Journal #4: Choose a passage that clearly depicts Hurston's awareness and manipulation of language. Analyze the passage for one aspect of EACH of the following: syntax, word choice, tone, and sound devices.
Passage: "After that night Jody moved his things and slept in a room downstairs. He didn't really hate Janie, but he wanted her to think so. He had crawled off to lick his wounds. They didn't talk too much around the store either. Anybody that didn't know would have thought that things had blown over, it looked so quiet and peaceful around. But the stillness was the sleep of swords. So new thoughts had to be thought and new words said. She didn't want to live like that. Why must Joe be so mad with her making him look small when he did it to her all the time? Had been doing it for years. Well, if she must eat out of a long-handled spoon, she must. Jody might get over his mad spell any time at all and begin to act like somebody toward her." (81)
Syntax
Hurston uses the narrator to explain Jody's reaction, Jody and Janie, the towns, and than how Janie felt about it. She starts the first few sentences with 'he', 'they', than 'anybody'. They are simple and straight to the point, her progression of different points of view of the situation lets the reader have a less bias view of the situation to openly interpret Janie's next reaction. Her thoughts are posed in questions and than final decision.
Word Choice
Some words that stick out of this passage are crawled, lick, wounds, sleep, swords, must, mad, and spell. These words could easily be replaced with a synonym. Hurston used crawled, lick, and wound to depict a picture of Jody as a hurt dog. He later dies. Tea Cake died from a dog wound later on. Her choice of 'sleep of swords' creates connotations of war and death. She repeats 'must' a few times in the last sentences, she is emphasizing that she has no choice in the matter, justifying her reason to the reader. 'Mad spell' infers that Jody is not acting as who he really is. Janie left with a man she thought would make her life better and believes that that man is still somewhere.
Tone
The overall tone of this passage is afflicting. There is a lot of affliction between Janie and Jody's conflict through actions and silence.
Sound Devices
Hurston uses an alliteration in this passage: "But the stillness was the sleep of swords". The 's' sound is smooth, however its also reminds me of a snake ssss...and snakes bite and are poisonous. I think Hurston uses the 's' sound to show how quiet and peaceful the environment seemed, but Janie could feel the invisible tension and infliction.
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