Page-74
"'Mist' Starks, please gimme uh lil piece uh meat fur me and mah chillun.'
'Ah know you don't need it, but come on inside. You ain't goin' tuh lemme read till Ah give it to yuh.'(1) 'Mrs. Tony's ecstasy was divine, 'Thank you, Mist' Starks. You'se noble! You'se du most gentlemanfied man Ah ever did see. You'se uh king!' The salt pork box was in the back of the store and during the walk Mrs. Tony was so eager she sometimes stepped on Joe's heels, sometimes she was a little before him. Something like a hungry cat when somebody approaches her pan with meat. Running a little, caressing a little and all the time making little urging-on cries. (2) 'Yes, indeedy, Mist' Starks, you'se noble. You got sympathy for me and mah po' chillun. Tony don't give us nothin' tuh eat and we'se so hongry. Tony don't fee-eed me!' This brought them to the meat box. Joe took up the big meat knife and selected a piece of side meat to cut. Mrs. Tony was all but dancing around him. 'Dat's right, Mist' Starks! Gimme uh lil piece 'bout dis wide.' She indicated as wide as her wrist and hand. 'Me and mah chillun is so hongry!' Starks hardly looked at her measurements. He had seen them too often. He marked off a piece much smaller and sunk the blade in. Mrs. Tony all but fell to the floor in her agony." (3) |
1. In this quote Joe maintains his "armor", or facade of wealth and power for the residents of the town. By offering free meat even though she is trying to cheat him, he implies that he has a surplus of money, and therefore is worthy of dominating them.
2. Here, Mrs. Tony's groveling and poorly hidden excitement illustrates the town's willingness to fall into the class system of Bourgeoisie vs. Proletariat. She is clearly fine with being dominated as long as there is an end benefit. 3. Even though Joe is worried about maintaining his facade, in private he loosens it because the majority of the Proletariats are not watching. He leads Mrs. Tony out of sight and only allows Mrs. Tony to take a minor piece of meat instead of the larger piece she indicates. |
Page-79
"'Naw, Ah ain't no use in gettin' all mad, Janie, 'cause Ah mention you ain't no young gal no mo'. Nobody in heah ain't lookin' for no wife outa yuh. Old as you is.'
'Naw, Ah ain't no young gal no mo' but den Ah ain't no old women neither. 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. You big-bellies round here and put out a lot of brag, but 'tain't nothin' to it but yo' big voice. (1) Humph! Talkin' 'bout me lookin' old! When you pull down yo' britches, you look lak a change uh life.' 'Great God from Zion!' Sam Watson gasped. 'Y'all really playin' de dozens tuhnight.' 'Wha-whut's dat you said?' Joe challenged, hoping his ears had fooled him. 'You heard her, you ain't blind,' Walter taunted. 'Ah ruther be shot with tacks than tuh hear dat 'bout mahself,' Lige Moss commiserated. (2) Then Joe Starks realized all the meanings and his vanity bled like a flood. Janie had robbed him of his illusion of irresistible maleness that all men cherish, which was terrible. The thing that Saul's daughter had done to David. But Janie had done worse, she had cast down his empty armor before men and they had laughed, would keep on laughing. (3) When he paraded his possessions hereafter, they would not consider the two together. They'd look with envy at the things and pity the man that owned them. When he sad in judgement it would be the same. Good-for-nothing's like Dave and Lum and Jim wouldn't change place with him. For what can excuse a man in the eyes of other men for lack of strength? (4) |
1. In this quote Janie tears off Joe's facade of being a benevolent mayor for the town. She claims that despite his image, he is nowhere close to what he declares himself as.
2. In these remarks by the bystanders, Joe's Bourgeoisie status is being torn apart. He is rapidly losing respect due to Janie's statement. 3. This quote summarizes the above two. His "armor" is a synonym for his facade, and by tearing it down, Joe becomes a laughable figure. 4. The final sentence elaborates on the loss of respect. Even the lowest of the low, "Good-for-nothings", are seen at a higher status than Joe. He is transformed from a confident, mayor into the lowest of the residents. |