Their Eyes Were Watching God: Journal Two

In my sixteen years of life, I have come to realize that people don't try to portray themselves as liking another person. Human beings try to stay as civil as long as possible to another until they have had enough. Not only does this action happen a lot in personal accounters, but it also is shown in literature. '"Whut Ah don't lak 'bout de man is, he talks tuh unlettered folks wid books in his jaws," Hicks complains" (49) Hicks is telling other people that he doesn't like how he feels uneducated around him. I can sense from how the story is written, that Hicks feels that he is not that important to Joe Starks. When Joe is talking to the people of the new created town, he portrays himself as superior to them because he is educated. He does not get to know the citizens because he does not feel like he has to, because he is "better" than them. The citizens may feel unimportant, timid, and possibly gloomy due to how they have been treated by the mayor. "Showin' off his learnin'. To look at me you wouldn't think it, but Ah got uh brother pastorin' up roud Ocala dat got good learnin' If he wuz here, Joe Starks wouldn't make no fool outa him lak he do de rest uh y'all." (49) This can make the reader feel frustrated with the character, Joe Starks, for making the citizens of the town feel uneducated. The character Hicks, puts himself superior to the other citizens. By saying "....Joe Starks wouldn't make no fool outa him lak he do de rest uh y'all." Hicks is trying to tell his equals that he doesn't feel the way other's do. But in all actuality he does feel dismal. "Ah often wonder how dat lil wife uh hisn makes out wid him, 'cause he's uh man dat changes everything, but nothin' don't change him." (49) This was spoken by Sim Jones, he is saying that Starks is a man that is stubborn. He goes after something and he will achieve what he wants. His wife, Janie, would never be able to change any bit of him. This could make Jones feel various emotions including frustration, assured, and timid. It sets the tone to matter-of-fact, serious, and wonderous. "You know many's de time Ah done thought about dat mahself. He gits on her ever now and then when she make little mistake round de store."(49) Said by Hicks.  This shows how well maintained Strarks is. He is a person of quality, and with everything he does and is around him, should be of perfection. "Whut make her keep her head tied up lak some ole 'oman round de store? Nobody couldn't git me tuh tie no rag on mah head if Ah had hair lak dat."(49) Instead of proceeding to talk about Starks, they drift their conversation to Janie. Hair is a sign of beauty. The longer and healthier the hair is, the better quality she is. Hair is a sign of youth, so by putting it on top of her head with a rag, shows a little bit of aging. Aging comes with stress and also not having direction of life. This shows some anger and how this character is serious. In my eyes, I find the purpose to show a different side of Starks. Not everyone will think of Starks as a great person. Characters are starting to realize qualities about him, that they do not appreciate. Not only do the citizens see his worse sides, but also Janie. This could become a problem later on in the story.