Economics in Janie's marriage to Joe

Joe gains power over the citizens by using his position as mayor and dominating over them. Similarly, in his marriage, Joe gains power by using his position as a man and dominating over Janie.

• "Thank yuh fuh yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' bout no speech-makin'. Ah never married her for nothin' lak dat. She's uh woman and her place is in de home" (42)
• "Ah often wonder how dat lil wife uh hisn makes out wid him, 'cause he's uh man dat changes everything, but nothin' dont change him" (49)
• "She sho don't talk much. De way he rears and pitches in de store sometimes when she make uh mistake is sort of ungodly but she don't seem to mind at all. Reckon dey understand one 'nother" (50)
• "This business of the head-rag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was NOT going to show in the store. It didn't seem sensible at al. That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous she was... She was there in the store for him to look at, not those others" (54)