Their Eyes Were Watching God Language and Communication Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #40

[Janie]: "Ole Massa is doin’ His work now. Us oughta keep quiet." (18.29)

Janie knows that silence can be a sign of respect; thus, she suggests that they all stop their gaming and keep quiet when God’s judgment – in the form of a hurricane – comes.

Quote #41

The monstropolous beast had left his bed. (18.55)

The rise of the lake is so massive that the narrator has to coin a new word to describe its incredible enormity (or its monstropolousity).

Quote #42

Then she saw all of the colored people standing up in the back of the courtroom. Packed tight like a case of celery, only much darker than that. They were all against her, she could see. So many were there against her that a light slap from each one of them would have beat her to death. She felt them pelting her with dirty thoughts. They were there with their tongues cocked and loaded, the only real weapon left to weak folks. The only killing tool they are allowed to use in the presence of white folks. (19.156)

The black people in the courthouse have come to speak out against Janie because their tongues are the "only real weapon" they have left. Racism has made sure that no other weapons come their way.