Question

Tea Cake felt sorry for him without knowing why. So he didn’t blurt out the insults he had intended. But he couldn’t hold in everything. They talked about the prospects for the coming season for a moment, then Tea Cake said, “Yo’ wife don’t seem tuh have nothin’ much tuh do, so she kin visit uh lot. Mine got too much tuh do tuh go visitin’ and too much tuh spend time talkin’ tuh folks dat visit her.”

–Their Eyes Were Watching God,
Zora Neale Hurston

What can the dialect in this passage from Their Eyes Were Watching God help you learn more about?

Tea Cake’s appearance

Tea Cake’s lack of formal education

Tea Cake’s desire to be like everyone else

Tea Cake’s psychological traits

Answers

Answer
He gave his powerless laugh again and Tea Cake and the boy joined in with him. Then Tea Cake walked on off and went home to Janie.

 “Her husband can’t do nothin’ wid dat butt-headed woman. All you can do is treat her cold whenever she come round here.”

 Janie tried that, but short of telling Mrs. Turner bluntly, there was nothing she could do to discourage her completely. She felt honored by Janie’s acquaintance and she quickly forgave and forgot snubs in order to keep it.

–Their Eyes Were Watching God,
Zora Neale Hurston

Which statement about the narrator is correct?

The narrator uses purely academic English and so seems entirely outside of the story.

The narrator reflects the Southern environment when she uses the phrase "walked on off," an example of nonacademic English.

The use of "walked on off" makes the narrator sound the same as Tea Cake.

The narrator contrasts Tea Cake's dialect with her own academic English to show his lack of education.
Answer
He gave his powerless laugh again and Tea Cake and the boy joined in with him. Then Tea Cake walked on off and went home to Janie.

 “Her husband can’t do nothin’ wid dat butt-headed woman. All you can do is treat her cold whenever she come round here.”

 Janie tried that, but short of telling Mrs. Turner bluntly, there was nothing she could do to discourage her completely. She felt honored by Janie’s acquaintance and she quickly forgave and forgot snubs in order to keep it.

–Their Eyes Were Watching God,
Zora Neale Hurston

What does Tea Cake's dialect, or use of nonacademic English, reveal about him?

It gives an impression of Tea Cake's mental health.

It shows that Tea Cake has a quick temper when speaking.

It establishes that Tea Cake lives in the South and may lack formal education.

It clarifies Tea Cake's opinion of Mrs. Turner, who uses academic English.
Answered by GPT-4o mini
The dialect in this passage from *Their Eyes Were Watching God* can help you learn more about **Tea Cake’s lack of formal education**. The use of colloquial speech and a non-standard dialect reflects his social background and educational level, suggesting that he may not have had access to formal education. This aspect of his characterization contributes to the overall theme of the novel, which explores issues of race, class, and identity in the early 20th century. The casual conversational tone also highlights his ease in relating to others in his community.
Answered by GPT-4o mini
The correct statement about the narrator is: **The narrator reflects the Southern environment when she uses the phrase "walked on off," an example of nonacademic English.**

This illustrates how the narrator incorporates elements of the local dialect and vernacular speech, which enhances the authenticity of the setting and characters in the Southern context of the novel.
Answered by GPT-4o mini
Tea Cake's dialect, or use of nonacademic English, reveals that **it establishes that Tea Cake lives in the South and may lack formal education.**

The informal, colloquial speech reflects the regional setting of the novel and suggests that Tea Cake is part of a working-class background, which often correlates with limited access to formal education. This element of his speech helps to characterize him and situates him within the social context of the story.

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