Their Eyes Were Watching God
By Zora Neale Hurston
Chapter 5
Group 2 : Parker Wilson, Brandon Barboza Vives and
Hannah Luke
Plot Line
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On the train, heading to Eatonville
Janie and Joe talked about their plans for the new town, Janie looked up to Joe due to
his high level of thinking and willingness, just how she looked up to the white folk.
They get off train at Maitland and take a buggy to Eatonville. They arrived early in the
afternoon.
They both noticed the town was not developed.
Lee Coker and Amos Hicks are found sitting under an oak tree.
They tell Joe and Janie that there is no actual government set up in the town.
Joe speaks with multiple people from the town, he states that the town needs more
land for his plans.
Hicks tries to hit on Janie. She also gets referred to as Mrs. Starks.
After Janie leaves the Lee and Amos, Hicks claims that he has a girl twice as pretty as
Janie back in South Carolina.
Lee and Amos are jealous of the Joe’s success, his relationship with Janie and his rising
social status.
Joe gets the idea of building a store, He also wants to govern the town.
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Joe plans to have a meeting at the front porch of his new house, however it is held at
the unloading station for the lumber that was brought for the store.
Joe wants to encourage people to come to Eatonville.
A day was chosen to build and name the roads.
Joe spent a lot of money on the store supplies, and the house. Janie was surprised.
Janie identifies herself as the bellcow in the town and all the other towns women are
the herd.
Joe and Janie held and welcoming event at the new store.
Joe humiliates Janie in front of the crowd at the store. He claims he didn’t marry Janie
so she could give speeches. She was given no opportunity to talk.
Janie agrees with Joe that she cannot run the store by herself.
Joe decided the town needed lightning, they buy a post lamp.
Joe overdid the lightning ceremony, he put the light on showcase.
They had a huge dinner.
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Janie tells Joe she wants him to “slow down” between them and the town, but he
claims he is just getting started.
Janie starts to feel lonely with Joe.
Janie notices her position of “first lady of the town” comes with awe and envy.
Joe gets a gold spittoon and uses it, while other African Americans of the town usually
just showcase them.
Janie notices that their is a large division in standings between the African Americans
in town.
Notices Joe is similar to the people in the white culture.
Joe was respected by the town.
Joe catches Henry Pitts with a wagon load of ribbon cane and made him leave town.
Some towns folk thought it was wrong to do that.
Joe mentions that Janie needs to put her hair in a head wrap and notices she doesn't
talk much.
The towns folk is uneasy about Joe’s power, majority do admire Joe but they know
without them he would not have the power he holds.
Metaphor List
Trees
“Two men who were sitting on their shoulderblades under a huge live oak tree almost sat upright at the tone of his
voice.”(41)
“Then the next thing as soon as they heard where Jody was, they kept right on up there where the new lumber was
rattling off the wagon and being piled under the big live oak tree.” (48)
Roads
“A day was named for roads and they all agreed to bring axes and things like that and chop out two roads running each
way.”(48)
“ So she put on one of her bought dresses and went up the new-cut road all dressed in wine-colored red.”(48)
““Mist’ Starks is uh smart man, we’se all willin’ tuh acknowledge tuh dat, but de day he comes waggin’ down de road wid
two hund’ed acres uf land over his shoulder, Ah wants tuh be dere tuh see it.”(49)
“But anyway, she went down the road behind him that night feeling cold.”(51)
“The very next day with money out of his own pocket he sent off to Sears, Roebuck and Company for the street lamp
and told the town to meet the following Thursday night to vote on it. Nobody had ever thought of street lamps and
some of them said it was a useless notion.”(52)
“Near the time, Joe assembled everybody in the street before the store and made a speech.”(53)
“It was especially noticeable after Joe had forced through a town ditch to drain the street in front of the store.”(55)
No ships were mentioned in this chapter
Spittoons
“And then he spit in that gold-looking vase that anybody else would have been glad to
put on their front-room table. Said it was a spit- toon just like his used-to-be bossman
used to have in his bank up there in Atlanta. Didn’t have to get up and go to the door
