Each chapter opens with a different metaphor. This sets the tone for each chapter as to what it was going to be about. In the first chapter, we are in the present. Hurston helps us understand the town that Janie lives in. Through figurative language, we can understand that the ladies from the town love to gossip. They appear to be bored and insecure. So, they consistently shame others for their life choices. However, Pheoby remains loyal to Janie and proceeds to go to her house to check on her and begin the story. Throughout chapters two and three, we learn more about Janie's childhood. The pear tree is used to symbolize Janie's sexual awakening. It is even used to express her dislike for Logan Killicks. I think that it will be used in the future to show Janie's fulfillment in love. During chapter two, we really see a fantastic use of language. We see Hurston write in a more formal sense and in a relaxed sense. She switches between these two forms of language in a beautiful way. We also start to see Janie's desire for love and a "happily ever after." She learns that loves does not come with marriage and that she will have to learn to live without it. Also, her Grandmother is seen as a very influential figure in Janie's life. We learn more about her story and I am interested to see the impact she has on Janie as the book continues. I can tell that the Grandmother does not want to see what happened to her, happen to Janie. Overall, I think that the opening to this book was incredibly emotional and powerful. It communicated emotions so well that is was easy to feel empathetic towards the characters. I really enjoy the language used in the book and can't wait to read more.
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