Question

What conflict odes the following passage reveal? Analyze the tone of the passage. What element creates the tone?

"In the cool afternoon the fiend from hell specially sent lovers arrived at Janie’s ear. Doubt. All the fears that circumstance could provide and the heart feel, attacked her on every side. This was a new sensation for her, but no less excruciating. If only Tea Cake would make her certain! He did not return that night nor the next and so she plunged into the abyss and descended to the ninth darkness where light has never been."

Answer 1

In the passage from "Their Eyes Were Watching God," by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie and Tea Cake have spent the night together. Thus, the passage reveals Janie's inner conflict regarding Tea Cake: she has feelings for him but she is not sure about him. Besides, she feels secure when he is around; however, when he is gone she is invaded by doubt.

The tone of the passage is premonitory, as if something bad were about to happen, such as Janie being abandoned again and being desolated. The fateful tone is indicated by the coolness of the morning, which is contrasted with hell. Besides, the author mentions words like "attacked" and "excruciating," which have a negative connotation, and also refers to an "abyss" when describing Janie's emotions of insecurity.