Journal 6

"The train beat on itself and danced on the shiny steel rails mile after mile." (Pg.116)

Hurston personifies the railroad tracks to show Janie's happiness at the beginning of chapter 13. She is on the train on her way to meet Tea Cake, her soon to be new husband. She is extremely excited for her new life with him because he is the only love in her life who has expected more from her than to cook and clean and take care of things. The submissive expectations no longer exist. She is finally allowed to express herself and let her voice be know.

"When the fellow began to pick the box the people begin to come from east, west, north and Australia." (Pg. 122)

Hurston uses a hyperbole here in order to show how good Tea Cake was at playing the guitar. People are not actually coming from Australia, but it shows that he is so good at playing music that people would come from there just to listen to him. The exageration that Hurston uses helps the reader to understand the character better and his abilities.

"She got to be a better shot than Tea Cake." (Pg. 131)

The situational irony used in this quote helps to show Janie's capabilities. One would never expect that Janie would become better at hunting than Tea Cake, but she does. She also learns how to fish and play checkers, and does each much better than anyone would expect her to. For most of the story, Janie is underestimated but has been developing in the past couple of chapters and showing her true abilities.