Their Eyes Were Watching God- Chapter 6  by Kaitlyn Klein, Alyssa Hager, and Avery Sigmon

Plot Line  

❖ The morning at the store, open everyday except Sunday ❖ The men on the porch are talking about life ❖ Matt Bonner’s ‘Yellow Mule’ becomes an interesting topic ❖ Ringleaders, Sam, Lige and Walter begin to discuss the mule and Matt ❖ Sam mentions that the ‘womenfolk’ have the mule and use it as a washboard because of

how malnourished it is ❖ Porch Goers become entertained with the anger of Bonner. ❖ Begin to mark the mules malnourishment and weaknesses ❖ Janie begins to tell her stories, but are silenced by Jody who tells her to work as she

speaks ❖ Janie is bothered by people interrupting by walking in ❖ Janie describes daily activities as silent rebellions ❖ Walter brushes his hand on the braid ❖ Jody makes Janie wear a head rag ❖ Matt looks for his mule and the men try to capture him ❖ Janie sees the poor mule and convinces Jody to buy it, with her mutters ❖ Jody makes Janie grab his black shoes ❖ Matt receives an offer from Jody to buy the Mule ❖ Before paying, Jody changes his shoes ❖ Janie makes speech about Jody’s actions ❖ The free mules becomes the main topic of conversation ❖ Mule dies under a big tree ❖ Janie is the only one that doesn’t go to the dragging out ❖ Ceremony for the mule is held ❖ Buzzards are impatient and waiting ❖ “Sullen” Janie remarks on not attending ❖ Janie mocks Jody for his seriousness, then laughs at Sam and Lige’s arguments ❖ Nature v. Nurture ❖ Men flirt with the ladies as they walk to the store ❖ Daisy is brought to the center of attention ❖ Mrs. Bogle arrives ❖ Jody blames Janie for missing order ❖ Jody slaps Janie after she prepares a meal imperfectly ❖ Mrs. Robbins comes in a begs for food from Jody ❖ Janie defends women and Jody silences her

  

   

List of Extended Metaphors  

Ships/Sea "Humph! Is dat all? Ah'd buy her uh steamship and then Ah'd hire some mens tuh run it fur her." (page 69) "Daisy, don't let Jim fool you wid his talk. He don't aim tuh do nothin' fuh yuh. Uh lil ole steamship! Daisy, Ah'll take uh job cleanin' out de Atlantic Ocean fuh you any time you say you so desire." (page 69) “She was the wind on the ocean. She moved men, but the helm determined the port. Now this night she mounted the steps and the men noticed her until she passed inside the door.” (page 70) Time “Janie stood where he left her for unmeasured time and thought. She stood there until something fell off the shelf inside her.” (page 72) “Time and scenes like that out Janie to thinking about the inside state of her marriage. Time came when she fought back with her tongue as best she could, but it didn’t do her any good.” (page 71) Janie’s World “When the people sat around on the porch and passed around the pictures of their thoughts for the others to look at and see, it was nice.” ( Page 51) “All they needed was to see Matt's long spare shape coming down the street and by the time he got to the porch they were ready for him.” (Page 51) “The store itself was a pleasant place if only she didn't have to sell things.” (Page 51) "Reckon we better not tell yuh heah at de store. It's too fur off tuh do any good.” (Page 52) “Starks piled fodder under the big tree near the porch and the mule was usually around the store like the other citizens.” (Page 58) “Joe would hustle her off inside the store to sell something.” (Page 54) “The store itself kept her with a sick headache.” (Page 54) "'Cause it won't be nobody heah tuh look after de store. Ah'm goin' tuh de draggin'-out mahself." (Page 60) “Joe returned to the store full of pleasure and good humor but he didn't want Janie to notice it because he saw that she was sullen and he resented that.” (Page 62) “The porch was boiling now.” (Page 66) "Unhunh, you talked too fast. Heah, Jim and Dave is right upon de porch and Lum is inside de store." (page 68) “Jody was on the porch and the porch was full of Eatonville as usual at this time of day.” (page 72)

Feet “Janie came back out front and sat down. She didn’t say anything and neither did Joe. But after awhile he looked down at his feet and said, “Janie, Ah reckon you better go fetch me dem old

  

