Tea Cake Sucks
Tea Cake’s physical abuse of Janie is simply wrong. It doesn’t matter the context of the time period or the differences in culture across time, there should be no defending or downplaying of domestic abuse. I understand the idea that it was a much different time and this was probably normalized, with the term “domestic abuse” not even existing yet. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking at the situation through a modern, better lens. Yes, Zora Neale Hurston may not have been meaning to make a big statement on domestic abuse, but ultimately it doesn’t matter what she intended because we as the readers live in a time with more progressed ethical values and can see more clearly the issues behind their relationship. Tea Cake’s character should be criticized, decisively more so than from him potentially being after Janie’s money. Jadie is shown to not be upset or hold any hard feelings against Tea Cake after he beats her, but I don’t think this should mean Tea Cake should be comple