I was really surprised that Janie finally came to such stark conclusions about how she felt about her grandmother. It became very clear in this reading that she has a deep resentment for the woman that raised her. I feel like this resentment is there because Janie feels as though her grandmother somehow cut her short from living the life she truely wanted. Janie blaims her grandmothers actions and pressures for all of the bad things that happened to her.
In A Cautionary Tale and a Partisan View I thought the initial discussion about folklore was interesting. I was surpised as to how difficult it was to find an acurate depiction of the south and the stories from the people who lived there. I guess it makes sense that there would be the stereotypical white racist stories that depicted blacks negatively but it was surprising how plentiful and overwhelming they were. I found it interesting that the person interested in researching these stories had to really struggle to find individuals that could acurately pass on folklore from the south. I feel like there hsould have been more people that wanted to keep the traditions alive.
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Ashton, I was also shocked at Janie's conclusion that her grandmother was the one that kept her from living the life that she wanted. At first I compared the grandmother to the other grandmother types that we have read, like Hughes Mother to Son. Now I see how the main character of this novel shows resentment. After reading some more of the novel I realize that the grandmother is like the the aunt in Nella Larsen's novel "Passing." They are similiar in the way that they change the life of a young women and effect their lives in so many positive and negative ways, such as in "Passing" the aunt's treated the main character as if she was white, making her later pass. Her passing eventually lead to her death.
The grandmother that Hurston is describing effected her grandaughter by "forcing" her to settle down. Both characters eventually are unhappy with who they became.
I agree that Janie's conclusions about her grandmother were extremely harsh. It shocked me as I read this apecific part in the novel. I don't understand how someone could feel so much hate toward someone that gave so much.
I thought it was interesting that she had such resentment towards her grandmother also. In the beginning it seemed that she looked up to her. But I was thinking maybe she resents her grandmother more for making her marry someone she was never in love with. Also when her grandmother talked about Janie's mom it was not very positive and I was thinking maybe Janie felt some anger towards that. Maybe if her grandmother weren’t so harsh about her mom, then maybe her mom would have come back home? Maybe not but I was just speculating. Her grandmother essentially made her the women she is, so does she resent whom she is or just whom her grandmother is?
Did janies grandmother ruin her life? I dont know, but apparently Janie wanted someone to blame for her being suppressed and a stunted growth. Her grandmother really wanted to look out for her best interests but apparently she was just old and senile marrying her off to the worst guy out there. Janie walked away from the situation though and at that point she made her own decision for her life---quickly running off with joe have gott her away from the first guy which cleared her grandmother--staying with joe was her own decision and it may have not been tht bad of one in the long run as he taught her stuff and left her wealthy.
I agree with your post and I too was shocked that Janie felt the way she felt about her grandmother. I mean in a way I guess I can understand it since her grandmother did force her to things she didn't want to, but at the same time thats family. I guess what really surprised me was that she spoke out to her friend about it. I would have thought that someone would have kept their feelings like that to themselves.
I agree with you. I too was somewhat shocked that she had such clear resentment toward her grandmother and what her grandmother wanted for her life. I picked up on the feeling that she felt her grandmother cut her short on her life and her potential.
Simillarly, I think folklore stories are generally and oral tradition. Especially for African Americans of the time of Hurston's book.
I also thought her conclusion of her grandmother was harsh. She wanted only the best for her and to make sure she would be taken care of when she was no longer around but Janie never saw it like that. I think it may have all come from the time when she was first seen with that one man and her grandmother decided to quickly marry her off.
She did seem to be resentfull at her grandmother. To the grandmother the husband would of seemed to be a perfect person for her. He was the same type of man that was common during that era. Janie just seemed to be a little against the normal grain of people during the time and needed someone she could relate to.
Yes I agree with your thoughts on Cautionary Tale and how it's difficult to find an accurate picture. I guess everyone has a different view of what a place is really like especially when it's something as broad as "the South."
I too was amazed about her thoughts toward her grandmother. I know she didn't always agree with the things her grandmother had said, but I never would have though she would blame her for the way her life went. I was shocked.
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