jornal entry #2

The setting, which is communicated by the Harlem dialect and Nanny's story, affects the atmosphere of the work by introducing the tensions that existed in an era in which the civil war recently took place. In the periods after the civil war there existed many degrees of tension between whites and blacks which led to segregation. The time frame set up in the book is also a time when white women were practically looked at as inferior. Combining both these tension makes life particularly harsh for an African-American woman( Janie). These two factors are also elevated due to the fact that the book is set in the south. Characterization is changed in the setting in the same way that atmosphere is changed. African-American women could not have much opportunity for education, and there also limited from the prejudice of whites. This limits characterization. Motivation is also affected. An African-American woman in the books setting had very little to hope for and little job opportunities. The only remaining motivation would be finding a good husband and defining yourself by that husband, since women were denied this identity during the this time period.