Compare Janie`s relationship to Tea Cake with her relationship to Joe. Use quotes to support your interpretation.
.... He buys her gifts because he is ownership-oriented. When Janie and Tea Cake first meet everything is different. The flirtatious banter throughout the day they meet is a sort of discourse with men that Janie has never enjoyed before. Janie is “glowing on the inside” (p.146) whenever Tea Cake says that he would love to play checkers with her. One can see her alive in a way she has not been for many years. Janie spends the rest of the night on her porch admiring the beautiful moon, revealing Janie`s love of nature which she did not express while married to Joe. In Janie`s search of love Joe Starks comes into her life, including the attempt to gain wealth and power, but from the beginning of their relationship there are signs that he is not necessarily the love Janie is looking for. It is Tea Cake who shows her to love and what it feels to be loved . Another remarkable difference in their conduct towards Janie as a woman is revealed. Tea Cake’s idea of marriage is a mutual relationship in which it is his moral obligation to support her. Whereas Joe Starks always wants her to stand out, in particular, to stand above everyone else. Tea Cake gives Janie the freedom to be who she is, not what someone else wants her to be. He not only encourages her to gain independence, but also furthers it by teaching her skills; like fishing, hunting, going to the movies, dancing, gardening with her, and other “signs of possession” (p. 166). For a while, Janie and Tea Cake even work on the fields together, instead of Janie taking care of Joe`s household. For the first time in her life, Janie is enjoying life. She wants to do most of what Tea Cake is doing, not feeling compelled to work with Tea Cake, “we ain`t got nothin` tuh do our work and come home and love.” (p. 199), it is her free will, opposing to Joe not seeing Janie as an equal. When Joe is nominated to be the mayor, and the people want to hear Mrs. Starks reply, Joe says, „mah wife don`t know nothin` about speech-makin`“ (p. 69). What he is saying is that Janie is not there for her smarts, but to be his wife, to run the store and the post office, and most of all to be Mrs. Mayor Starks. The suppression of Janie, both as a woman and as a human, is Jody`s most important facet. He sets a limit on her self-fulfillment, treating her rather as an object than as a woman. He obviously lumps women together as his utterance “somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows” (p. 110) implies. Janie begins to realize that she merely serves as a reflection of his position and wealth. He delicately tells her that “she’s uh woman and her place is in de home “ (p. 69). Slowly it becomes evident that Janie is not a partner in Starks` advancement, but another one of his acquisitions which he lords over to the townspeople in an attempt to earn their respect. Tea Cake lets Janie embrace womanhood in its entirety; she is not oppressed or subjugated but liberate and content. There is another convincing event that reveals Janie`s different reactions and feelings when being slapped by both, Joe and Tea Cake. Janie and Joe’s relationship starts to deteriorate but when Joe beats Janie for preparing a bad meal, Janie realizes that her image of Joe is now chattered. “Janie stood where he left her for unmeasured time and thought. She stood there until something fell off the shelf inside her.” (p.112). There is no expression of anger, hatred or disgust shown by Janie. The fact that so little rage is actually expressed shows furthermore that none of Janie`s feelings are involved and that “she wasn`t petal-open anymore with him” (p. 111). After this subsequently she learns how to stand up to Joe and uses her voice to overpower his. Unfortunately, one day Tea Cake whips Janie to show Mrs. Turners brother to show his control over Janie in an effort to exert his ownership on Janie whenever Mrs. Turner brings her brother to town to introduce him to Janie. “Bei...