   

black gaiters. Dese tan shoes sets mah feet on fire. Plenty of room in ‘em, but they hurts regardless.” (page 57) “She got up without a word and went off for the shoes. A little war of defense for helpless things. She wanted to fight about it.” (page 57) “Mayor Starks deliberately changed his shoes before he reached into his pocket for the money.” (page 58) “The three girls hold the center of the stage till Daisy Blunt comes walking down the street in the moonlight. Daisy is walking a drum tune. You can almost hear it by look- ing at the way she walks.” (Page 67) “Mrs. Bogle came walking down the street towards the porch.” (page 69) “Mrs. Tony was so eager she sometimes stepped on Joe’s heels, sometimes she was a little before him.” (page 73) Eyes “He got eyes, lak somethin' else; wings lak somethin' else— everything!” (Page 65) “She's got those big black eyes with plenty shiny white in them that makes them shine like brand new money and she knows what God gave women eyelashes for, too. Her hair is not what you might call straight. It's negro hair,” (Page 67) “Janie could see Jody watching her out of the corner of his eye while he joked roughly with Mrs. Robbins.” (page 72) “Wid you heah, Ah oughtn’t tuh hafta do all dat lookin’ and searchin’. Ah done told you time and time again tuh stick all dem papers on dat nail! (pages 70-71) The Sun “Every morning the world flung itself over and exposed the town to the sun. So Janie had another day. And every day had a store in it, except Sundays.” (Page 51) Hair “This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was.” (Page 55) “And one night he had caught Walter standing behind Janie and brushing the back of his hand back and forth across the loose end of her braid ever so lightly so as to enjoy the feel of it without Janie knowing what he was doing.” (Page 55) “That night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store. That was all. She was in the store for him to look at, not those others.” (Page 55) Mule “Take for instance the case of Matt Bonner's yellow mule. They had him up for conversation every day the Lord sent. Most especial if Matt was there himself to listen. Sam and Lige and Walter were the ringleaders of the mule-talkers. The others threw in whatever they could chance upon, but it seemed as if Sam and Lige and Walter could hear and see more about that mule than the whole county put together.” (Page 51)

  

   

"Worser'n dat. De womenfolks got yo' mule. When Ah come round de lake 'bout noontime mah wife and some others had 'im flat on de ground usin' his sides fuh uh wash board." (Page 52) "Yeah, Matt, dat mule so skinny till de women is usin' his rib bones fuh uh rub-board, and hangin' things out on his hock-bones tuh dry." (Page 52) "Dat mule don't think Ah look lak no Matt Bonner. He ain't dat dumb. If Ah thought he didn't know no better Ah'd have mah picture took and give it tuh dat mule so's he could learn better. Ah ain't gointuh 'low 'im tuh hold nothin' lak dat against me." (Page 53) “But that never halted the mule talk. There would be more stories about how poor the brute was; his age; his evil disposition and his latest caper. Everybody indulged in mule talk. He was next to the Mayor in prominence, and made better talking.” (Page 53) “You mean tuh tell me you rode dat mule all de way from West Floridy down heah?” “She he did, Lige. But he didnt mean tuh. He wux satisfied up dere, but de mule wuzn’t. So one mornin’ he got straddle uh de mule and he took him and brought ‘im on off. Mule had sense.” (page 56) “Five or six more men left the porch and surrounded the fractious beast, goosing him in the sides and making him slow his temper. But he had more spirit left than body. He was soon panting and heaving from the effort of spinning his old carcass about. Everybody was having fun at the mule-baiting. All but Janie.” (page 56). “They oughta be shamed uh theyselves! Teasin’ dat poor brute beast lak they is! Done been worked tuh death; done had his disposition ruint wid mistreatment, and now they got tuh finish devilin’ ‘im tuh death. Wisht Ah had mah way wid ‘em all.” (page 56) “If dat mule is wuth somethin’ tuh you, Brother Mayor, he’s wuth mo’ tuh me. More special when Ah got uh job uh work tuhmorrow.” (page 57) “Anyhow a free mule in town was something new to talk about.” (Page 58) “He almost got dat and they took great pride in him. New lies sprung up about his free mule doings.” (Page 58-59) “Anyhow they's liable tuh need me tuh say uh few words over de carcass, dis bein' uh special case.” (Page 60) “No, the carcass moved off with the town, and left Janie standing in the doorway. Out in the swamp they made great ceremony over the mule. They mocked everything human in death. Starks led off with a great eulogy on our departed citizen, our most distinguished citizen and the grief he left behind him, and the people loved the speech. ” (Page 60) “He spoke of the joys of mule-heaven to which the dear brother had departed this valley of sorrow; the mule-angels flying” (Page 60) “The yaller mule was gone from the town except for the porch talk, and for the children visiting his bleaching bones now and then in the spirit of adventure.” (Page 62) God/Religious References "How come you want me tub tell yuh? You always claim God done met you round de corner and talked His inside business wid yuh. 'Tain't no use in you askin' me nothin'. Ah'm questionizin' you." (Page 63) "Lawd, Lawd, Lawd," that same Charlie Jones exclaims rushing over to Daisy. "It must be uh recess in heben if St. Peter is lettin' his angels out lak dis” (page 68)

