (resistance during the Middle Passage) "*Reflections on the Black Woman's Role in the Community of Slaves"* (1971) by Angela Davis **People:** Angela Davis Richard Wright Alain Locke Ishmael Reed Harriet Jacobs Harriet Tubman Ida B. Wells **Historical Events:** **1808** abolition of the slave trade