Reference no: EM133402342

Case Study: "Dis sittin' in de rulin' chair is been hard on Jody," Janie muttered out loud. She was full of pity for the first time in years. Jody had been hard on her and others, but life had mishandled him too. Poor Joe! Maybe if she had known some other way to try, she might have made his face different. But what that other way could be, she had no idea. She thought back and forth about what had happened in the making of a voice out of a man. Then thought about herself. Years ago, she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass. It had been a long time since she had remembered. Perhaps she'd better look. She went over to the dresser and looked hard at her skin and features. The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place. She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair. The weight, the length, the glory was there. She took careful stock of herself, then combed her hair and tied it back up again. Then she starched and ironed her face and opened up the window and cried, "Come heah people! Jody is dead. Mah husband is gone from me" (87).

Questions: Answer each question in a 4-5 sentence response with text evidence, on a separate sheet of paper, and attach it to this sheet.

Why does Janie, after more than ten years in an abusive and loveless marriage, suddenly pity Joe? (And it ain't just 'cause Joe is dead)

Mirrors, you should not be shocked to hear, always are symbolic in literature: they represent identity and individuality. Look at the passage again and unravel the significance of this mirror to Janie's sense of self. Thinking about what you know about Janie's childhood, what is meant by "she had told her girl self to wait for her in the looking glass?" If, as we're told, the "young girl is gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place", how has she changed (beyond how she looks)?

What is meant by "starched and ironed her face"?