every time he had to spit. Didn’t spit on his floor neither. Had that golded-up spitting
pot right handy. But he went further than that. He bought a little lady-size spitting pot
for Janie to spit in. Had it right in the parlor with little sprigs of flowers painted all
around the sides. It took people by surprise because most of the women dipped snuff
and of course had a spit-cup in the house. But how could they know up-to-date folks
was spitting in flowery little things like that?” (56)
Food (chewing)
“Shucks!” said Hicks. “Mah britches is just as long as his. But dat wife uh hisn! Ah’m uh
son of uh Combunction if Ah don’t go tuh Georgy and git me one just like her.” (42)
“You cannot have no town without some land to build it on. Y’all ain’t got enough here
to cuss a cat on with- out gittin’ yo’ mouf full of hair.” (43)
Eyes
“They tried hard to hold it in, but enough incredulous laugh- ter burst out of their eyes
and leaked from the corners of their mouths to inform anyone of their thoughts.” (44)
“De first street lamp in uh colored town. Lift yo’ eyes and gaze on it.” (54)
“Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw. Kind of portly like
rich white folks.” (40)
“She must look on herself as the bell-cow, the other women were the gang." (48)
“Naw, Jody, it jus’ looks lak it keeps us in some way we ain’t natural wid one ’nother.
You’se always off talkin’” (54)
Take for instance that new house of his. It had two stories with porches, with
bannisters and such things. The rest of the town looked like servants’ quarters
surrounding the “big house”.” (55)
“To look at me you wouldn’t think it, but Ah got uh brother pastorin’ up round Ocala
dat got good learnin’. (58)
Skin
“Ain’t never seen no sich uh colored man befo’ in all mah bawn days.” pg 45
“He wasn’t ready to think of colored people in post offices yet.” pg 45
“Us colored folks is too envious of one ’nother.” pg 46
“Colored folks oughtn’t tuh be so hard on one ’nother.” “Ah don’t see it dat way atall,” Sam Watson said
shortly. “Let colored folks learn to work for what dey git lak every- body else.” pg 57
Darkness
“Y’all let dat stray darky tell y’all any ole lie! Uh colored man sittin’ up in uh post
office!” pg 46
“Dis town needs some light right now.” “Unh hunh, it is uh little dark right long heah.”
“’Course it is. ’Tain’t no use in scufflin’ over all dese stumps and roots in de dark. Ah’ll
call uh meetin’ bout de dark and de roots right away. Ah’ll sit on dis case first thing.”
pg 52
Dishes
“Janie dipped up the lemonade like he told her. A big tin cup full for everybody.” pg 49
“And then he spit in that gold-looking vase that anybody else would have been glad to put on their front-room
table. Said it was a spit- toon just like his used-to-be bossman used to have in his bank up there in Atlanta.
Didn’t have to get up and go to the door every time he had to spit. Didn’t spit on his floor neither. Had that
golded-up spitting pot right handy. But he went further than that. He bought a little lady-size spitting pot for
Janie to spit in. Had it right in the parlor with little sprigs of flowers painted all around the sides. It took people
by surprise because most of the women dipped snuff and of course had a spit-cup in the house. But how could
they know up-to-date folks was spitting in flowery little things like that? It sort of made the rest of them feel
that they had been taken advantage of.” pg 56
Hair
“Dat ’oman ain’t so awfully pretty no how when yuh take de second look at her. Ah had to sorta pass by de
house on de way back and seen her good. ’Tain’t nothin’ to her ’ceptin’ dat long hair.” pg 45
“Whut make her keep her head tied up lak some ole ’oman round de store? Nobody couldn’t git me tuh tie no
rag on mah head if Ah had hair lak dat.” “Maybe he make her do it. Maybe he skeered some de rest of us mens
might touch it round dat store. It sho is uh hidden mystery tuh me.” pg 59
“Y’all ain’t got enough here to cuss a cat on with- out gittin’ yo’ mouf full of hair.” pg 43
Describing Maps
Joe
Narrow minded
not willing to listen or tolerate
other people’s opinions
“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.” (51)
Joe’s stubborn, narrow minded nature is visible throughout the
novel and is elevated in this chapter. He immediately disqualifies
his wife from speaking without even consenting with her, and then
degrades and humiliates her saying “...her place is in de
home”.Throughout this chapter and the book Joe never considers
Janie’s opinions or feelings. Even when she expresses them, he
never allows compromise. It’s his way or the highway.She
explains how she “Hope it soon gits over” , and Joe claims that he
is only getting started.
