"Ah often wonder how dat lil wife uh hisn makes out wid him, 'cause he's uh man dat changes everything, but nothin' don't change him" (Hurston 49).
Joe Starks is a character with an intimidating demeanor that allows him to boss others around. Joe's economic standings also help with this matter. The people in the town recognize that he is wealthier and more superior than they, and therefore he is able to take advantage of their inferiority. No one in the town has "the temerity to challenge him" (50). Joe is turning the tides of the town, and he is continually making drastic changes without much resistance from the people in the town. The people succumb to his demands, so he continues to make changes. The other characters question how Janie is able to tolerate Joe's desire to always change things. They have witnessed his disrespectful treatment of Janie when she makes a mistake in the store. Joe is making puppets of the people in the town, and seems to be making a puppet out of Janie as well because she does not stand up against his rude behavior towards her.
Katie-An apt description or exploration of Joe's character. It makes me wonder, would he fit the definition of a "bully," or is he merely a strong personality?
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