Journal #6: Death

"Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West. The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it, and without a roof. What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him? He stands in his high house that overlooks the world. Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back, waiting for the messenger to bid him come. Been standing there before there was a where of a when or a then. She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now. She was sad, and afraid too. Poor Jody! He ought not to have to wrassle in there by himself. She sent Sam in to suggest a visit, but Jody said No. These medical doctors wuz alright with the Godly sick, but they didn't know a thing about a case like his. He'd be alright just as soon as the two-headed man found what had been buried against him. He wasn't going to die at all. That was what he thought. But Sam told her different, so she knew. And then if he hadn't, the next morning she was bound to know, for people began to gather in the big yard under the palm and china-berry trees. People who would not have dared to foot the place before crept in and did not come to the house. Just squatted under the trees and waited. Rumor, that wingless bird, has shadowed over the town." (Hurston, pg 84)

• Trees continue to appear in this story. Hurston might be using them to convey a sense of structure in Janie's otherwise unstructured life.
• Birds have been referenced quite a bit as well; the prospect of flight and wings was introduced at the beginning of the novel and have continued. Now, feathers are introduced- a sign of the presence of a bird. Rumor is described as being a wingless bird (discussed more below).
• There is also the fact that Death is referred to as a man, which reiterates the importance of the social structure at that time, and the male dominated-world.
• The motif of the number three continues: Janie again voices three question words, though not in the form of a question.
• The fact that comparisons between light and dark are continuing to be made supports the thesis I wrote in Journal #5. What is dark is seen as bad; rumors and Death are both described as being dark or 'shadowing.'
• Hurston obviously personifies Death. She gives the illusion of Death being the master of all by placing him on a pedestal. He looks down upon the world, and cannot be hindered by any of the elements.
• Wind continues to appear as a motif, but is being used less frequently.
• The description of rumor is interesting. A rumor can blanket a population and can spread very fast, although not by the same means as a bird. I love how Hurston uses the shadow metaphor to alter the tone of the chapter.

I commented on the following students' blogs: Isabel Harger, Kylee Rosette, and Sean Sakaguchi