Their Eyes Were Watching God Language Analysis

In the book Their Eyes Were Watching God There are many themes. The one that stood out the most was Janie’s silence. Once Janie discovers her ability to define herself by her speech and interactions with others, she learns that silence can be used as a power. She then learns how to control her silence. The author places great emphasis on the control of language as the source of identity and power. Janie uses silence as both a tool of oppression and power during her marriages.
Joe, Janie’s second husband is very rude to her and does not let her speak. He thinks that she is inferior to him. "Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her
He invites her to play checkers on the porch as Joe never had, "and she found herself glowing inside. Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought it natural for her to play." Perhaps most significantly, "Look how she had been able to talk with him right off!" ("Their Eyes Were Watching God."). This shows how Janie is no longer being oppressed of her speech like she was when she was with Joe. Joe disrespects Janie all the time but she is either forced to not speak or chooses not to. Tain't no use in gettin' mad, Janie, 'cause ha mention you ain't no not young gal no mo'. Nobody in heah ain't lookin' for no wife outa yuh. Old as you is (Hurston 93-94). After Joe makes fun of Jodie for how old she is she does not respond. She does not want to start an argument between the two. So her she uses silence as a power to not get into a big argument.
Once again, Janie must choose either to accept what seems to be her fate or to actively oppose it. When Joe attempts to humiliate her publicly, "Janie took the middle of the floor to talk right into Jody's [Joe's] face, and that was something that hadn't been done before." She insults his masculinity, shaming him before the other men. After this, although Janie and Joe continue to live together, they live emotionally separate lives until Joe dies ("Their Eyes Were Watching
She can not keep silent any longer and lashes out on him. In all the reader can conclude that Janie uses silence as a power but is also oppressed of it. First Janie is not allowed to speak when Joe becomes mayor. Second Janie is not allowed to talk to the townspeople on the porch. This shows how Joe oppresses Janie of her ability to talk. Next Janie has to get Joe’s shoes but she does not argue with him she stays silent. Lastly Joe makes fun of Janie and instead of fighting back she yet again stays silent but for her advantage. Janie has learned how to control her speech.Janie uses silence as both a tool of oppression and power during her