Journal #3

5 Literary Techniques from Chapter 4:

page number: 32
name of technique: Simile
quote for the book: "The morning road air was like a new dress"
so what?! This simile has a very important role in emphasizing what was going on at the time. Janie had met a new man, Joe, who was a stylish man that convinced her that he'd treat her the way she deserves to be treated, unlike the way that Logan, her husband, treats her. "You behind a plow! You ain't got no mo' business wid uh plow than uh hog is got wid uh holiday! You ain't got no business cuttin' up no seed p'taters neither. A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self and eat p'taters dat other folks plant just special for you." (page 29). Janie had finally gotten the courage to stand up to her husband and leave him. The morning road air was like a new dress because it was a fresh start. A new dress in a life in Southern America is refreshing, wanted and new, a breath of fresh air.

page number: 27
name of technique: Hyperbole
quote from the book: "The shirt with the silk sleeveholders was dazzling enough for the world."
so what?! This quote comes from the very first description of Joe, the man that would convince Janie to leave her husband for him later in the chapter. This hyperbole was used to emphasize the fact that Joe is a "cityfied, stylish dressed man" (page 27) and created the idea that he is a confident and well off. His confidence flustered Janie and his words captivated her enough to realize that she is better than the life she has now, and that this man, with his confidence radiating from his silk sleeveholders can give her the life she deserves.

page number: 28
name of technique: Dialect
quote from the book: "Joe Staks was the name...Where was Janie's papa and mama?"
so what?! This extensive narrative was written in the southern dialect rather than the well-articulated narration of the rest of the story. This paragraph was Joe's story, who he is and where he came from, as told in his voice, in third person, as if it were a narrative. Joe's story was written in this particular dialect because it is the most accurate way to tell it; it shows that even though he may be dressed like he's from the city, with dazzling sleeveholders, he is still a southernor and was still at the same level as Janie.

page number: 31
name of technique: Metaphor
quote from the book: "The sun from ambush was threatening the world with red daggers, but the shadows were gray and solid-looking around the barn."
so what?! This metaphor is written shortly after the scene where Janie confronts Logan about the meaning of their marriage. The next morning, Logan proved Joe's accusations right with his demands. "'You don't take a bit of interest in dis place. 'T'ain't no use in foolin' round in dat kitchen all day long.'" (page 31). This metaphor is a bit of a double metaphor, with the sun representing Logan and the barn representing Janie. Logan is a attacking Janie with red daggers as she sits back in the shadows of sadness, inferior to the demands that her husband puts on her. It sets a tone of the sadness and helplessness Janie feels in this marriage, whereas Logan feels in control with his demands that seem to come out as insulting attacks (that are represented by the "red daggers" in the metaphor.)

page number: 26
name of technique: Figurative Language
quote from the book: "Long before the year was up, Janie noticed that her husband had stopped talking in rhymes to her."
so what?! Logan hadn't literally spoken in rhymes to her, but what is meant is that he had spoken to her like he loved her, like she was his wife. Now, he spoke to her like she was his slave and therefore he no longer spoke to her in rhymes. When you think of "rhymes", you think of words that flow and make sense together.


Okay, so the "so what" kept making me think of Pink, and that song is stuck in my head now...