Essay Topic

"Nothing on the place nor in her grandma's house answered her. She searched as much of the world as she could...Looking, waiting, breathing short with impatience. Waiting for the world to be made" (Hurston 11).
"She'd never get away from her family as planned, off to the U.S. Army...She'd never have only her own concerns to tote. She'd never have her own concerns" (Woodrell 15).

Essay Topic: How do the living situations of Ree and Janie compare? How does this affect their feelings of fulfillment?

Winter's Bone (131-162): Teardrop's Tears

Woodrell continues to give insight to Teardrop's character in the next few chapters of Winter's Bone. After Teardrop picks up Ree from Hawkfall, he exposes a facet of his character that he typically masks from the world: his sentimentality. When Woodrell first introduces Teardrop, he focuses on Teardrop's scars and tattoos. The scars on Teardrop's face disallow him from forgetting about the past or the dangers of his family's business. More importantly, Woodrell notes the three tattooed teardrops on his face, which "folks" believed "told you everything you had to know about the man" (24). Although they believe his teardrops represent the three times he is sentenced to prison, one questions why he would choose teardrops to represent shameful deeds. However, after learning more about Teardrop, and although he tries to maintain an intimidating and unsympathetic disposition, one identifies that perhaps the purpose of his teardrops is to give insight to his unveiled, emotional self. In fact, Teardrop proves he does respect his family and blood even though he is originally unwilling to help Ree search for Jessup. He now comforts Ree by telling her that he will "help [her] some" and that she "owns [him] now" (140-141). Furthermore, he explains his unwillingness to help her originally because if he were to know who killed Jessup, he will not be able to restrain himself from killing the murderer. Teardrop exposes that he does care about Ree and Jessup, and he originally purposefully tries to stay away from conflicts to not cause more problems. Thus, one returns to Woodrell's introduction to Teardrop to question how his tattooed teardrops "told you everything you had to know about the man." Unlike most folks, Woodrell divulges that Teardrop's tears represent that despite his horrifying countenance, he has compassion and love within his soul.

Winter's Bone (81-109): Sources of Belief

In the next few chapters of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone, Woodrell introduces a new character, April Dunahew who was Jessup's former girlfriend. Interestingly enough, Woodrell divulges much information about April through her living situation. He describes that when Ree took care of her while she was sick, she induces "smoking sage" to add a "churchy oomph." As a result, she "cleansed" the house "of lingering angers...that clung to old shadows" (90). Woodrell reveals that through April's religious conviction, she is capable of cleansing the house of "old shadows," and therefore "lingering angers." In order to become well again, April lets go of past irritations so that she may move on and once again progress and flourish. In the end, she does become well again; thus, Woodrell exposes that through April's religious conviction, she is allotted the necessary hope and optimism to help her rise above her present obstacles. Through faith, April is able to continue living. April's positivity and vivacity greatly contrasts Ree's home. When Woodrell first illustrates Ree's home, he emphasizes that the house's oldness disallows Ree and her family from letting go of the past. "The furniture...had been in use since Mom was a child" while "warped shadow-shapes lay all across the floor and walls and bulged in the corners" (7). In addition to the worn-out furniture from bygone years, Woodrell's depiction of the "warped shadow-shapes" makes the house's environment unsettling and uncomfortable. One questions whether it is the over-used furniture or the Dollys that cast these distorted and "warped" shadows. Furthermore, unlike April, the Dollys are stuck in the past. Their old furniture further fosters an uneasy atmosphere because in addition to evoking memories of Ree's mother's "good" days, it reminds them of their dead Aunt bernadette and dead Uncle Jack who both died tragically. Yet, it is Ree's lack of spiritual faith that provides her home with such a dreary environment. She, unlike April, discovers faith within nature, specifically among the "pine trees with low limbs." Ree claims that these trees "made a stronger vault for the spirit than pews and pulpits ever could," which directly reveals that she does not gain strength or belief through organized religion. After introducing April, one questions what role religion and faith play in the novel and how such a theme develops and influences the growth of each character.

