Their Eyes Journal 1

How is Janie's story/Bildungsroman similar/ different from Jane's?

Similar :

1. Their parents died very early, they were raised up by relatives.

2. They were both teased or bullied by peers.

3. They have desire of freedom.

    Both of they didn't realized what they really want and make changes until certain incidents happened—

To Janie, it's her grandma's and the failure of her first marriage.

To Jane, it's Miss Temple's leaving and the boredom of life at Lowood. 

4. They fought for what they wanted through their lives and didn't care other's judges.

5. They were both fulfilled in themselves in the end of the story.

Different :

1. There's also difference in the 3rd similarity (see the underlining sentence earlier): 


Jane is more determined than Janie, she took action (advertising to get a new job) right after her sense of changes in heart.

Janie didn't turn to the shift point until her big fight with her first husband Logan.

I think the reason for this is the difference of their living environment which influenced their disposition → see my following points.

2. Janie's grandma raised her up and cared for her, they inhabit a house in the backyard of a white couple, who were their master and treated them well.

Jane has lived by her aunt's through for a couple of year during her childhood; her aunt's family never treated her well.

3. Janie's teenage life was not as severe and strained as Jane's,

   Janie's temperament is more girly than Jane's.

• Janie went to school and played around with kids; she loved flowers, trees and anything beautiful in nature. She could feel sweetness of life and had dreams. She was not distant from guys and got her (first) kiss at sixteen. Basically, Janie was not a lonely and unhappy person through her teenager life.

• However, Jane was pretty much isolated from the society and people; she had fantasy rather than dreams which is her way to escape from the reality, she immersed herself into studies and school routines.

4. Jane had only one romantic relationship with one person and got married with him in the end.

Janie had three relationships with three men and 2 of them were dead, she was alone in the end.