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Janie and Joe's relationship starts off well
"De day you puts yo' hand in mine, Ah wouldn't let de sun go down on us single." (29) -
Janie and Joe's relationship is materialistic rather than genuine
"Joe didn't make many speeches with rhymes to her, but he bought her the best things the butcher had, like apples and a glass lantern full of candies."(34) -
Joe becomes too ambitious
"Yeah, uh store right heah in town wid everything in it you needs."(40) -
Joe treats Janie as his trophy wife
"Jody told her to dress up and stand in the store all that evening. Everybody was coming sort of fixed up, and he didn't mean for nobody else's wife to rank with her."(41) -
Joe takes away Janie's voice
"Thank yuh foh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech-makin' . Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home." (43) -
Joe begins to see himself as a god
"De Sun-maker brings up in de mornin', and de Sun-maker sends it tuh bed at night."
"And when I touch de match tuh dat lamp-wick let de light penetrate inside of yuh, and let it shine, let it shine, let it shine." -
Janie looses her individual identity
"Well honey, how yuh lak bein' Mrs. Mayor?" (46). -
The workload Janie would have to do in the store affected her physical health
"The store itself kept her with a sick headache."(54). -
Joe's controlling nature took effect on Janie's appearance
"Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn't seem sensible at all. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was." (55). -
Joe orders Janie around like a slave
"'I god, Janie,' Starks said impatiently, 'why don't you go on and see whut Mrs. Bogle want? Whut you waitin' on?" (70). -
Janie has changed from the person she once was because of her marriage with Joe
"The years took all the fight out of Janie's face." (76). -
Janie finally stands up to Joe
"Naw, Ah ain't no young gal no mo' but den Ah ain't no old woman either. Ah reckon Ah looks mah age too. But Ah'm uh woman every inch of me, and Ah know it. Dat's uh whole lot more'n you kin say." (79). -
Joe dies, and the control over Janie ends
"The icy sword of the square-toed one had cut off his breath and left his hands in a pose of agonizing protest." (87). -
Joe dying because of kidneys
"When a man's kidneys stop working altogether, there is no way for him to live. He needed medical attention two years ago. Too late now"(83). Janie wanted to give Joe medical attention, as he refused she still requested a doctor from Orlando to try to save his life. Even though she was bitter at him and he was bitter at her, she still cared about her.