Winter's Bone (20-81): Dreams

In our next reading of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone, Woodrell begins to illustrate the theme of desire. Woodrell introduces a new character, Gail Lockrum, who is Ree's best friend and is confined to her current lifestyle and cannot attain her dreams. Woodrell writes that she "had been required by pregnancy to marry Floyd Langan," and at a young age, she must care for her child, Ned. Even before Gail gave birth to Ned, Woodrell explains that she and Ree grew close by spending "idle hours of each passing year happily swapping clothes and dreams" (31). Ree and Gail are capable of maintaing a friendship built upon "swapping" their dreams because they are both continuously unable to attain their dreams "each passing year." While Gail is forced to take care of Ned, although Ree does not have a child of her own, she is obliged to take care of her brothers, mom, and house. Sadly, Woodrell reveals that while both girls are so young, their liveliness and vivacity has already halted. Similarly to a person of an older age who must focus on their responsibilities, such as work, kids etc., both Gail and Ree bond well because they dream. Like Gail and Ree, Sonny and Harold share the same desire to dream. When Ree teaches them how to wash their mother's hair, they are distracted by the their favorite program that is shown on tv. Woodrell describes the show to possess a "smiley dog" who was "chasing adventure" while "wearing a suit of shining armor" (40). Their love for this program reveals that they are absorbed with the hope of also "chasing adventure." Interestingly enough, Woodrell also adds that the "smiley" dog wears a "suit of shining armor." So far, Woodrell has not included any characters by their "smiley" faces, which further exposes that the boys also aspire to be so happy that they can be described as smiley. One questions whether all the characters in Woodrell's novel escape their current dismal lives to finally obtain their dreams.

Winter's Bone (1-19): An Introduction to the Characters

At the start of Daniel Woodrell's novel, Winter's Bone, he introduces the main character, Ree Dolly, and begins to describe her lifestyle. Because she has two parents who are incapable of taking care of her and her brothers, Ree is left to take care of the house. She splits the wood, takes care of her sick siblings, cooks, cleans, and more. While Woodrell depicts Ree as an independent and mature being, he also divulges that she lacks much happiness or peace. From the start, Woodrell suggests that Ree's home is very dismal and depressing. The "cold front steps" and frigid climate suggest that Ree is uncomfortable in her environment which therefore makes her restless. In addition, it is Ree's home atmosphere that shapes Woodrell's development of each character. Woodrell writes, "The house was...chill in the shadows," and thus he suggests that by being in "the shadows," Ree and her family are stuck in the past; however, the chillness of the past indicates that their lives are negatively "frozen" and they struggle to rise to a better position. This halt in the past is further seen through Ree's mom. Woodrell proposes that she is ill and is losing her memory. Woodrell proclaims that she was "lost to the present," and he suggests that at one point she had a sense of direction and purpose. At the same time, Ree's dad, Jessup, is described as a "broken-faced" man, which further encourages the Dolly's struggle to move from the past. By being "broken," Jessup does not have the strength to help his family rise above their present problems. Thus, it is up to Ree to help her family, however, because of her parents, Ree also struggles to progress into the future.

Quotes Throughout the Novel

Chapter 1: "Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly" (1)

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight..." (1)

"An envious heart makes a treacherous ear" (5)

Chapter 2: "Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches" (8)

"But before Ah seen de picture Ah thought Ah wuz just like de rest" (9)

"The rose of the world was breathing out smell" (10)

"She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her" (11)

"She searched as much of the world as she could...Looking, waiting, breathing short with impatience. Waiting for the world to be made" (11).

"De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see" (14)

"us colored folks is branches without roots...But nothin' can't stop you from wishin" (16)

Chapter 3: "There is a basin in the mind where words float around on thought and thought on sound and sight. Then there is a depth of thought untouched by words, and deeper still a guld of formless feeling untouched by thought" (24).

