IOP Journal #4

I think i have the analysis of the dogs finalized

the dogs represent protection given to women by the men who care for them. The first time dogs are mentioned is the story of how Janie’s father was run out of town because he raped her mama. This man abused a women’s sexuality and therefore was a menace and a threat and to he was chased away in order to protect Janie’s mother and the other women in the town. The dogs lend a sense of security and make the women feel loved and safe. Tea Cake the only man who truly loved Janie shares the same qualities of these loyal animals. He is extremely loyal to Janie, he loves her wholly, and will protect her no matter what. “He worked like a dog for her” (177), this shows his deep devotion to his wife. Every women dreams of a man like that, one who will care for them. But it is these same qualities that brought such pain to Janie after he was gone. Tea Cake was bitten by a mad dog during the hurricane, under normal conditions the dog would’ve left Tea Cake alone, however because the dog was confused he believed Tea Cake was harming Janie because he was her husband, and in that society all husbands were harmful to their wives. However even while in the midst of intense pain Tea Cake shows his love for Janie “Tea Cake couldn’t come back to himself until he had got rid of that mad dog that was in him and he couldn’t get rid of the dog and live” (178). He wanted to protect Janie from the evil inside of him but it had such a strong hold upon him that he had to sacrifice himself in order to save her.