Illustration of the profile of Janine Crawford and another person facing each other

Their Eyes Were Watching God

by Zora Neale Hurston

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Tea Cake

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Extended Character Analysis

Vergible Woods, or “Tea Cake,” is Janie’s third husband, who serves as a foil to her previous husband, Joe Starks. Whereas Joe was only concerned with status and wealth, Tea Cake works as a blue-collar migrant agricultural laborer in Florida. He does not control Janie, and he allows her to express herself in any way she desires. 

He is twenty-five years old when Janie first meets him. She is instantly drawn to his youthful, positive, easygoing personality. They flirt, begin spending time together, and fall in love. Janie's friend Pheoby advises against Janie’s pursuing a relationship with Tea Cake because of their age and social-status differences. However, despite being happy and independent in her widowhood, Janie chooses to marry him, selling the store in Eatonville, which she inherited after Joe Starks’s death, so they can have money for their life together.

Once they marry, Janie and Tea Cake move to Jacksonville, Florida. Their relationship is initially unsteady. Janie questions Tea Cake’s character when she discovers that he stole $200 from her. He apologizes, explaining that he didn’t take her money maliciously. He wins back her money gambling, and they move to the Everglades. There, Tea Cake includes Janie in the Black community for the first time in her life. Janie works with Tea Cake in the fields, and they host parties and dances in their home. They share equal domestic responsibilities, like cooking and cleaning. Tea Cake never places restrictions on Janie, and he even helps her learn new skills like hunting and fishing, which she hadn’t previously been allowed to learn because they were seen as unfeminine.

Tea Cake values Janie and treats her better than her previous husbands, providing her with a positive male influence in her life. However, he also displays unideal characteristics: he enjoys gambling and knife-fighting, and Janie catches him responding to the flirtations of a young girl named Nunkie. When Mrs. Turner introduces her lighter-skinned brother to Janie, Tea Cake becomes plagued with jealousy. He beats Janie in order to show dominance over her. Despite Tea Cake’s gambling, jealousy, and womanizing, Janie still loves him unconditionally. 

After two years together, a hurricane hits the Everglades. Although Janie and Tea Cake escape to safety, a rabid dog bites Tea Cake, and he contracts rabies. After a few days in Palm Beach, they return to the Everglades, but the disease causes Tea Cake to grow paranoid and jealous of Janie. Eventually, he becomes violent, and Janie is forced to shoot him out of self-defense when he tries to kill her.

Despite his death, Tea Cake lives on in Janie’s memory in colorful and bright imagery: 

Tea Cake came prancing around her where she was and the song of the sigh flew out of the window and lit in the top of the pine trees. Tea Cake, with the sun for a shawl. Of course he wasn’t dead. He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace.

Unlike her previous two husbands, Tea Cake fostered Janie’s individuality and self-expression and allowed her to feel spiritually fulfilled. 

Expert Q&A

Is Tea Cake's act of beating Janie out of character? Why might Janie remain silent?

Tea Cake's act of beating Janie is consistent with his character, influenced by internalized racism and societal pressures. His actions stem from insecurity about losing Janie to someone lighter-skinned, reflecting a distorted sense of possession and pride. Janie's silence might be due to societal norms that devalue women's experiences and relationships, influenced by sexism and racism. Hurston uses this complexity to explore themes of love, power, and societal forces.

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, why is Janie attracted to Tea Cake and why is their romance disapproved by the town?

Janie is attracted to Tea Cake due to their immediate connection and mutual understanding, which allows them to communicate openly and intimately. The townspeople disapprove of their romance because of Tea Cake's younger age and perceived lack of wealth, questioning his intentions and Janie's decision to be with someone seemingly beneath her social and financial status. Despite these concerns, Janie values Tea Cake's appreciation of her thoughts and opinions, unlike her previous husbands.

Why did Janie kill Tea Cake in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie shoots Tea Cup because he has rabies. Her decision to shoot Tea Cup is both an act of self defense and an expression of love.

Why does Tea Cake bring Janie an old car in "Their Eyes Were Watching God"?

Tea Cake brings Janie an old car to demonstrate his affection and independence. He wants to take her on a special outing to buy groceries for the big Sunday School picnic, emphasizing that he isn't interested in her money and values her as someone special. By doing so, Tea Cake aims to show that he can provide for Janie and create memorable experiences beyond her routine life.

Was Tea Cake's death necessary in "Their Eyes Were Watching God"?

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Tea Cake had to die because if Janie had not shot him, he would have shot her. It was a clear case of self-defense, and under the circumstances, Janie had no choice. It was a case of kill or be killed. In any case, had Janie not shot Tea Cake, then it's almost certain that he would've died a horrible death due to his having been bitten by a rabid dog.

What does the comment mean that Tea Cake, in Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, is a strong feminist who encourages Janie's self-expression?

"After Nanny, this man, who is called Tea Cake (“Tea Cake! So you sweet as all dat?”), is the staunchest feminist in the novel. He pushes Janie to play the games, talk the talk, and “have de nerve tuh say whut you mean.” (Pierpont).

After Nanny, Tea Cake can be considered the staunchest feminist because he is supportive of Janie and kind to her. His and Janie's relationship is quite different than her previous marriages, which were stifling and ridden with jealousy. Tea Cake appreciates Janie for her personality and intelligence. He does not hold her back from doing what she wants.

Does Tea Cake truly love Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

On the whole, one could say that Tea Cake really does love Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God. He treats her with considerable affection, which is more than can be said of either Logan or Joe. Though theirs is at times a volatile marriage, there can be little doubt that it is based on real mutual love and affection.

What metaphors does Zora Neale Hurston use to describe Tea Cake in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

Zora Neale Hurston uses metaphors in Their Eyes Were Watching God to describe Tea Cake, highlighting his connection with Janie. One metaphor likens Tea Cake to a "bee to a blossom," symbolizing the natural and sexual energy between them, with Janie as the "blossom." Another metaphor describes Tea Cake as a "glance from God," suggesting a sense of destiny and completeness, portraying him as a blessing and a source of hope for Janie's future.

Tea Cake's character and significance in "Their Eyes Were Watching God."

Tea Cake is a pivotal character in Their Eyes Were Watching God, serving as Janie's third husband and true love. His significance lies in his representation of genuine companionship and love, offering Janie a sense of freedom and fulfillment that she had not experienced in her previous marriages. Tea Cake helps Janie grow emotionally and spiritually, ultimately shaping her journey towards self-discovery.

Tea Cake's metaphorical reference to "the keys to the kingdom" and its deeper meaning

Tea Cake's metaphorical reference to "the keys to the kingdom" symbolizes his control over Janie's happiness and emotional fulfillment. It signifies the power he holds in unlocking a new, joyful chapter in her life, contrasting with her previous relationships.

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