“Waiting for the world to be made.”
Hurston’s beginning chapters started off with Janine current issue of her husband dying, and the flashback of how her life used to be. Janine thought of her bearing love to be a pear tree when she was younger, having the tree bloom with fruitful spirits and plenty of shade to secure her love and trust in a man. Her tree was then rot when she was forced to marry a man that she couldn’t find love in her heart to accept. Janine, still pitying herself for marrying a complete stranger because of the command of her Nanny wanted to love so much but couldn’t.
“You know honey, us colored folks is branches without roots and that makes things come round in queer ways.”
It is clear here that for centuries, Black women have been dealing with force and the baggage of doing things for others. In order for Janine to be on good terms with Nanny, the lady that practically raised her, she had to marry a man that she barely knew. Janine is still looking for her Pear tree love, that burning passion that she has for love, so bad until she is forcing herself to love a man that she doesn’t want to love.
How do you feel about the baggage and force that Janine has to deal with in these first chapters?