"She knew that God tore down the old world every evening and built a new one by sun-up" (25).

"Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman" (25).

Chapter 4: "A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self" (29).

"He spoke for change and chance" (29).

"A bee for her bloom" (32).

Chapter 5: "Us colored folks is too envious of one 'noter. Dat's how come us don't git no further than us do" (39).

"And furthermo' everything is got uh have uh center and uh heart tuh it" (40).

Chapter 6: "I god, Ah can't see what uh woman uh yo' stability would want tuh be treasurin' all dat gum-grease from folks dat don't even own de house dey sleep in" (54).

"She was a wind on the ocean" (70).

"She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them" (72).

Chapter 7: "Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels" (76).

"Janie had robbed him of his illusion of irresistible maleness that all men cherish" (79).

"But Ah ain't goin' outa here and Ah ain't gointuh hush" (86).

"All dis bowin' down, all dis disobedience under yo' voice-- dat ain't whut Ah rushed off down de road tuh find out..." (87).

"The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place" (87).

Chapter 9: "She sent her face to Joe's funeral, and herself went rollicking with the springtime across the world" (88).

"It was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her" (89).

"She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around" (90).

Chapter 10: "Yuh can't beat uh woman. Dey jes won't stand fuh it" (96).

Chapter 11: "She felt like a child breaking rules" (102).

"Ah betcha you don't never go tuh de lookin' glass and enjoy yo' eyes yo'self" (104).

"You'se got de world in uh jug and make out you don't know it" (104).

Chapter 12:  "Still and all, she's her own woman" (111).

"Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah means tuh live mine: (114).

Chapter 13: "She was broken and her pride was gone" (119).

Chapter 14: "Work all day for money, fight all night for love" (131).

"She could listen and laugh and even talk some herself if she wanted to" (134).

Chapter 15: "A little seed of fear was growing into a tree" (136).

"Janie never thought at all. She just acted on feelings" (137).

Chapter 16: "He kin take most any lil thing and make summertime out of it when times is dull" (141).

"Through indiscriminate suffering men know fear and fear is the most divine emotion" (145).

Chapter 17: "Being able to whip her reassured him in possession. No brutal beating at all" (147).

Chapter 18: "...their route was definite" (155).

"Night was striding across nothingness with the whole round world in his hands" (158).

"...the wind and water had given life to lots of things that folks think of as dead and given death to so much that been living things" (160).

Chapter 19: "Death had found them watching, trying to see beyond seeing" (170).

"She could either run or try to take it away before it was too late" (182).

"They were all against her, she could see" (186).

"It was not death she feared. It was misunderstanding" (189).

Chapter 20: "Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes it shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore" (191).

"You got tuh go there tuh know there" (192).

"They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (192).

"The place tasted fresh again...The wind through the open windows had broomed out all the fetid feeling of absence and nothingness" (192).

"She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net" (193).

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 19+20): Duality

In the final chapters of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston provides a thorough analyzation of Tea Cake's character. While she has subtly divulged Tea Cake's yearning to control Janie in chapter 13, she continues to expose his hunger for power through chapter 17. Throughout these chapters, one has questioned whether they view Tea Cake positively or negatively. Ultimately, Tea Cake appears to possess to separate identities which allows him to be both a good and bad husband simultaneously. At the end of chapter 18, one learns about Tea Cake saving Janie, and while doing so, he gets bitten by a stray dog who he finds to be "frightenin'" and full of "pure hate" (167). As Hurston illustrates Tea Cake becoming gradually sicker, he becomes steadily animalistic through Hurston's diction. However, when Janie identifies  a "changing look" on Tea Cake's face, one questions whether she was blinded by love before and now sees Tea Cake's true character. She previously shows that she is not bothered by Tea Cake's abuse and never loves him any less even when he behaves barbarically; yet, Janie no longer feels safe in Tea Cake's presence. The tone of Hurston's language has become more concerned and fearful as Janie notes that Tea Cake "could watch her every move" (182). Despite her concerns, Janie reassures herself that "Tea Cake wouldn't hurt her," however, she decides that "it did no harm to play safe" (182). Thus, Janie exposes that because she loves Tea Cake, she wishes to cloud her worries with doubt; at the same time, her subconscious urges her to "play safe." Hurston exposes that Janie sees her husband's dual-personality at last because she simultaneously trusts and distrusts Tea Cake. In the end, Hurston reveals that Janie overcomes her doubt and fully recognizes how dangerous Tea Cake is. One questions whether she is right to blame his animalism on his sickness, or whether his true character can no longer be hidden from her sight.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch16+17): Power

