her to join his hand as they walk together. Janie is moving on, not only emotionally, but also physically; she walks in a new direction. What Janie thinks is releasing her from traditional domestic life, in reality, causes her to digress towards the female role model she sought to escape. Joe forcibly installs her as Queen of the Porch and cuts her off from any real contact with their community. She becomes his showpiece, his property (Christian 58). Again she becomes restricted by male dominance, but this time it makes her stronger and gives her the capability to renew her emergence. Although it takes time, Janie recognizes that Joe requires her total submission [. . .] she retains a clear perception of herself and her situation that becomes her salvation in the end (Wall 386). Initiating the process of stepping outside of herself and assessing her situation is the impetus for Janie to finally act in ways to improve her life. Joes restriction short circuits Janies attempt to claim an identity of her own, robs her of the opportunity to negotiate respect from her peers. So gradually, she pressed her teeth together and learned to hush, but not for long (Wall 386). Finally, Janie steps up and initiates a new attitude. In her first confrontation with Joe, she declares that Ah knows uh few things, and womenfolks thinks sometimes too! (Hurston 67). No longer will she tolerate being looked down upon by a man; she strives to be seen as an equal. Her vision of Joe bringing change to her life has been dashed as her image of Jody down and shattered (Hurston 68). Dominance will not conquer her now because she has been confronted by her desires. She comes to terms that she had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them (Hurston 68). She has found her own identity. After Joes death, independent for the first time in her life, she exults in the freedom feeling (Wall 387). Janie feels ready to disobey Joes ...
