Journal #6

So Janie began to think of Death.  Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West.  The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it, and without a roof.  What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?  He stands in his high house that overlooks the world.  Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back,  waiting for the messenger to bid him come.  Been standing there before there was a where or a when or a then.  She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now.

Personification and characterization of Death:

• Hurston personifies and characterizes death in order to appeal to human senses.  When Hurston personifies Death, making him into a person, it changes the atmosphere of the passage and creates a dark, creep, scary feeling.

Motif of Death's power:

• What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?
• Death has no need for cover, no storm or tempest will stop him.  Winds symbolize the fact that nothing can stop him.
• "Stands in his high house that overlooks the world.  Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back...", Death's high house that overlooks the world, in battle, a high place symbolizes power because it is an advantage to have the high point.  Not only does Death have a high house, but he overlooks the world, which is an extremely big place.  Death stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back, his sword drawn back symbolizes power also because he is ready to strike, and he is watching, motionless, all day.

Metaphor of Death being a bird

• She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now.
• This compares Death to a bird, which some birds specifically have superstitious meanings such as the crow and vulture.  They both symbolize death and that is often what is thought of when there is a gathering of these birds.