What is the effect of comparing a ship on the horizon to a man's dream?

What is the effect of comparing a ship on the horizon to a man's dream?

When you think of a horizon, you think of that imaginary border that lies far out acrossed oceans or land that you can try your hardest to chase but can never reach. It is impossible to touch the horizon. Comparing a mans dream to a ship on the horizon is basically saying that men dream the impossible alot of times and expect for them to actually happen without working at it. Sometimes if a man is lucky, the dreams that are out on that boat on the horizon might just drift ashore but that is only because the man makes the attempt to make the dream a reality. This was a very creative way of explaining how men dream. For example, when I dream of doing something important in my life, I dream big, and that is what alot of men do. Men have been having big dreams since childhood and either stick with it and fulfill it or lose hope and give up on the dream. Either that tide will bring the ship to you from the horizon or the ship will stay right where it is forever. This comparison of a horizon to a man's dream can be a good way to inspire men to go out a make their dreams happen and not hold back from what they have been chasing all their lives since childhood. This is also a stern, non-sugar coated way to say either you make something of your life or you will be another average american working minimum wage jobs while working two others on the side.

What are the first two paragraphs saying about the differences between the dreams of men and women?

What are the first two paragraphs saying about the differences between the dreams of men and women?

I feel that the first two paragraphs are basically saying that men wait for their dreams to happen most of the time and don't make alot of effort to achieve them. The only way men stop dreaming is if they give up on them completely. For the women, they find something they want or dream about and they go for it head on with full determination. Janie was determined to fulfill her dream of finding someone who loved her. Men like Jody Starks do follow their dreams but Jody and Janie did not have the same dream. Jody was more concerned with expensive things and wealth while that was totally different from what janie wanted. Sometimes men do follow their dreams but sometimes are never able to reach them or aren't working hard enough. This would then make the man turn away from the horizon in resignation as Janie said. The hotizon represents the dreams a person has and how far they are from you. A horizon is impossible to reach because it keep moving further and further away but Janie was able to pull the horizon in closer towards her. i feel that Tea Cake and janie Had the same dream because they both wanted love. Tea Cake found Janie, which truley made him happy inside and Janie found Tea Cake. They lived a happy life in the everglades together. Janie lived way better in the Everglades than she did in Eatonville.

Why are dreams and dreaming important to self-discovery?

Why are dreams and dreaming important to self-discovery?

Dreams and dreaming are important to self discovery because when you dream about doing something in life or have a dream about fullfilling a particular goal, it lets you know what kind of person you want to be in life and how you want to live. Dreams show that you are imaginative and ambitious and that is part of the self discovery that come with dreaming. In the story "Their Eyes Were Watching God", Janie had dreams about finding love and she discovered from her journey to find love that she was beatiful and that marriage didn't make her love a person. Janie also discovered that her dreams were different from those of her Mayor Ex-Husband Joe Starks. He dressed her up in nice clothes and bought her many things but it wasn't satisfying her and her dream of actually being in love with someone. Janie discovered also that most of her life she was living the way her grandmother wanted her to. Her grandmother always wanted her to live as if she were a rich white woman because during her childhood, white children were all Janie's mother allowed her to hang around and it even got so bad that she thought she was white herself. When I have adream about something, I always try to figure out why it is my dream and from there I realize what type of person I want to become in life. At the end of the book Janie discovered that she had fulfilled her dreams with Tea Cake.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 20

"Let 'em consolate theyselves wid talk. 'Course talkin don't amount tuh uh hill uh beans when you can't do nothin' else. And listenin' tuh dat kind uh talk is jus lak openin yo mouth and lettin the moon shine down yo throat."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote says that talking and gossiping all the time about what other people do in thir life will get you nowhere. people don't lead the life janie has led through sitting on a porch talking about others. Janie was saying that sayiong negative things about people is just like showing people how ugly your personality is and how bad of a person you truely are inside and out.

"She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder."(Hurston, 1937)

To me this quote is saying that all the days of thinking about when she would reach her dreams out on the horizon and all her days of comparing the dreams of man and women were over because she felt that her life with Tea Cake was the key to getting to the horizon she had been chasing most of her life. She found love and found the one thing that made her happy. Janie became satisfied with her life at that moment.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 19

"And then again Him-with-the-square-toes had gone back to his house. He stood once more and again in his high flat house without sides to it and without a roof with his soulless sword standing upright in his hand. His pale white horse had galloped over waters, and thundered over land."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote talks about how the hurricane swept the Everglades and killed many people. The water washed through the community fiercely causing destruction all over, wrecking homes, killing animals, and threatening the lives of Tea Cake and Janie. By saying the pale horse galloped over waters, she was referring to death. Tea Cake and Janie underestimated the hurricane.

