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1-Page Summary of Their Eyes Were Watching God
Janie Crawford is an attractive, confident and middle-aged black woman who returns to Eatonville after a long absence. People in the town gossip about her and wonder what happened to her husband, Tea Cake. They think she’s aloof but Pheoby Watson sticks up for Janie by visiting her and asking what has happened.
The following passage is from Chapter 1 of “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee:
Janie’s grandmother raised her after her mother ran off. She loves Janie and wants what’s best for her, but she doesn’t know how to show it. Her life as a slave has made her bitter about the world, so she pushes Janie into marrying a much older farmer named Logan Killicks because that will bring social status and security to the family.
Janie moves in with Logan and is unhappy. He treats her like a mule, which makes her feel worthless. One day, Joe Starks comes along and flirts with Janie for a couple of weeks before she leaves to marry him.
Janie and Jody travel to a black town where Jody hopes to have a big voice. He becomes mayor, postmaster, storekeeper, and the biggest landlord in Eatonville. However Janie wants more than just a man with a big voice. She wants to be able to socialize but he doesn’t allow her too because he sees her as an ornament for his wealth and power.
After years of abuse, Janie finally stands up to her husband. When he insults her appearance, she lets him have it in front of the townspeople and tells them how ugly and impotent he is. In retaliation, Jody beats her savagely and their marriage falls apart. He becomes very ill but refuses to see Janie for months until she visits him on his deathbed. As she berates him, he dies from his illness.
After Jody’s funeral, Janie feels free for the first time in years. She rebuffs various suitors because she loves her newfound independence. But then a young man named Tea Cake enters her life and they begin dating. Despite gossip from townspeople, Janie marries Tea Cake nine months after Jody’s death and sells his store to move with him to Jacksonville.
During the first week of their marriage, Tea Cake and Janie had a rough time. He stole her money and left her alone one night, making her think that he married her only for her money. But he returned, explaining that he never meant to leave her and that his theft occurred in a moment of weakness. They promised to share all their experiences from then on out with each other so they could both learn new things about life together. They moved to the Everglades where they worked during harvest season but socialized during summer off-season when there was little work available. Tea Cake’s quick wit made him popular among people who came by their shack so it became the center for entertainment and social life in the area.
A terrible hurricane hit the Everglades two years after Janie and Tea Cake were wed. As they fled to safety, a rabid dog bit Tea Cake. Three weeks later, he fell ill with rabies and was convinced that Janie was cheating on him. During his madness, he started firing a gun at her which she had to kill him because she didn’t want him killing her. She went back home where people assumed that Tea Cake left her and took all of their money so they gossiped about it but Janie felt like everything worked out for the best in the end.
Chapters 1–2
Chapter 1
As the sun sets on a southern town, a mysterious woman walks down the main road. She is known by the locals and they are happy to see her return. They comment on how muddy she looks and that it’s clear she has been through hard times. People talk about Janie Starks’ hair because it’s long, straight, and beautiful—they’re envious of her beauty. The people speculate about what happened to Tea Cake since he left with Janie Starks; they assume he took all of her money and left for another woman who is younger than him.
