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Foreshadowing
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Big 'Ssociation of Life:
The entire book is contained within a frame story: Janie telling Pheoby the story of her time outside of Eatonville. The entirety of the story takes place within Janie's description "after the sun and the bossman were gone"; all of the storytelling comes in the evening, when the two women can sit at their own leisure. The story as a whole, then, recalls the long African American tradition of storytelling, songs, and merrymaking after dark. In other words, the whole story is an act of rebellion against the "bossman," a defense of peace and community.
The frame story begins with Pheoby asking Janie where she's been. Janie decides to tell the story:
"If they wants to see and know, why they don't come kiss and be kissed? Ah could then sit down and tell 'em things. Ah been a delegate to de big 'ssociation of life. Yessuh! De Grand Lodge, de big convention of livin' is just where Ah been dis year and a half y'all ain't seen me." They sat there in the fresh young darkness close together. Pheoby eager to feel and do through Janie, but hating to show her zest for fear it might be thought mere curiosity. Janie full of that oldest human longing––self-revelation. Pheoby held her tongue for a long time, but she couldn't help moving her feet. So Janie spoke.
That speaking is the rest of the book. This description gives a preview of the structure of the narrative. The book is a coming-of-age story in which Janie gains maturity over time, through her three marriages. Janie is aware of this, and she describes this fact in the beginning of her story: "Ah been a delegate to de big 'ssociation of life. De Grand Lodge, de big convention of livin' is just where Ah been dis year." This foreshadowing shows what the remainder of the book will be like.
More parts of the beginning of the narrative act as foreshadowing, too. Note also that some elements of Janie's appearance, particularly her overalls, have relevance only apparent by the end of the book (since this is the chronological end of the story); Pheoby gives a good account of Janie's changed appearance: "You better make haste and tell 'em 'bout you and Tea Cake gittin' married, and if he taken all yo' money and went off wid some young gal, and where at he is now and where at is all yo' clothes that you got to come back here in overhalls." These overalls, which Janie began wearing in Belle Glade and decided to keep on as she came home, are an important part of Janie's character and development, though this only becomes clear by the end of the book.
Related Themes:
