Chapter Sixteen

Pg. 142 “De higher de monkey climbs de mo’ he show his behind.”
Mrs. Turner did not like black folks because they acted like monkeys in her eyes. She did not like the way they laughed and talked because they were loud and annoying. Mrs. Turner said black people acted a fool in front of white folks. She says the closer black people got to white people the more they cut up.

Pg. 144 “She felt honored by Janie’s acquaintance and she quickly forgave and forgot snubs in order to keep it. Anyone who looked more white folkish that herself was better she was in criteria, therefore it was right that they should be cruel to her at times, just as she was cruel to those more negroid than herself in direct ratio to their negroness.”
No matter how mad Mrs. Turner was at Janie, she could and would always forgive her for everything. Mrs. Turner just wanted to be around Janie because she looked whiter than her. Anyone who looked whiter was considered better that her. She would let someone whiter than her treat her with disrespect because she felt the same way about people darker than her.