Journal Entry #4

Patterns

1. The first pattern I noticed is the frequent mentioning of the "big road" through out these first six chapters. The big road along with the gate and other similar things are referring to the path to opportunity and to dreams accomplishments. When Janie had lost all hope with Logan Killicks she started to hang out at the fence post, waiting for something with hope of arrival (Huston 23, 25). Before leaving Logan, Jody gives her the opportunity to come with him down the road for a better life and she leaves Logan because of her mistreatment, the hope of a new life and opportunity (Huston 29, 32).  In the town Eatonville they started creating more roads for new opportunities (Huston 40-41).
2. The second pattern is oppression of the women. The women in this book are always dreaming, and are all ways wishing for something better. The women are not properly treated and all ways follow their husbands orders. The women are oppressed and neglected due to their husbands living the dream they have always wanted. Logan was living the dream of Janie doing all the work in the house and the fields (Huston 27). Jody was living the dream of his big voice, he previously had talked about how good he would treat Janie but the life of his dream got in the way (Huston 30). He had her run the store even though she didn't want to (Huston 44, 54). Since she ran the store he made her wear her hair up so other men wouldn't do anything inappropriate and he didn't tell her why making her further oppressed (Huston 49). He didn't want Janie to embarrass him and inconsequence separated her from the towns folk. He didn't let her take part in the porch conversations, and he didn't let her go to the burial of the horse (Huston 53, 56, 60). This created Janie's oppression of her feelings because she was not able to freely express them to her husband because he was the mayor and was busy (Huston 72).
3. After talking about Janie for some reason then fish ends up in the conversation (Huston 38, 39, 75). For example: "You can't git her with no fish sandwich." (Huston 39).

                               "You gettin' to moufy, Janie," Starks told her. "Go fetch me de checker-board and de checkers. Sam Watson, you'se my fish." (Huston 75)