After the picnic, Janie begins spending more time with Tea Cake and the town notices. Tea Cake and Janie became the topic of the town for gossip. The town didn’t accept a mayor’s wife dating a poor young man.
Sam Watson convinces Pheoby to talk to Janie so that she doesn’t end up like Ms. Tyler an old widow who was cheated by a young man.
Pheoby goes to Janie the next morning and tells her that people are talking, saying that Tea Cake is dragging her off to low- class entertainment like baseball games.
Janie admits that she always wanted to do that kind of stuffs before and it was the Joe who didn’t let her to do that. Janie tells her that Tea Cake treats her as she wants to be treated.
Pheoby warns that Tea Cake may be using her for the money and Janie assures that Tea Cake has never asked her to pay for anything. And if Tea Cake does want her money, then he’s no different than the others.
Pheoby still warn Janie that seeing a younger man – they’re usually in the relationship for money and not for love.
Janie says she intends to marry Tea Cake, sell the store, and start a new life far from Eatonville. She doesn’t want to stick around and have everyone comparing Tea Cake to Joe Starks.
Janie explains that Nanny wanted her to live the luxury life of a white woman, which is what she obtained with Joe, but she felt she was being suffocated. She’s did what her Grandmother wanted , now she can go off and live her life the way she chooses.
Janie asks Pheoby not to tell anyone about her plans to sell the store and live a new life with Tea Cake. She told Pheoby that she will announced this to everyone when she is ready to do .
The end of the chapter shows Janie determined to try a new life with Tea Cake.
Chapter 12 Analysis
In Chapter 12 it shows from Janie’s words that she is being matured after her relationship with