Janie's Unwritten Law: Freedom From Childhood's Shackles

what unwritten law does janie break from childhood on

Janie Crawford is the exception to the unwritten law that no 16-year-old should live in a neat little house with a yard on land owned by her grandmother. She also has a coffee-and-cream complexion and a long braid of dark hair that hangs below her waist. Surely, such a child would think herself better than her schoolmates, and later, better than other women. However, Janie continually finds herself being defined by other people rather than by herself.

Characteristics Values
Living situation No 16-year-old should live in a neat little house with a yard on land owned by her grandmother
Appearance No young girl should have a coffee-and-cream complexion and a long braid of dark hair that hangs below her waist
Self-perception Surely such a child would think herself better than her schoolmates, and later, better than other women

lawshun

Janie's childhood ends when she kisses a boy

Janie Crawford continually finds herself being defined by other people rather than by herself. For Nanny, Janie's grandmother, Janie represents a second chance to do something right with a child. However, Janie's childhood ends when she kisses a boy, and it is unclear how Nanny reacts to this.

The end of Janie's childhood is marked by a single word from Nanny. This word does not carry a tone of authoritative reproof but is instead marked by its frailty. Janie is more moved by pity for Nanny than actual regret for kissing a boy.

It is unclear what unwritten law Janie breaks when she kisses a boy, but it is clear that this moment marks the end of her childhood and the loss of her most naïve level of innocence.

lawshun

Janie is more moved by pity for Nanny than actual regret for kissing a boy

Janie Crawford is an exception to the unwritten law that no 16-year-old should live in a neat little house with a yard on land owned by her grandmother. She is also an exception to the unwritten law that no young girl with a coffee-and-cream complexion and a long braid of dark hair that hangs below her waist should think herself better than her schoolmates, and later, better than other women.

lawshun

Janie's childhood innocence is lost from disappointing Nanny

Janie Crawford, who continually finds herself being defined by other people rather than by herself, breaks an unwritten law by kissing a boy. This act of rebellion against her grandmother, Nanny, marks the end of her childhood and the loss of her most naïve level of innocence.

Janie's childhood innocence is lost not from the awareness of her sexuality but from disappointing Nanny. The old woman's voice, when she discovers Janie, is so lacking in command and reproof and so full of crumbling dissolution that Janie is more moved by pity for her than actual regret for what she has done.

Nanny, Janie's grandmother, represents a second chance to do something right with a child. No 16-year-old should live in a neat little house with a yard on land owned by her grandmother, and no young girl should have a coffee-and-cream complexion and a long braid of dark hair that hangs below her waist. Surely, such a child would think herself better than her schoolmates, and later, better than other women.

Janie is the exception to that unwritten law. She finds herself continually defined by other people rather than by herself.

lawshun

Janie continually finds herself being defined by other people rather than by herself

Janie Crawford is defined by other people rather than herself, even from the beginning. For her grandmother, Nanny, Janie represents a second chance to do something right with a child. Janie's definitive end of childhood is initiated by a single word from Nanny. It seems that Janie is more moved by pity for Nanny than actual regret for kissing a boy, and that her childhood innocence is lost not from the awareness of her sexuality but from disappointing Nanny.

Janie's story is one of being continually defined by others. This is evident from the very start of her life, when she is living in a neat little house with a yard on land owned by her grandmother. No 16-year-old should live in such a place, and no young girl should have a coffee-and-cream complexion and a long braid of dark hair that hangs below her waist. Surely such a child would think herself better than her schoolmates, and later, better than other women.

However, Janie is the exception to that unwritten law. She continually finds herself being defined by other people, even from the beginning. This is perhaps due to the fact that she represents a second chance for her grandmother, Nanny, to do something right with a child. Whatever the reason, Janie's story is one of being defined by others, rather than defining herself.

lawshun

Janie's grandmother, Nanny, sees Janie as a second chance to do something right with a child

Janie's definitive end of childhood and the most naïve level of innocence is initiated by a single word from Nanny. It seems that Janie is more moved by pity for Nanny than actual regret for kissing a boy, and that her childhood innocence is lost not from the awareness of her sexuality but from disappointing Nanny.

Frequently asked questions

Janie breaks the unwritten law that no 16-year-old should live in a neat little house with a yard on land owned by her grandmother.

Janie's breaking of this unwritten law highlights how she is continually defined by other people rather than by herself, even from the beginning of her life.

Nanny is Janie's grandmother.

Nanny wants to protect Janie from the evils of the world, as she had experienced life as a slave on a southern plantation and wants a better, more secure life for Janie.

Janie's childhood ends when she kisses a boy, not out of awareness of her sexuality but out of disappointment in Nanny.

Written by
Reviewed by
Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment