Guns and Vindication In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie Crawford’s life experience shapes her into an independent woman; this is shown when Janie learns to do gender-restricted activities, when Janie defends the abused mule, and when Janie lets her hair down when returning to Eatonville. These events lead to Janie growing into the self-actualized, independent woman whom we meet as she walks back into town confidently after her time away.
Janie was excluded out of attending masculine activities by the men in her life until meeting Tea Cake. This led to Janie being exposed to the world of male-dominated hobbies. After coming home from discovering his boss wants him at the lake, Tea Cake suggests going to buy ‘shootin’ tools’ to go hunting with his wife. He purchases new supplies and lets Janie practice in front of people in town: “Pistol and shotgun and rifle. It got so the others stood around and watched them. Some of the men would beg for a shot at the target themselves. And the thing that got everybody was the way Janie caught on. She got to the place she could shoot a hawk out of a pine tree and not tear him up. Shoot his head off. She got to be a better shot than Tea Cake.” (Hurston 131)
Here, Hurston is portraying that Tea Cake introduces Janie to a variety of items to protect herself. …show more content…
From this we can interpret that the women were likely criticizing her because they wanted the physical attractiveness and confidence that was necessary for her to walk past them. They wished they were the unique one, standing up against men. The hair that swings down her back symbolizes the power she obtained throughout the novel. After having it tied back all her life by men, she finally lets it go and realizes she can be independent. With her hair concealed back, she felt lost and powerless. But as a child, it made her feel free and as if she could let
Janie was excluded out of attending masculine activities by the men in her life until meeting Tea Cake. This led to Janie being exposed to the world of male-dominated hobbies. After coming home from discovering his boss wants him at the lake, Tea Cake suggests going to buy ‘shootin’ tools’ to go hunting with his wife. He purchases new supplies and lets Janie practice in front of people in town: “Pistol and shotgun and rifle. It got so the others stood around and watched them. Some of the men would beg for a shot at the target themselves. And the thing that got everybody was the way Janie caught on. She got to the place she could shoot a hawk out of a pine tree and not tear him up. Shoot his head off. She got to be a better shot than Tea Cake.” (Hurston 131)
Here, Hurston is portraying that Tea Cake introduces Janie to a variety of items to protect herself. …show more content…
From this we can interpret that the women were likely criticizing her because they wanted the physical attractiveness and confidence that was necessary for her to walk past them. They wished they were the unique one, standing up against men. The hair that swings down her back symbolizes the power she obtained throughout the novel. After having it tied back all her life by men, she finally lets it go and realizes she can be independent. With her hair concealed back, she felt lost and powerless. But as a child, it made her feel free and as if she could let