  

   

“Sometimes God gits familiar wid us womenfolks too and talks His inside business. He told me how surprised He was ‘bout y’all turning out so smart after Him makin’ yuh different; and how suprised y’all is goin’ tuh be if you ever find out you don’t know half as much ‘bout us as you think you do.” (page 75) It’s so easy to make yo’-self out God Almighty when you ain’t got nothin’ tuh strain against but women and chickens.” (page 75) “God’s gointuh put ‘em under arrest, sume uh dese days, wid dey stingy gripin’ ways.” (Page 74) “So she put something in there to represent the spirit like a Virgin Mary image in a church.”“page (page 71) Dreams/Wishes "If you know anybody dat's 'bout tub die 'bout me, yuh know more'n Ah do," Daisy bridled. "Wisht Ah knowed who it is." (page 68) “It was her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over.” (page 72) Mouths/Words/Kisses/Laughter “The great clap of laughter that they have been holding in, bursts out.” (Page 52) “The porch laughed and Matt got mad again.” (Page 53) “Matt struggled to say something but his tongue failed him so he jumped down off the porch and walked away as mad as he could be.” (Page 53) “Janie noted that while he didn't talk the mule himself, he sat and laughed at it.” (Page 54) “You gettin’ too moufy, Janie,” Starks told her. “Go fetch me de checkerboard and de checkers. Sam Watson, you’se mah fish.” (page 75) “Janie did what she had never done before, that is, thrust herself into the conversation.”(page 75) Hambo said, “Yo wife is uh born orator, Starks. Us never knowed dat befo’. She put jus’ de right words tuh our thoughts.” (page 58) "Everybody can't be lak you, Jody. Somebody is bound tuh want tuh laugh and play." (Page 62) “But sometimes Sam Watson and Lige Moss forced a belly laugh out of Joe himself with their eternal arguments.” (Page 63) “The girls and everybody else help laugh.” (Page 67) "Unhunh, you talked too fast. Heah, Jim and Dave is right upon de porch and Lum is inside de store." (page 68) “A big burst of laughter at Daisy's discomfiture.” (page 68) “There was a big long laugh from the porch. Then Jim had to demand a test” (page 69) “There was one of those big blow-out laughs and Janie was wallowing in it. Then Jody ruined it all for her.” (page 69)

  

   

“Mrs. Robbins struck her pity-pose and assumed the voice. “‘Cause Ah’m hungry, Mist’ Starks. ‘Deed Ah is. Me and mah chillun is hongry. Tony don’t fee-eed me!” This is what the porch was waiting for. They burst into a laugh.” (page 73) “If he buy all dat you talkin’ ‘bout, Mist Starks, God know whut he do wid it. He sho don’t bring it home, and me and mah po’ chillun is so hongry!” (page 73) “His big, big laugh was as much for her as for the baiting. He was longing for peace but on his own terms.” (page 72) “So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush.” (page 71) “Dat’s cause you need tellin’,” he rejoined hotly. “It would be pitiful if Ah didn’t. Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don’t think none theirselves.” (page 71) Darkness “the dear departed brother would look down into hell and see the devil plowing Matt Bonner all day long in a hell-hot sun and laying the raw- hide to his back.” (Page 61) “Ah aims tuh keep yuh in de dark all de time.” (Page 64)

