Nanny's enslaved past not only sets a precedent for Janie but it helps us understand why she made the choices she made. Her enslaved past made her want the best for Janie, to search for security above all therefore contradicting Janie's beliefs about love and about what truly matters in life.(Hurtson 1937, pg.21 Ah been prayin' fuh it tuh be different wid you. Lawd, Lawd,Lawd!) (Hurtson 1937 pg. 23 Ah was born back due in slavery so it wasn't for me to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be and to do. Dat's one of de hold-backs of slavery. But nothing can stop you from wishin'.
Both of Janie's marriages form a huge part of how the novel progresses and how her character develops. Her first marriage was a marriage of convenience in which all her dreams of what love and marriage would be like were crushed by the harsh reality that is a loveless marriage so she fled. Her second marriage began as a rebellious act, one that made her feel alive again but as time went on she realized that the man who she was with wasn't the same man she fell for, he valued the status Janie gave him more than Janie herself and he forced her to change, he hid her hair and molded her into a submissive woman who held her tongue. (Hurtson 1937, pg. 100 He wanted her submission and he'd keep on fighting until he felt he had it.)(Hurtson 1937, pg.101 She found that she had a host of thoughts she had never expressed to him and numerous emotions she had never let Jody know about. Things packed up and put away in parts of her heart where he could never find them. )
Meeting Vergible Woods alias Tea Cake was more than Janie meeting a simple love interest, it was a turning point in both her life and in the novel, Tea Cake's youthfulness allowed Janie to finally live, to forget about the rest of the world and allow her to be herself, to rejoice, to enjoy her appearance even though the years had caught up to her, Tea Cake was like a breath of fresh air for Janie, he was modern in a way no man ever was and he restored her faith in love, he gave love a new meaning, one that Janie could only dream of prior to him.(Hurtson 1937,pg 148 He was a glance from God. )(Hurtson 1937,pg 160 Ah'm older than Tea Cake, yes but he done showed me where it's de thought dat makes de difference in ages. )