Amos Hicks and Lee
Coker
Introductory
serving as an introduction to a subject or
topic; basic or preliminary.
“You and yo’ daughter goin’ tuh join wid us in fellowship?” the other reclining figure asked. “Mighty glad
tuh have yuh. Hicks is the name. Guv’nor Amos
Hicks from Buford, South Carolina. Free, single,
disengaged.”
“I god, Ah ain’t nowhere near old enough to have no
grown daughter. This here is mah wife.”
Hicks sank back and lost interest at once.
Page (41)
Amos and Lee are Joe and Janie’s first impression of
the town. They are very basic common men and
have little to offer to the couple. “Free, single,
disengaged” describe them both more than just in a
relationship level but also social level. By being free,
having no ties to anyone else and having no
emotional attachments they are pretty much floating
around like a lost ship waiting to find someone who is
going to guide them.
Janie
Hopeful- feeling or inspiring optimism about a certain event
“Janie took a lot of looks at him and she was proud of what she saw.” pg 40
This quote uses characterization and demonstrates how Janie believed that Jody’s looks and powerful
personality would be enough to give her the life she hoped to achieve. The “pride” that she saw in him was
largely superficial because though she believed that she knew him well and that he would treat her as she
wanted to be treated, at this point she had only known him for a few days and a good amount of what she liked
about him was how he carried himself and his powerful personality which indicated leadership. This is ironic
because many of the traits which she was proud of at first were what led to her future resentments toward Jody.
The tone of this quote which is sarcastic, foreshadows that this pride is not going to be long standing and
something will soon cause Janie to resent Jody. By doing this the author is commenting on how judgements
made based off of superficial qualities and traits may not lead to a positive outcome in the long run.
Janie pt. 2
Dismayed- feeling of consternation and distress
“Janie soon began to feel the impact of awe and envy against her sensibilities. The wife of the Mayor was not just another woman
as she had supposed. She slept with authority and so she was part of it in the town mind. She couldn’t get but so close to most of
them in spirit.” pg 55
This illustrates the distance that Janie began to feel from the town which was greatly caused by Jody. This reflects the impact that
a husband’s own image creates for a wife because in this time, a wife was judged almost entirely based on the view of her husband.
Because Jody was a powerful man and demanded for that power to be respected by all, it became difficult for the people of the
town to see Janie as just another member of the community. Jody’s pretentious attitude caused Janie to feel as if she was sitting
high on his pedestal with him and feel as though she couldn't reach the town below from there due to their silent resentments
against her. Due to this chain in command, Janie felt resentful to Jody as did the town to her and him which caused Janie to feel
entirely isolated and ultimately dismayed. By creating this tone of resentment about Janie, the author implies that if a person
becomes too vain and arrogant it becomes hard for them to be seen as a good person and they become less grounded. Despite
Janie’s high status, she still wanted to feel as if she was part of the town which is what the author believes all people should strive
for: a sense of community along with ambition.
Sam Watson
Responsible- having an obligation to do something
“Ah don’t see it dat way atall,” Sam Watson said shortly. “Let colored folks learn to work for what dey git lak every- body else. pg
57
This quote is ironic because Sam is insinuating that the man who they are saying needs to work for what they get just like
everyone else, has had equal opportunities to others in the world. This is ironic because african americans during this time had a
much more difficult time to find work and be able to live comfortably compared to others. Sam clearly is unaware of the immense
differences and therefore his efforts to bring equality to his town and inspire everyone to work equally characterizes him as a
responsible man. The author includes his character in this story to demonstrate the variety of views that were held on Jody’s
tyrannical style of ruling throughout the community. Sam himself believes that Jody is doing a good job as mayor which
demonstrates his own traditional views of marriage and it is implied that him and Jody share a great deal of qualities despite their
differences in lifestyles. This indicates that the author believes that Jody is just one example of many who would be as pretentious
and arrogant as he is if they were in his position, which speaks on the author’s view of society’s motivations and goals in life as a
whole. The author is commenting on society’s belief that society fosters an environment where the biggest goal in people’s life is
to gain wealth in order to secure a place of authority over others. Even the common man, Sam, hopes to one day gain this power
over others.
Literary device
analysis
“Ah hope so anyhow. Us colored folks is too envious of one ’nother. Dat’s how come us don’t git no
further than us do. Us talks about de white man keepin’ us down! Shucks! He don’t have tuh. Us
keeps our own selves down.” (46)
Irony
This statement by Coker is very ironic because the main struggle of African Americans in that time was that
they were heavily disadvantaged and discriminated, but yet at the same time they are their own problem and
downfall. It needs to be the opposite, the black community should be uniting and trying to better the lives of all
African American people. The black community usually talked about how the white community is the
oppressor and reason for their bad treatment, but Coker makes a valid observation that the white man doesn't
even need to keep them down because they(African Americans) do it to themselves. It is almost as if they are
fighting two battles. Hicks is troubled because just when he thinks he has it figured out, the world shifts, which
is why he isn't ready to see a black man in the post office. The post office representing a step up in society. By
including this quote from Hicks, the author is commenting on the varying views that the african american
population has regarding how they need to progress in society and causes the reader to question if equality can
ever truly be reached due to preexisting stereotypes and expectations that have been placed on african
americans not only by white men but also by themselves.
They bowed down to him rather, because he was all of these things, and then again he was all of
these things because the town bowed down. - page 59
Paradox
This statement explains the power that Joe has over the townsfolk specifically. Joe, putting such high value on
social standings he has searched until he could find a place that would treat him like a king, Eatonville. Yes, Joe
does have great ideas and a high will and those attributes are admirable, however holding someone in power at
such a high regard can end up damaging the person’s mind set and the unity of the society. Without the town
Joe would still be an educated black men, and without Joe the town would still be a town. But once combined
the town was at such a low level that Joe is almost a God to them, but only them. In another town Joe would
not have the importance he holds in Eatonville. The town’s willingness to let a total stranger become the leader
of the town and basically control majority of the decision making is the weakness that Joe( an opportunist) was
able to exploit.
“But how could they know up-to-date folks was spitting in flowery little things like that? It sort of made the rest
of them feel that they had been taken advantage of.” pg 56
Metaphor
In “Their Eyes were Watching God”, the author includes the metaphor of spittoons to represent the distance
and tension that a rise in power can create throughout a community if it isn’t handled in a dignified and
responsible manner. The spittoon was purchased by Jody after he had risen to power in order to demonstrate
his power to others in the community. His purchase of one for Janie was his way of entirely cutting of their
connections from the rest of the town because had he allowed her to have to share a common trait with the
other members of the town, she may have felt less isolated from the community and more content with her
position as the mayor’s wife. The spittoon was also symbolic of Jody’s desire to disconnect himself entirely with
the African American population. This can be seen by the author’s inclusion of the line “Said it was a spit- toon
just like his used-to-be bossman used to have in his bank up there in Atlanta.” who was implied to be a white
man. The inclusion of the spittoon metaphor is the author’s way of implicitly arguing that power causes people
to feel superior to others and can drive distance between them. The community itself began to feel resentful
toward the power which Jody so blatantly displayed.