"Ah didn't whup Janie 'cause she done nothin'. Ah beat her tuh show dem Turners who is boss" (Hurston 148).
Janie's light complexion makes it easy to see the discoloration from bruises on her skin, so everyone notices when Tea Cake beats her. Tea Cake is bitter that Mrs. Turner tries to use her brother to lure Janie away from Tea Cake. Tea Cake beats Janie so Mrs. Turner can see that her efforts are hurting Janie. There are "no brutal beating at all. He just [slaps] her around a bit" in order to show Mrs. Turner that he has control of Janie (147). Tea Cake uses his authority to prove that he will administrate Janie's actions because he does not want to lose her. He does not brutally beat her because he does not want to overstep into territory that will make her leave him.
Katie-You summarize a disturbing moment in the reading for today. I wonder what conclusions you might draw from this summary-what kind of analysis might you offer, in other words?
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