Jody Starks Struggle For Power In Their Eyes Were Watching God

Power and control is something that all humans strive for however it can corrupt those who obtain it. This is prevalent in all aspects of society, those who have control over a person or a group of people can do horrible thing to fuel their ego or for their own personal gain. This point is also made in many literary works, for example the short stories “There Not Your Husband” and the “Road out of Eden” both portrays this message. “There Not Your Husband” follows Earl a husband lost his job and has his ego broken so to build himself up he takes control of his wife's weight, but in the process causes her to lose the weight in an unhealthy way. This is similar to the “Road out of Eden” that follows a group of boys that are getting bullied but begin to fight back and strive for power over their bully, however this lead to some unforeseen issues. Ultimately “There Not Your Husband” and the “Road out of Eden” both illustrate how people who desire power because of their ego can do terrible things once they obtain it, this is prevalent throughout the pursuit of power by the characters, the symbolism of dominance that are prevalent throughout the story, and the characters motivations.

When Joe “Jody” Starks appears out of nowhere, Janie feels like her dreams have finally come true. But after a while, the marriage turns out to be little more than the stint with Killicks. Starks, like Killicks, treats her as property and not as someone he actually loves. One example is how Jody makes Janie put her hair up in a wrap while working in the store, rather than leave it down. Another is when he publicly criticizes her appearance, saying she is starting to show her age, when he is clearly at least ten years older: “’ You ain’t no young courtin’ gal. You’se uh old woman, nearly fourty’” (Hurston 79). Joe feels the need to tear down Janie, in order to make himself feel more important, which was an important part of being a man during this time.

Power is the ultimate goal of many throughout their life. If power is taken advantage of it

     Personal power has the ability to be essential to greatness, and at the same time is able to destroy a person’s nature. In the drama Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character, Macbeth, becomes corrupt through power that he gains. The play shows that even someone who starts out like Macbeth and does not crave power, will do terrible things to gain authority and power.

At the beginning of the book, when Joe Starks and Janie get married, Janie's hair gives a direct representation of how her identity and freedom can become tied up or freed, the way that Janie’s hair can be tied up or let loose. For example, after Janie marries Joe, she is unable to do the things she

Janie’s character shows many strengths throughout the course of the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God. However, most of the strengths that Janie shows in the movie never appear in the book. In the beginning of the movie, the audience sees Janie working in the fields and hog pens with Logan. Doing this gives her strengths in self-dependency. This trait appears later when Janie almost leaves Joe Starks in the movie. Joe changes her mind

All through the novel Janie travels through valuable life experiences allowing her to grow as a woman. Janie at first has a difficult time understanding her needs rather than wants, but as she continues to experience new situations she realizes she values respect. Janie’s first two marriages turned out to be tragic mistakes, but with each marriage Janie gained something valuable. When Janie is disrespected in her second marriage with Joe Starks, he publicly humiliates her, disrespecting her as a wife and woman. This experience forced Janie to come out of her comfort zone and stand up for herself.

In Janie’s marriage with Jody Starks, her hair is representative of her power when Jody represses it and when he indirectly liberates it by dying. At first, Jody draws Janie in with his own authority, self-confidence, and good looks. Janie seems infatuated with these characteristics; yet, ironically, she comes to loathe them, since she realizes that authority creates an air of condescension, self-confidence causes arrogance, and good looks eventually become mundane. Jody, in addition, seems to be extremely misogynistic and treats women like property. He accordingly believes that oppressing them as he sees fit is an acceptable manner of treatment, which is shown when he forces Janie to constantly wear a head-rag in

Power is something that is often used carelessly, even with its great importance. In the Family Romanov by Candace Fleming, power is used carelessly. In the Family Romanov, the tsar of Imperial Russia, Nicholas refused to give the people the rights and things they wanted and deserved. His refusal to do so eventually ended with Nicholas and the imperial family’s assassination. His inability to make just decisions without the “help” of his wife Alexandra and the “holy man” Rasputin resulted in his death. Nicholas stayed “blissfully” ignorant to all his subject’s sufferings and eventually paid the price for it. Fleming’s argument about power is that power is not a child’s toy, as power should be in use by someone fit to rule the proletariat fairly and it should be something to be used with responsibility and caution.

Interestingly, it seems that Janie has more power than Killicks in their relationship, in the sense that her words and actions send Killicks into fits of “resentful agony” (31) and cause Killicks to react so desperately that he ends up threatening to kill Janie with an ax, and seconds later, to cry in front of his wife (31-32). Janie leaves Killicks not on the premise that she can take care of herself, or even that she is in love with Starks, but that Starks will make her happier than will Killicks. The ending of Janie’s and Stark’s relationship, therefore, marks not Janie’s growing sense of self-sufficiency, but a small increase in self-growth in the sense that she has a clearer idea of what she is looking for in love.

Many people believe that everything in life happens for a reason. That their breakup is an open door to another better relationship. Them getting fired from their job is a new opportunity to do something greater. Everything is in god’s plan. Then what is the objective of living? If everything is predetermined, and you are already fixed into your life. This isn’t everyone’s views; some people take their life into their own hands. They don’t pray to god for help, they go and fix it themselves. Jody Starks is the only character in Their Eyes Were Watching God to believe and act on free will. Even the title of the book Their Eyes Were Watching God indicates their powerlessness in the universe. Jody attempts to defy this way of life. He takes control

"Jody told her to dress up and stand in the store all that evening" (Hurston 58). That must've been Jody Starks' most said command to Janie throughout her marriage. He only used her because she was so pretty, and didn't want much more. Being proud of Janie as his wife, the mayor's pretty wife, he himself built the image for Janie as 'trophy wife'.

Joe Starks is Janie’s second husband. In the beginning of this marriage, she feels that she might have found what she was searching for, but as Joe comes to power in the town he changes (Their Eyes Were Watching God, 43). He treats Janie as an inferior and never truly sees her as an individual person that he should have cared for. Joe sees her more as an accessory that surrounds him and does whatever was told of her (Their Eyes Were Watching God 55). The fictional character of Joe Starks is very similar to Zora's father, John Hurston, in the sense of not treating her as an actual person ("Zora and Janie - a comparison"). After her mother’s death, her father sends her off to live with other relatives while he settles in with his new wife, and just like Zora grew distant with her father. In her short story “Sweat,” Sykes thought that he would get anything he wanted out of women. Although Sykes was married to Delia, he was having an affair with the wife of one

Power is something one can find in all aspects of life. Whether in a relationship between two people or over an entire country, many people hold power in their lives. What is done with that power is up to the person who holds it and can be a strong reflection of their character. Too many people in positions of power become so wrapped up in wanting total control, that they lose sight of what is right and wrong. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, power is demonstrated many ways through many different characters. Power and ambition greatly affects the choices people make everyday.

Power and happiness go hand in hand. When one abuses power it reveal their limitations and perhaps inability to maintain power to help the greater good. One of these may be the differences in laws for those in a position in power and those who are not, and abuse occurs through moral differences in such society. "Everything belonged to him--but that was a trifle. The thing to know was what he belonged to, how many powers of