"look lak dey think God don't know nothin' 'bout de Jim Crow law."(Hurston, 1937)

When janie said this, she was saying that God knows everything that goes on in this world that he created including the poor treatment that blacks recieve from the whites. During this time, whites felt that they were superior to blacks and didn't treat them equally as they would on of their own. That is why they dumped the black bodies and gave the white bodies a casket.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 18

"The time was past for asking the white folks what to look for through that door. Six eyes were questioning God."(Hurston, 1937)

When the storm that noone believed was going to come started to brew up in the sky, people realized that the indians were right and that it was too late to find them and get help. The depended on God to make a miracle happen and end the storm that was about to happened. Tea Cake was used to seeing this kind of weather because he is always their but janie hasn't always been in the Everglades.

"If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don't keer if you die at dusk. It's so many people never seen de light at all. Ah wuz fumblin' round and God opened de door."(Hurston, 1937)

When Tea Cake asked janie if she were to die, would she be mad at him for bringing her to the Everglades she said no. i think that with this quote, janie was letting Tea Cake know how grateful she was to even be able to live to see the Everglades and experience the things that she has experienced. She was saying how she had been locked up from the rest of the world and God helped her see the better things in life.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 17

"Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside im. Being able to whip her reassured him in possesion."(Hurston, 1937)

Tea Cake whipped janie because he was afraid that she would leave him for someone else one day. He felt that by whipping her, she wouldn't step out of line with him or challenge his authority over her. Janie was so lovesick over tea Cake that she never fought back or tried to leave or anything like that. Even the whole community knew he beat up Janie.

"Dat Turner women is real smart, according tuh her notions. Reckon she done heard'bout dat money yo' wife got in de bank and she's bound tuh rope her in tuh her family one way or another."(Hurston, 1937)

Sop-de-bottom was telling Tea Cake how he suspected that the only reason Mrs. Turner wanted janie to be with her brother was because she knew about all the money Janie had in the bank and probably thought that if Janie became her new daughter-in-law, that she would be given some of that money in Janie's bank account. This really made alot of sense to me.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 16

"He was a vanishing-looking kind of man as if there used to be now he hadn't a thing about him that wasn't dwindled and blurred."(Hurston, 1937)

The author was saying that Mr. Turner looked as if he used to have alot of life to him but it was all drained away because of something that amy have happened in his life. Mrs. turner was stressing Mr. Turner out and making him extremely depressed. This is the reason why he hasn't been himself for a long time and why his physical description was given the way it was.

"All Gods who recieve homage are cruel. All Gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be worshipped."(Hurston, 1937)

In my opinion, this quote says that a God can't make people believe in him unless he inflicts pain or suffering to people to let them know that they are real or in charge. to be worshipped you first have to be feared. This is how the author compared black people to white people. She says how Mrs. Turner is so nice and understanding to janie because she is light skinned and quickly apologized to her for trying to get Janie to be with her brother.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 15

"A little seed of fear was growing into a tree."(Hurston, 1937)

A heavy set girl named Nunkie began to flirt with Tea Cake and play around with him alot. Janie and the other workers saw this and she was becoming afraid that she would lose him. She was jealous and started to wonder about the two. her insecurites were small at first, then they grew larger and larger until she finally couldn't take it anymore.

"She ain't good for nothin' exceptin' tuh set up in uh corner by de kitchen stove and break wood over her head. You'se something tuh make uh man forgit tuh git old and forgit tuh die."(Hurston, 1937)

Tea cake was saying how Nunkie meant nothing to him and how he never loved her. She flirted with him but he had no interest in her what-so-ever. he compare the two by saying Nunkie doesn't do much of anything and janie is special enough to make a man forget about everything. he was saying that when he is with her, nothing else around them matters at all.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 14

"Men made big big fires and fifty or sixty men selpt around each fire. But they had to pay the man whose land they slept on. He ran the fire just like his boarding place-for pay. But nobody cared. They made good money, even for children. So they spent good money."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote talks about how close the people in the environment in this new community in the Everglades was so different and big. Everyone was close and looked out for eachother and were friendly. The people worked during the day and had fun later on during the night. tea Cake and janie were enjoying their life in the Everglades. She liked it better than living in Eatonville where people always talked about her.