In chapter 17 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston further discusses the role men and women play in society. In chapter 16, she reveals that Tea Cake gains popularity and respect once the men in his community know that he beats Janie regularly. Thus, Hurston portrays the setting of the novel to take place during a strongly male-dominated society which has little to no respect for women. At the same time, Hurston gives insight to Mrs. Turner's character. Since Mrs. Turner was first introduced, Hurston has divulged that Tea Cake despises her and eventually abuses Janie as a result of his frustration with Mrs. Turner. Tea Cake claims, "Ah didn't whup Janie 'cause she done nothin'. Ah beat her tuh show dem Turners who is boss" (148). Tea Cake discloses that he feels threatened by the Turners, he must beat his wife to "show dem" that he is the boss. Although Hurston barely illustrates confrontations between the Turners and Janie and Tea Cake, Tea Cake is frightened by their presence. By beating Janie, perhaps Tea Cake hopes to communicate to the Turners that he is more aggressive and dangerous than they believe. Furthermore, Tea Cake explains that he is "mad at her for thinkin" (149). Tea Cake exhibits that he dislikes women challenging his authority. He beats Janie to ensure that he controls her, but at the same time he also hopes to stop Mrs. Turner from "thinkin'." One questions what Hurston is trying to illustrate about the men and women in society in her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Is she foreshadowing the eventual strength and equality women will gain?

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 14-16): Black Racism

In chapters 15 and 16, Hurston mentions once again the racism that exists in the novel. For chapters 6 and 7, I had blogged about the prevailing white envy that exists among the black community, and I was intrigued to make such a discovery when Hurston does not include a white character. In the next class after we read chapters 6 and 7, we discussed the prominent themes thus far in the novel, and we went into great detail about racism; however, we identified this racism prominently between blacks and not the traditional black-white racism. Through Mrs. Tyler's character, Hurston returns to the theme of racism within the black community. Mrs. Tyler believes herself to be superior to her black peers and also sees Janie to be part of the upper-class society. She tells Janie that they "oughta class off" because "de black ones is holdin' us back" (Hurston 141). Although she is considered to be black and not white, Mrs. Tyler completely separates herself and does not group herself in the "black ones;" rather, she and Janie are part of their own class. Mrs. Tyler reveals a strong hate towards her community and greatly aspires to be white. She claims that she has "white folks' features" but still she is "lumped in wid all de rest" (Hurston 142). One questions whether the racism that exists in Hurston's novel is largely developed by white people, or whether black-black racism helps to enhance racist thoughts. In the end, Mrs. Tyler cannot belong to either community because she refuses to associate herself with blacks, however, she cannot be considered a white person.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 11-13): Joe or Tea Cake?

