"Mah daily prayer now is tuh let dese golden moments roll on a few days longer till Ah see you safe in life" (Hurston 15).
Nanny wishes for Janie to live a life that was different than her own, and Janie's mother's. After seeing Janie kiss Johnny Taylor, Nanny is concerned because she does not want to see Janie taken advantage of. Nanny is adamant that Janie gets married right away in order to prevent Janie from living the life that Janie's mother had lived. Although Janie's circumstances as a child were bleak, Nanny was grateful that she "got another chance" (16). Nanny had another chance to create a life for a child that would be happy and successful because her own daughter's life took an unfortunate turn after she was raped. Nanny wanted Janie to be "safe in life," and she makes great efforts to ensure that she is (15). Nanny buys a new plot of land for Janie's sake because she was made fun of in school due to where she lived. Nanny may seem overbearing, but she believes her efforts are in Janie's best interest.
Katie-Your final sentence puts Nanny's efforts nicely into focus. Indeed, her influence can seem "overbearing"--a great word for it--but, considering where she herself came from, and what her daughter's experience was, Nanny's actions seem nothing but benevolent.
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