Journal #8

"He could be a bee to a blossom-a pear tree blossom in the spring" (pg. 106)

Janie has this thought while thinking of Tea Cake after he left her house. This motif of the bee, blossom, and tree appear constantly throughout the book. It creates a circular feeling to the beginning of the book back when all Janie wanted was a happy, balanced love. This motif used in reference to Tea Cake gives the reader a feeling that Tea Cake is the happy marriage that Janie has always wanted...(possibly a bit of foreshadowing?)


"in the cool of the afternoon the fiend from hell specifically sent to lovers arrived at Janie's ear. Doubt." (pg. 108)

This quote occurs just after Tea Cake has left Janie's house after spending the night. This personification of doubt makes it much more relatable to the reader (because when you start to doubt someone you love, it truly does feel like a fiend from hell). Also, the fact that it "arrived" at Janie's ear gives the impression that it was unexpected, that she had totally trusted Tea Cake until this very moment...


"Tea Cake and Janie gone hunting. Tea Cake and Janie gone fishing[...]Day after day and week after week." (pg. 110)

In this quote, the narrator is expressing the towns unspoken feelings about Janie and Tea Cakes outings with each other. The rhythm of the sentences is repetitive, short and rather abrupt. This rhythm creates dissaproving, almost exasperated feeling. This effectively demonstrates the towns disapproving feelings toasted the couple without having to go into any dialogue or explanation...