Throughout chapters 11 to 13, Hurston begins to give insight into Tea Cake's character. When Hurston first introduces Tea Cake in chapter 10, Janie remaks that although "she didn't know his name...he looked familiar" (Hurston 94). Throughout chapter 10, one supposes that Janie is so easily attracted and comfortable with Tea Cake because she considers Tea Cake to be "familiar." However, Hurston never communicates why Janie regards Tea Cake to be more of a friend than a stranger. By chapter 13, Hurston reveals a more intimate analyzation of Tea Cake once he must confess how and why he took Janie's two hundred dollars. He remarks that his first desire was to let "folks know who he was," and so he paid for a free supper for all (Hurston 123). Hurston divulges that Tea Cake's aspiration to become well known and respected is a result of the envy of whites that exists subtly throughout the novel but is never directly stated. Interestingly enough, Tea Cake's "generosity" becomes very similar to Joe's actions when he first arrives in Eastonville. Joe had informed Janie that "it had always been his wish and desire to be a big voice" (Hurston 29). In addition to their desire to become more distinguished, Tea Cake also begins to dictate Janie like Joe. When he proclaims that he was going to get Janie to come to the feast he was throwing, he is doubtful that she would have come and that she was too "skeered" (Hurston 124). Although it appears that Tea Cake is making excuses, Hurston begins to reveal that he thinks he can predict Janie's thoughts and desires and thus denies Janie her own voice. Thus, one can't help but question whether Janie feels Tea Cake is so familiar because she unconsciously recognizes similarities between him and Joe.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 8-10): A Man's Power

In chapter 8, Hurston reveals that as a result of Joe's illness, Janie gains authority and more of a voice than ever before. After disallowing Janie from visiting him, Janie finally insists on talking to Joe and enters his room although she has not been invited. The conversation between Janie and Joe exemplifies the theme of male dominance that Hurston has discussed throughout the novel so far. Although Janie is now given the opportunity to speak over Joe, she uses the opportunity to make Joe know that after twenty years he "dont half know [her] at all." Janie declares that she "ain't goin' outa here" and she "ain't gointuh hush" (Hurston 87). Sadly, after many years in marriage, Janie finally tells Joe that she disagrees with the way he has treated her; however, in the midst of her confession, Joe dies and Janie is never granted the ability to completely confess. One questions whether Hurston has Joe's death occur at this moment to disallow Janie from ever feeling that she has overcome Joe's control. If this were the case, Hurston would be further enforcing the male-dominant society that she has been depicting throughout the novel so far. After Joe passes away, Hurston remarks, "Janie knew the futile fight was not with her" (Hurston 87). Hurston describes the fight as "futile" because even if Janie disproved of all of Joe's controlling actions, their marriage was basically over already. One questions how this scene foreshadows later events in the book. Will women ever gain a more dominant position in Hurston's novel? Or will there be numerous incidents where women almost gain power but are prevented?

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 6+7): White Envy

In chapter 6 of Hurston's novel, Hurston reveals a subtle and hidden desire within the black characters to be white. She first illustrates the local men in Eastonville to engage in numerous philosophical conversations, such as wether caution or nature "keeps uh man from gettin' burnt on uh red-hot stove" (Hurston 65). While the local black men attempt to sound intelligent and pensive, their conversation ironically makes them seem less intelligent; however, Hurston reveals that while the reader identifies a lack of education, the townspeople believe men such as Sam and Lige to be extremely bright, which discloses that most of the town lacks much education. One questions why Sam and Lige choose to engage in these conversations, and one supposes that they strive to be respect by their town. Sadly enough, although they attempt to obtain a sense of intellectuality similar to white people, Sam and Lige will never be as knowledgeable or as respected. Furthermore, when Hurston introduces Daisy, she announces that Daisy takes the "center of the stage" away from the other women (Hurston 67). Throughout Daisy's description, each characteristic is associated with white. Although her skin color is black, "she know that white clothes" suit her, or her "big black eyes with plenty shiny white," and even her "negro hair" has "got a kind of white flavor" (Hurston 67). After describing Daisy, one learns that she is highly desired by all the men in town. One questions whether her "whiteness" is what makes her so appealing, and thus one wonders what blacks in Hurston's novel really strive to become.