Shopgirl Monologue

Logan wants Janie to chop wood and plant potatoes while he goes and buys a mule

“Ok. ‘Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar, I saw it was the face of the man I wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plainclothes man to do the job.’ I wish I would have forgot about it so I don’t have to be here.”

Janie was not at all interested in this marriage, but being young and naïve, accepts this. Logan shows very little interest in Janie soon after she starts living with him. He complains she doesn’t do enough work on the farm and that she doesn’t appreciate a hardworking man like him. Logan orders Janie around and expects her to act as a proper wife. When Janie threatens to leave Logan, Logan is not sure how to put his fear into words. Instead he brushes off Janie’s threat and believes she will still be there in the morning when he wakes up. Realizing that this isn’t the kind of love she wants or life she wants to lead, Janie leaves Logan for Joe Starks.

Chapter four begins with the honeymoon period ending, and some resentment starting.The chapter starts with Logan begins to compare her to his first wife, explaining how she chopped wood with him. He believes she should be doing more manual labor, and maintain the house if she wants to be better than his first wife. When Logan leaves to get another mule, Janie finds finds Joe Starks, a.k.a Jody, “… a cityfied, stylish dressed man” (Hurston 27). Jody talks to Janie about how she can make her feel like a woman, and proclaims a secret marriage. When Logan returns, he argues with Janie about their relationship, and the next morning Logan yells at Janie to help him shovel manure. Janie decides she has had enough and leaves Logan to get married to Jody, and run away with him.

Hi Alice! How are you doing? Fine? I hope so.

This demonstrates how Logan was too self-centered a person, and how his main priorities are his job, instead of his wife. Logan even says this himself, how he is mostly focused on himself. Soon before Janie leaves Logan for Joe, they begin an argument and Logan says “Ah’m Too honest and hard-workin’ for anybody in yo’ family, dat’s de reason you don’t want me!” Logan was too focused on working hard and providing for the family that he neglected to do the things that truly mattered to Janie, that being someone who cares for her, and lets her be her person and someone who cares and listens to her, as seen with Tea Cake. Logan provided none of this, and that caused Janie to experience isolation.

One day Logan tells Janie that he is going out to buy a mule, and wants her to do hard labor while he is gone Janie does not like this and offers to cut some potatoes instead. While Logan is out Janie meets, a man named Joe Starks from Georgia, who she describes as a citified stylishly dressed man, who to Janie is acting white.

Now, Logan reveals his inner conflict and weakness. Janie, despite being in doubt, realizes that relying on inner guidance is more important than relying solely on others’ opinions, and that she needs to find someone who makes her truly happy. Logan’s outward conformity and inward questions help Janie realize her opinions are the only ones that matter to her. Not only does Logan's outward conformity and inward questioning contribute to Janie’s realization that inner guidance is crucial, but so does Joe Stark’s shift in mannerism. Joe’s shift from powerful to insecure and abusive contributes to Janie’s realization of self-worth and proper treatment.

These sixty acres allowed to him to accumulate wealth that the average African American did not have. This wealth along with age difference also hindered his relationship with Janie heavily. Through all long relationships the partners go through change and they have to adapt to those changes. The wealth and age made Logan unable to change who he was as a person it was too late. Since he was no longer able to change it once again proves that Janie’s relationship with him was doomed from the start. Logan also tried to manipulate her into staying with him by telling no man out there will take care of her the way he did. Janie’s relationship with Logan was always a toxic one. Logan was meant to protect her and keep her safe but ironically he only drove her away. Their last argument was the final straw Janie was done and ready to leave. This failure of a marriage is what led Janie to take a chance with a new man someone who she believed would finally treat her right. In reality this choice led to a new marriage and the biggest learning experience of her life.

Joe Starks stole Janie away from Logan. He saved her from the boringness of their dull marriage. He woed her with his words of kindness. He promised her happieness. “De day you puts yo’ hand in mine, Ah wouldn’t let de sun go down on us single. You ain’t never knowed what it was to be treated lak a lady and Ah wants to be de one tuh show

Thought [he’d] take and make somethin’ outa [her]” (63), showing his plain disrespect for her, and he goes so far as to imply that she is worthless and he is making her better. Logan continues to mistreat her and tells her that "[She] ain’t got no particular place. It’s wherever [Logan] needs [her]" (64). He is ignoring Janie’s identity despite her being helpful in other aspects like making “breakfast” and more. This constant ignorance is very similar to that of what my mother experienced.

I admire the fact that Scout now trusts her father. I know that it is a very nice trait to have. When I trust my father, I know that I can always count on him and that he will always be there for me. Whenever any of my friends have a problem, I always suggest talking to their fathers about it. I feel that girls my age have a stronger relationship with their fathers than their mothers.

your penis. Logan said basically that would make me a child molester in a way. I said no, let me grab these tissues real quick and I’ll be right back. I stepped out and got Helen a box of tissues. While I was out Helen asked Logan if he did this. Logan told her no. I said to Logan I don’t believe he is out preying on kids. That is my idea of a child molester. He said for her to touch it, I would have had to be in the back of the truck because it is so high. I said or you would have to have been beside the truck.

“Janie got up with him the next morning and had the breakfast halfway done when he bellowed from the barn. ‘Janie’ Logan called

So one day she meets Joe Starks and after spending some time together, Janie asks Logan what he would do if she ran away. Logan, rather than responding honestly, lies and hides his true feelings through insults. Janie learns that a marriage does not always withhold love. Love is something that must come naturally without force or thought and Janie sees that she has no such feeling towards Logan. Hence Janie runs off with Joe Starks and Logan is never heard of again.