Joe Starks was the name

In chapter 4 of Their Eyes were watching God, Janie appears to be attracted to Joe at first glance as he makes a rather dramatic entrance. When introducing himself, he makes sure to include that he was “Joe starks from in and through Georgy” to show off that he wasn’t actually from Florida. This may be significant because I doubt that Janie had been outside the state which adds to Joe’s aura as an outsider. Specifically, it seems that she admires his swagger and charm. The way he is dressed, with “His hat set at an angle that didn’t belong in these parts. His coat was over his arm, but he didn’t need it to represent his clothes. The shirt with the silk sleeveholder was dazzling enough for the world” is appealing to her because he looks different from regular people in the town and she wants to escape her regular life and experience something new. Through his wealthy appearance and his ambition to be a “big ruler”, Janie sees an opportunity for herself to leave a monotonous life and “live on a pedestal”. She is especially attracted to the idea that Joe “spoke for far horizon”.

Janie’s fall for Joe Starks reveals a lot about her as a person. For one, she is definitely a spontaneous individual who is making a rather important life decision based on the promise of a stranger. She has no idea who this man really is and is able to make this decision without consulting anyone else. In another light, Janie can be seen as a risk taker. She is willing to make a drastic move and is open for “change and chance” as she describes it (29). I personally think Janie is also a terrible wife for talking to Joe as a married women and not telling her husband about her intentions to leave, other than hinting at it the night before. We know from earlier in the book from the pear tree scene that Janie has an ideal standard for sexual and emotional fulfillment and her interaction with Joe shows her displeasure with her current marriage but also a desire to be swept of her feet. When Joe says “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” she seems to like what he is saying and responds by laughing at Joe.

This initial interaction with Joe starks rubs me the wrong way. To start, Joe doesn’t seem to be turned away when Janie tells him that she is married. He continues to flirt which shows his lack of respect for relationships. This entire scene to me feels like a scam. Starks seems like a fake, cocky salesman who is promising all these wonderful things only to rip her off. His opening line is particularly revealing as it reminds me of someone pitching a product. It all seems rehearsed and overused. “Joe starks was the name, yeah Joe starks from in and through Georgy”.