Nature/Animals “That was the rock she was battered against.” (Page 54) “the miles of green corn and cool water, a pasture of pure bran with a river of molasses running through it;” (Page 61) “Everybody enjoyed themselves to the highest and then finally the mule was left to the already impatient buzzards. They were holding a great flying-meet way up over the heads of the mourners” (Page 61) “Close in, close in till some of the more hungry or daring perched on the carcass. They wanted to begin, but the Parson wasn't there, so a messenger was sent to the ruler in a tree where he sat. The flock had to wait the white-headed leader, but it was hard. They jostled each other and pecked at heads in hungry irritation. Some walked up and down the beast from head to tail, tail to head.” (Page 61) “Ah'm gointuh run dis conversation from uh gnat heel to uh lice. It's nature” (Page 64) "Naw it ain't, it's nature, cause nature makes caution. It's de strongest thing dat God ever made, now. Fact is it's de onliest thing God ever made. He made nature and nature made every- thing else." (Page 65) “Nature got so high in uh black hen she got tuh lay uh white egg. Now you tell me, how come, whut got intuh man dat he got tuh have hair round his mouth? Nature!" (Page 65) “You saw a fluttering fan before her face and magnolia blooms and sleepy lakes under the moonlight when she walked.” (page 69) “She had no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man, neither any glistening young fruit where the petals used to be. She found that she had a host of thoughts she had never expressed to him, and numerous emotions she had never let Jody know about.” (page 72) “She wasn’t petal-open anymore with him.” (page 71) “The bed was no longer a daisy-field for her and Joe to play in.” (Page 72)

  

   

Sweets “Joe is begged to wrap up all the candy in the store and order more.” (Page 67)

 

   

  

   

 

  

   

  

   

  

   

  

   

  

   

Metaphor Analysis  

The Mule “But that never halted the mule talk. There would be more stories about how poor the brute was; his age; his evil disposition and his latest caper. Everybody indulged in mule talk. He was next to the Mayor in prominence, and made better talking.” (Page 53) “Reckon you’ll ever git through de job wid dat mule-frame?” Lige asked. “Aw dat mule is plenty strong. Jus’ evil and don’t want tuh be led.” (page 55) “Five or six more men left the porch and surrounded the fractious beast, goosing him in the sides and making him slow his temper. But he had more spirit left than body. He was soon panting and heaving from the effort of spinning his old carcass about. Everybody was having fun at the mule-baiting. All but Janie.” (page 56). “They oughta be shamed uh theyselves! Teasin’ dat poor brute beast lak they is! Done been worked tuh death; done had his disposition ruint wid mistreatment, and now they got tuh finish devilin’ ‘im tuh death. Wisht Ah had mah way wid ‘em all.” (page 56) “He almost got dat and they took great pride in him. New lies sprung up about his free mule doings.” (Page 58-59) “No, the carcass moved off with the town, and left Janie standing in the doorway. Out in the swamp they made great ceremony over the mule. They mocked everything human in death. Starks led off with a great eulogy on our departed citizen, our most distinguished citizen and the grief he left behind him, and the people loved the speech. ” (Page 60)  “The yaller mule was gone from the town except for the porch talk, and for the children visiting his bleaching bones now and then in the spirit of adventure.

The Mule is...dead ass yuh yuh A mistreated Janie/women in society

 

  

   

A mule’s hard-working nature is the behavior portrayed by Janie as she puts up with Jody’s out of the blue behavior change as he begins to verbally and physically abuse Janie to feel superior over Janie. This extends to women in society during the time period in which this novel was published as women were seen as inferior in society and objects to men. The Mule in “Their Eyes Were Watching God” is Janie as she goes through marriage with Joe. These quotes are chronologically ordered in which the mule is talked about through the town gossip then leading towards his eventual death. The mule first starts out as Matt Bonner’s own mule (PROPERTY) and forced to work, though not willingly, and is described as very skinny, even though Matt Bonner claims he always feeds him and takes cares of him. The mule is a symbolic representation of the marriage that Janie shares with Joe Starks, Jody, and how it deteriorates almost abruptly. In the case of the mule, Matt bonner is Janie’s first husband, Logan, and as Matt is seen to be mistreating said mule, Joe Starks is there to rescue the poor animal away and let it rest and “not have to work anymore.” The irony is heavy here as Joe Starks had said the same thing to Janie and Janie was made to work in the store, much to her own dismay. The mule lived in short prosperity when bought away from Bonner as the mule became “the talk of the town” and how “lies were quickly spread about the mule’s life. This directly parallels Janie’s situation as people wrongly misjudged her from the start (porch sitters) and wanted to bring her down to feel superior just as man wants to feel superior over other living beings. In the end, as other people in town show the mule loving, tender care and affection, the mule had died “under the big tree on his rawbony back with all four feet up in the air.” THe mule died under a tree just as Janie’s again in life was metaphorically symbolic of a pear tree and thus the only way to end her suffering and constant mistreatment from Jody is through death, whether her own or Joe’s. Death brings the ultimate freedom from harsh attitudes and behaviors. The mule is described as bony and with its feet in the air because that shows how Janie is impacted by Joe nearing the end when she realizes her love is no longer meaningful. Joe Starks has stripped her of her individuality and left her vulnerable just as the mule had died in a vulnerable position.               

