Where's the racism?
We touched on this idea a little bit in class. The role of racism in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Or lack thereof. Thinking back on Native Son and Invisible Man the authors made it very clear that our protagonists were pitted against societal oppression. Bigger with his revelation about becoming a pilot and the Narrator with his scholarship receiving experience. Here though, like Mr. Mitchell said, it looks like racism "takes a step back". Everyone Janie has met so far has been black and so we are given a novel that is more focused on economic situations and value systems of a people from the humble town of Eatonville. We can see this idea of contrasting values in the relationship between Janie and her grandmother. Both have radically different versions of the 'ideal' marriage. Janie wants romance, something that no amount of money can buy, someone to love for his person. The grandmother wants something tangible, something that shows her marriage was 'worth it...