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Chapter 12 Summary
The townspeople soon notice that Janie is spending all her time with Tea Cake, and it makes them mad. Janie has stopped attending church, and she wears blue like the young girls do, just because Tea Cake likes it. They think Joe Starks is probably rolling over in his grave.
One night, Sam Watson tells Phoeby, his wife , that she ought to have a talk with Janie. Although Phoeby tells her husband malice and jealousy have the others talking—since they all want Janie's money and property for themselves—she goes on over to Janie's house and tells her she is taking an awfully big chance on Tea Cake. Janie admits she is, but she plans to marry him. Everybody takes a chance on marriage, and she has been through it twice already. This time it is for love.
The first two times, she did it her grandmother's way, but her grandmother could not sit down when she felt like it and wanted nothing more for Janie than a porch to sit on like a white woman. She never stopped to think what Janie was supposed to do all day, and it nearly drove Janie crazy. She needs to spread out and experience the world and herself, and she plans to do it with Tea Cake, as soon as they can sell the store.
Chapter 12 Analysis
Chapter 12 affirms Janie's commitment to follow her heart and risk marrying Tea Cake, against the opposition of the town. If the marriage is a success, Janie's story becomes one of triumph and self-fulfillment; if it fails, the message is a warning against defying society's traditional expectations. Phoeby's warning functions as a means of giving Janie a final chance to change her mind, but Janie refuses, heightening the suspense: for Janie there is now no turning back.
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