"She was sorry for her friends back there and scournful of the others."(Hurston, 1937)

janie was living such a happier life in the everglades that she started to think about Eatonville and what it would be like if she went back their. She thought about her friends and the old men who sat on the porches. She felt sorry that her friends had to stay their in that town. What she didn't miss was the rumors and the rude comments from the people who were jealous of her.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 13

"She had waited all her lie for something, and it killed her when it found her."(Hurston, 1937)

The author talked about Annie Tyler and how she ran off and got married to a man and he took all of her money. The man left her with nothing and she became poor and started begging people on the streets for money. She then died alone. She waited all her life for a husband and it didn't out like she hope. Janie was afraid she would end up this way with Tea Cake.

"Dem wuzn't no high muckty mucks. Dem wuz railroad hands and dey womenfolks. You ain't usetuh folks lak dat and Ah wuz skeered you might git all mad and quit me for takin' you 'mongst'em."(Hurston, 1937)

When Tea Cake took janie's money he bought food for his fellow workers and had a party. he didn't invite her because he thought she was more used to being around wealthy people and living the high life that she wouldn't want to be surrounded by people of a lower status than her. It was jody that made it seem as if she enjoyed living a prosperous life. janie didn't care what kind of people Tea Cake brought her around and wanted to be included.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 12

"It was after the picnic that the town began to notice things and get mad."(Hurston, 1937)

People started to get ideas about janie ever since she attended a town picnic in a color other than all white which was what she wore when she was "mourning". people started to start their rumors up again and this time they were about her and Tea Cake. People started becoming angry and feeling as if janie was moving on too quickly. Janie couldn't pretend to be sad anymore because everyday she still felt tied down to joe Starks.

"Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah means tuh live mine."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie didn't have a normal childhood. She was brought up by her grandmother to live as if she was a white girl. She went to a white school and live in a white, wealthy household and even thought she was white herself but it was only because her grandmother wanted her in that type of environment. Janie realized that that wasn't the life She wanted.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 11

"Umph! umph! umph! Ah betcha you don't never go tuh de lookin' glass and enjoy yo eyes yo self. You lets other folk git all de enjoyment out of'em 'thought takin in any of it yo'self."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie is beautiful and has alot of nice features but she doesn't recognize them as much as Tea Cake or anyone else does. She has never stopped to look into the mirror and admire herself. janie never really stopped to take a look at her long hir, her eyes, or her lips and just thank od for what she was blessed with because she never really saw the beauty in her.

"Ah'm born but ain't dead. No tellin' whut Ah'm liable tuh do yet."(Hurston, 1937)

When Tea Cake said he reckoned Janie didn't bet money, she said that just because she hasn't done it yet doesn't mean she won't do it at some point and time in her life. Janie was basically saying that there are alot of things that she hasn't done yet but she is bound to give them a try one day. Maybe Tea Cake thoughtt hat because Janie was a women that she didn't make bets.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 10

"People wouldn't know me lak dey would you."(Hurston, 1937)

Tea Cake says this because not only do people know her as the mayor's wife who works in the store but also as many other things. He knows about the rumors and negative things people say about her. Everyone knows about those things. Because people are so nosey and jealous of her beauty and the life she leads, her name is always at the tip of all the towns people's tongues.

"Ah don't ned no pocket-full uh money to ride de train lak uh women."(Hurston, 1937)

janie made it clear that when a women wants to take the train home or anywhere, they always make sure they have money with them. Tea Cake was saying that he would ride the train whether he had money or not. During their time, alot of men rode the train by sneaking on a train cart and get off when the train reached their stop.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 9

"She had been getting ready for her journey to the horizons in search of people; it was important to all the world that she could find them and they find her. But she had been whipped like a cur dog, and run off down a back road after things."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie has had dreams of finding love for many years of her life. her grandmother always wanted her to find a man who could give her material things instead of what she really wanted. After Jody died, she was finally able to go after her dreams on the horizon. Jody never tried to see the world as she did. He only bought her nice gifts but it wasn't enough because material things don't make a person love you.

"Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships."(Hurston, 1937)

People with a broad imagination can turn the smallest things into something huge. Janie had big dreams and wanted to expand on them. She was able to make the impossible, which was chasing the horizon seem possible. Everyone doesn't think as hard about things as janie does they don't want to take the chance a go after their dreams out on the horizon.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 8

"What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?"(Hurston, 1937)

I feel that Janie was saying in this quote how unpredictable and powerful death can be. Death cannot be prevented when it is time to die. Joe could not stop his kidney failure from happening. His death was something that was just bound to happen eventually whether he wanted it to or not. Death is invisible and makes it's moves stealthily.

