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Tea Cake is a mean bee.



    It’s only when Tea Cake comes that Janie has the chance to actualize the fantasies of her youth-blossoming in a perfect union that allows her to blossom like the buds of a pear tree glimmering with gold pollen. If Janie represents a pear tree, Tea Cake takes on the role of the “bee”. And like bees, Tea Cake symbolizes the coming of “spring” in her life. After decades of disappointing winters full of rotten tree stumps like Stark and Killicks, Janie is hesitant, uncertain of what Tea Cake was truly after- her or her wealth. However, Tea Cake shows himself to be truly head over heels for Janie herself and is someone who can understand and empathize with her. Finally, she allows herself to accept him as the bee that will blossom her into the beautiful pear tree that she keeps so close to her heart and dreams. She allows herself to hope once again for the union she dreamed of years ago that was shattered again and again before she even reached adulthood. At last she blossoms. Or does she?

    As their marriage progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that Janie is being manipulated by both his sweet words and her own desires. The pollen brought by Tea Cake has once again covered her eyes to reality as she repeatedly denies her own doubts about him as her lover. At first, Tea Cake encourages Janie to be strong and follow her dreams, teaching her skills and showing her love. Then, he manipulates her until she believes he is perfect and incapable of ever wronging her, even when he beats her. She becomes supportive and compliant, allowing him to get away with anything and everything. I don’t think this looks very much like a pretty blossoming tree.

Comments

  1. Zoya A.November 24, 2021 at 6:11 AM

    Hi Ioanna, great blog post! I totally agree with you regarding your opinion on Tea Cake and the analogy you use to represent the bad pollen Tea Cane provides to Janie’s blossoming tree.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tracy LiNovember 24, 2021 at 9:51 AM

    Ioanna, this is a great post! Your analysis of the ongoing pear tree/blossoming/pollen motif going in in Their Eyes Were Watching God is so clarifying for me! That Tea Cake was pollen which both helped Janie blossom but also blinded and blinds her is the perfect way to put it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amalia BolleroNovember 25, 2021 at 10:19 AM

    Hey Ioanna, this was a great blog post! I really loved how you painted Tea Cake as the be to Janies pear tree, it highlights their relationship perfectly. I particularly liked the way you described the "pollen" Tea Cake brought and how it contributed to Janie's blindness. Good Job!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Emma MurawskiNovember 26, 2021 at 7:48 AM

    This is a terrific post! I really like how you relate Janie's relationship with Tea Cake back to her original fantasy of what love is to her. You do a great job analysing Tea Cake with the fantasy as a reference. It is clear that the pollen eventually blinded Janie into excusing all of Tea Cake's actions and accepting the version of "love" that she thought was for her, but she deserves much better than Tea Cake's blatant abuse and manipulation. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ethan RobertsDecember 10, 2021 at 11:15 AM

    Hi, Ioanna. I think that part of the reason Janie believes Tea Cake is a good match for her is the gradual progression of her relationships. Even though, looking back with retrospect, Tea Cake is not like Janie's idea of the ideal 'blossoming' relationship, he is still a step up from her previous relationships.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lukas PerdekampDecember 11, 2021 at 9:56 AM

    Great post! I really like the analogy you use to compare Janie to Tea Cake. It is great for visualizing what is actually happening. I especially like how you used the idea of Tea Cake bringing pollen which clouds Janie's thoughts and decision. Overall, your post also makes a strong argument and entices the reader.

    ReplyDelete

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