How does Hurston vividly portray the relationship between Teacake and Janie?

Janie’s marriage with Teacake consists of

Love
Affection
Jealousy
Communication
Affection
Teacake is introduced in which chapter

Chapter 10

Initial attraction

She is enamoured by his looks - ‘Those full, lazy eyes with the lashes curling sharply
away like drawn scimitars.’

Teacake treats Janie like an equal - ‘Somebody wanted her to play. Somebody thought
it natural for her to play’

Contrasts with her other husbands - ‘You could too if yuh had it tuh do.’ ‘They joked
and went on till the people began to come in.’ ‘Seemed as if she had known him all
her life.’

Ending of the chapter - Quote - “So she sat on the porch and watched the moon rise.
Soon its amber fluid was drenching the earth and quenching the thirst of the day.”

Chapter 11

They go fishing - ‘she felt like a child breaking rules’

Combs her hair - appreciates her beauty - unlike Joe who kept it hidden. - ‘It’s so
pretty. It feels jus’ lak underneath uh dove’s wing next to mah face.’ - Tea cake takes
pleasure in her beauty. - ‘You lets other folks git all de enjoyment out of ’em ’thout
takin’ in any of it yo’self.’

He doesn’t care about their 12 year age difference. - ‘All the fears that circumstance
could provide and the heart feel, attacked her on every side.’

Teacake - ‘You got the keys to de kingdom’ ‘He looked like the love thoughts of
women. He could be a bee to a blossom—a pear tree blossom in the spring.’ ‘He was
a glance from God.’
Chapter 12

They make their relationship public by going to the picnic together.

Janie reaffirms her love for Teacake when she talks to Pheoby - ‘Cause Tea Cake ain’t
no Jody Starks, and if he tried tuh be, it would be uh complete flommuck.’ ‘Ah done
lived Grandma’s way, now Ah means tuh live mine.’

he gives her a chance to be young - ‘Done took to high heel slippers and a ten-dollar
hat! Looking like some young girl, always in blue because Tea Cake told her to wear
it.’

Chapter 13

Life in Everglades

Teacake leaves the house and does not return. Takes Janie's money - Shows another
side of his character.

Teacake disappears again - Quotation showing how Janie worries - ‘Tea Cake had
more good nature under his toe nails than they had in their so-called Christian hearts’

End quote in the chapter- nurturing love - “felt a self-crushing love. ‘her soul crawled
out from its hiding place.’

Chapter 14

Teaches Janie to shoot- breaks gender barriers - ‘Pistol and shot gun and rifle. It got
so the others stood around and watched them.’

Portrays the rich social life they had in the Everglades. This contrast with how Joe
never let her mingle. - ‘Only here, she could listen and laugh and even talk some
herself if she wanted to.’

Picking beans with TeaCake- shows an equal relationship. ‘She didn’t leave him
itching and scratching in his work clothes, either.’ ‘Then Tea Cake would help get
supper afterwards.’

Chapter 15
Jealousy creeps up in their relationship. Janie finally feels what it means to be jealous.
- ‘Janie learned what it felt like to be jealous’

Nunkee - ‘’Whut would Ah do wid dat lil chunk of a woman wid you around?’

Trangresses traditional gender boundaries - Janie hits him.

Teacake’s affirmation of their love as immortal - ‘You’se something tuh make uh man
forgit tuh git old and forgit tuh die.’

Teacake hits Janie- not to inflict fear but to reaffirm himself of her possession of her.

Chapter 18

Teacake’s sacrifice - ‘Po' me, he'd tore me tuh pieces, if it wuzn't fuh you, honey’
‘ Havoc was there with her mouth wide open. Back in the everglades the wind had
romped among lakes and trees. In the city it had raged among houses and men.’

Janie and Teacake battling the hurricane helping and protecting each other.

Chapter 19

Tea cake’s death - ‘Well, she thought, that big old dawg with the hatred in his eyes
had killed her after all. She wished she had slipped off that cow-tail and drowned then
and there and been done. But to kill her through Tea Cake was too much to bear.’ ‘He
had to die to get rid of the dog. But she hadn’t wanted to kill him…. She made them
see how she couldn’t ever want to be rid of him.’

This contrast with how Janie reacts after Jody’s death. - "Janie held his head tightly to
her breast and wept and thanked him wordlessly for giving her the chance for loving
service. She had to hug him tight for soon he would be gone, and she had to tell him
for the last time. Then the grief of outer darkness descended."