"People who never had known what it was to enter the gate of the mayor's yard unless it were to do some menial job now paraded in and out as his confidants."(Hurston, 1937)

Alot of the towns people didn't really think much of her at all. they just care about Joe and looked at him as if he were some kind of savior. When he was ill in bed, towns people were keeping tabs on Janie and reporting everything she did to him as if they were expecting to recieve some of his wealth as a reward for their unneccessary services.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 7

"The years took all the fight out of Janie's face. For a while she thought it was gone from her soul."(Hurtson, 1937)

This quote says that througout the years spent trying to alter her life to fit jody's, Janie loses energy and hope of a good relationship because of all the mistreatment she recieved from Jody. He never really bothered to get to know her personally. She was more of a trophy wife to him than someone who he cared alot about and who he loved.

"For what can excuse a man in the eyes of other men for lack of strength?"(Hurston, 1937)

When Janie insulted Jody in front of all the customers in his store, he lost alot of his pride and vanity. His entire image was made a mockery of. He was copmpletely embarassed and humiliated in the most degrading way. She made a joke of one of the most important assets of his masculinity. The people in the town didn't look at Joe the same way after that.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 6

"Every Morning The World Flung Itself Over And Exposed The Town To The Sun."(Hurston, 1937)

janie always noticed alot of things about the world and nature. This quote talksa bout how every day the earth rotates and the sun shines on a different side of the earth. The side of the earth that the sun was shining on in the story was the town in Florida where everyone was. this is a creative way to describe the transition from day to night and I would think that the only way to come up with something like this is if someone was thinking really hard about it.

"You have tuh have power tuh free things and dat makes you lak uh king un something."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie was saying that you need power to be able to free something which is true. She mentioned Abe lincoln freeing the slaves. if you free something then it originally wasn't yours to free but you had enough power to make it yours and free it yourself. Alot of times, when we think of something being freed we think of a ruler freeing something.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 5

"There's Some Women Dat Jus Ain't For You To Broach."(Hurston, 1937)

To me this means that finding a decent is not at all easy and you have to present yourself in a certain manor in order to have a quality women in your life. A good women won't come to you. Tony didn't really understand that. He was over confident in himself. Women don't go for just anything that they see. Tony thought Janie would fall for him instantly.

"God Is Everywhere."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote is very true. alot of times when bad things happen all over the world, God is there and he is ridding the earth of those bad things. God can see everyone and everything and he protects us alot and sometimes even speaks to us. God created everything so he has the power to be everywhere around his creation all at once.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 4

"Long before the year was up, Janie noiced that her husband had stopped talkin in rhymes to her."(Hurston, 1937)

The man janie knew from before that loved her and cared for her alot changed since then and has been a little more strict with her. He is being more like a parent to her than a husband and she was noticing that. She wasn't seeing the man she married a while ago.

"Janie pulled back a long time ago because he did not represent sun-up and pollen and blooming trees, buth e spoke for far horizon."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie and her husband did not share the same thoughts at all. They both had completely different visions and were not always on the same page. Her husband doesn't look at nature the way she does. He sees a far horizon. She wishes he saw things the way she did on a daily basis.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 3

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."(Hurston, 1937)

This quote is saying basically that sometimes you won't fully understand why some of the things that went on in your life occured until later on in your life. Maybe when you were a child you didn't understand alot of things, but when you get older and become an adult, you will start to learn more.

"She knew that God tore down the old world every evening and built a new one by sun-up."(Hurston, 1937)

Janie said this because everyday is a new day and all your mistakes are left behind once the day is over and a new day begins. You will then have the chance to live better than you did the day before. Janie understood this because she thinks about alot of things.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 2

"What? How? Why?"(Hurston, 1937)

Janie spent alot of her time outside exploring and thinking about God's creations and their purpose for being here. It was like whenever she began to wonder, she saw visions and entered her own world of curiosity. It almost seems that she is most at peace when she alone with her own personal thoughts.

"She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her. Where were the singing bees for her?"(Hurston, 1937)

With this quoteI feel that Janie wants to take on life byt he horns and live her dreams but she has nonoe to help her accomplish that because of the bad things people say about her. She has such a false image built up of her by others that she is having a hard time with life.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter 1

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board."(Hurston, 1937)


To me this quote means that the things men dream or wish for are so far away that all we can do is watch them fade away from us. Our dreams look great far away but we never think about what is keeeping us from reaching that boat full of dreams. Men are seperated by a sea of discouragement and doubt.

"They don't need to worry about me and my overalls long as Ah still got nine hundred dollars in de bank."(Hurston, 1937)

With this quote Janie was saying that as long as she still has her money in the bank, she knows who she is and it doesn't matter to her what other people think of her because they aren't doing anything to support her in her life. They just want to bring her down with their words. They don't know what she has been through in her life.