Journal 6: Why "Death"? (Ch.8)

I commented on Anthony Quach, Andy Luu, and Sean Sakaguchi's theses.
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Hurston's Literary Choices in "Death Passage" (Ch. 8)


"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. She was sad and afraid too. Poor Jody! He ought not to have to wrassle in there by himself. She sent Sam in to suggest a visit, but Jody said No. These medical doctors wuz all right with the Godly sick, but they didn't know a thing about a case like his. He'd be all right just as soon as the two-headed man found what had been buried against him. He wasn't going to die at all. That was what he thought. But Sam told her different, so she knew. And then if he hadn't, the next morning she was bound to know, for people began to gather in the big yard under the palm and china-berry trees. People who would not have dared to foot the place before crept in and did not come to the house. Just squatted under the trees and waited. Rumor, the wingless bird, had shadowed over the town." (84)


Personification: Death

• Gives it/him a fearsome aura that creeps into the mind of the reader and helps the reader sympathize with Janie that death is a very real factor of life.  

Metaphor: Death & Living

• Hurston is describing Death's cruel and awesome power through the wind, the house, and the sword.
• The wind speaks about Death's tenacity and relentlessness
• The house speaks about the all-seeing, all-knowing presence of Death because he "stands high in his house."
• The sword speaks about how Death is always ready to strike and never rests

Consonance & Assonance: Orange & Green Highlights

• This emphasizes the power, immortality, and omnisciency of Death and possibly foreshadows to an inevitable death of a main character later in the novel.
• Also creates a mystery of how he/it was created or where it came from.   

Symbolism: Birds/Wings

• Hurston compares Jody to a bird.  She is saying that Janie is obligated to retain a memory from Jody before he is buried in her yard.  
• Hurston also infers that the story of Jody's death ("wingless bird") will spread and be distorted through the town.

Alliteration: F sound

• Helps the bird/wing symbols come to life by including "feather" in the alliteration.

Motif: Trees

• The author continues to use the tree motif in this passage to illustrate that life has down points and it is constantly under a state of development.  
• This also shows how someone can believe that things will get better because tree are dependably ever-changing beings.