  

   

Nature/Animals  

“Everybody enjoyed themselves to the highest and then finally the mule was left to the already impatient buzzards. They were holding a great flying-meet way up over the heads of the mourners” (Page 61) “Close in, close in till some of the more hungry or daring perched on the carcass. They wanted to begin, but the Parson wasn't there, so a messenger was sent to the ruler in a tree where he sat. The flock had to wait the white-headed leader, but it was hard. They jostled each other and pecked at heads in hungry irritation. Some walked up and down the beast from head to tail, tail to head.” (Page 61) "Naw it ain't, it's nature, cause nature makes caution. It's de strongest thing dat God ever made, now. Fact is it's de onliest thing God ever made. He made nature and nature made every-thing else." (Page 65) The nature references in our chapter, and throughout the story inherently represent a societal grouping that effects, such as the buzzards, who taunted the mule even after death along with the mourners of the mule. The buzzards come in after the fact the mule is dead, and live off of the death the mule produced, giving them an diabolical personality, such as an evil human would have, like a bully. These buzzards represent a form of a bully, that would feed off of the feelings of others, the mule died because of its mistreatment, and the buzzards benefitted from its suffering, along with some of the porch sitters who continually taunted the mule. Other references to nature such as trees, and flowers, represent growth. Repeatedly, we see Janie growing in herself and in her search for her true self worth. Nature is the backbone to her beliefs in faith and how everything is connected. Janie often is compared to nature as a whole, as she has been through the good and bad, like nature can be beautiful or disastrous. In turn, nature and Janie are one, in each other, she often spots the beauty of nature in others and wishes that she will grow to be as happy and beautiful as some things.

      

   

  

   

Janie’s World 

“The store itself was a pleasant place if only she didn't have to sell things.” (Page 51) “Starks piled fodder under the big tree near the porch and the mule was usually around the store like the other citizens.” (Page 58) “Joe would hustle her off inside the store to sell something.” (Page 54) “The store itself kept her with a sick headache.” (Page 54) “Joe returned to the store full of pleasure and good humor but he didn't want Janie to notice it because he saw that she was sullen and he resented that.” (Page 62) “The porch was boiling now.” (Page 66) “Jody was on the porch and the porch was full of Eatonville as usual at this time of day.” (page 72) “This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was.” (Page 55) “The porch laughed and Matt got mad again.” (Page 53) The store and the post office bring status to Eatonville and represents the movement toward racial equality. The store brings power to the town because it allows the citizens to have access to goods without leaving the town. Though Janie resents the power of the store because she would rather enjoy being around other instead of shouldering the responsibility. She describes it as “a pleasant place if only she didn't have to sell things” meaning she likes the sense of community the store/porch bring to the town of Eatonville but she never wished to hold power as the Mayor’s wife. On the porch the townspeople discussed everything from philosophical ideas to gossip. Joe did not want Janie to hear the “big picture talkers” because he feared that they would empower her. He wanted Janie to remain under his control and he achieved this by keeping her in the store. The store represents how Janie is confined as a person and not allowed to grow. If Janie was able to grow and learn she would be harder to control in the eyes of Joe. Also while in the store Janie is require by Joe to wear her hair in a “head-rag” because he want to conceal Janie's beauty from others. By doing this he restricted her and communicated to other men that she was spoken for. Janie is kept in the store away from the laughter on the porch showing how she feels trapped as the Mayor’s wife. She is oppressed from reaching her goal of happiness by being forced to work in the store. Everyone in the town gathers at the porch so it represents community. The porch is personified because it represents the people of the town. The different people who visit all come together to create the community of Eatonville. If the town begins to unite together as an African-American community they have the ability to create a change during the time period. The town laughing at Matt Bonner continually shows that they have strength in the community since the act together. Ironically, Janie is spends the most time at the store/porch but she feels disconnected because she cannot be herself and must maintain her image as the Mayor’s wife.