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Essay / Janie in Their Eyes Was Looking at God by Zora Neale...
The relationship between Janie and her grandmother is full of love and compassion. Nanny was born directly into slavery and lived a very depressing life. The nanny's daughter, Leafy, also lived a horrible life, at seventeen she was raped by her school teacher, then after giving birth to Janie she became an alcoholic and soon abandoned her family. Janie and Nanny then lived with the Washburn family, along with four other white children, and did not realize she was black until she saw a photo of herself, and in shock, she says "Aw, aw! Ah I'm colorful." (9). Because of the family's history, all Nanny wants is for Janie to feel valuable and safe. Nanny wants Janie to get married immediately, and she tells him this by saying "Yeah, Janie, you've got your womanhood on you. So ah, I'll well tell you what I've saved for uh fate. Ah wants to see you married right away” (12). Janie immediately responds by saying “Me, married? No, Nanny, no ma'am" (12). Logan Killicks, an unattractive old farmer is the person Nanny so desperately hopes for Jani....