istener-from the tale-telling sessions on the store porch and at the mock funeral of the mule” (168). Joe says, “[Janie] Ah aims to keep yuh in de dark all de time” (Hurston 60). Joe makes Janie wear her hair tied up while working in the store; he is very jealous of her. “Janie [feels] far away from things and lonely” (Hurston 44). Janie is a woman that cannot be herself, someone she doesn’t even fully know while married to Joe Starks. Jody took Killicks place, but Joe is a false dream too, “just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over” (Hurston 79).Janie does not want possessions and status for herself. Joe’s verbal abuse dominates her through their marriage. Though Janie begins to emerge with a powerful voice when she defends herself from his coarse words, “You big-bellies round here and put out a lot of brag, but ‘tain’t nothin’ to it but yo’ big voice. Humph! Talkn’ bout me lookin’ old! When you pull down yo’ britches, you look lak de change uh life” (Hurston 75). This triumphal scene in Joe’s store marks the immediate decline of her marriage with him, but also marks the next step she will take toward self-fulfillment. Though, Joe responds with a pathetic command for silence and the wish that lightening strike Janie dead. Callahan concedes, “[Janie] keeps on talking and her voice hastens his imminent death (104). Janie is coming to her self-realization that she has a voice and can be heard. She is learning to open her mouth and stand up for herself. Joe’s physical abuse of Janie causes her to figuratively leave the marriage. “[Jody] slapped Janie until she had a ringing sound in her ears…” (Hurston 67). “Janie stood until something fell off the shelf inside her. Then she went inside to see what it was. It was her image of Jody that tumbled down and s...
