Ch. 11-13
These next chapters really show the transformation that Janie goes through, and we can see that it’s a big difference. Janie doesn’t care what the townspeople think of her anymore, and she openly has a relationship with Tea Cake. Even though the town gossips about it, she doesn’t care anymore. The part in chapter 11, when Janie falls asleep and wakes up to Tea Cake brushing her hair, just adds more to Janie’s new independent image. Her hair, as I’ve said before, represents her own power and freedom. When Tea Cake brushes it, I think he’s encouraging her to be her own woman. He helps her in finding her own voice, and how to express her emotions and understand her desires.
But Tea Cake, as much as I hate to say it, doesn’t seem like a consistent character. He keeps disappearing for long periods of time, leaving Janie to worry. I became especially wary of him when he took Janie’s money and left. Although he did earn the money back, it still makes him slightly untrustworthy that he would do something without Janie’s consent. I think this foreshadows their relationship and the hardships to come. It makes me believe that Tea Cake really would steal her money and run off for good, as was hinted by in the first chapter.
