Quote 21
[Tea Cake]: "But ‘sposing you wuz tuh die now. You wouldn’t git mad at me for draggin’ yuh heah?"
"Naw, We been tuhgether round two years. If you kin see de light at daybreak, you don’t keer if you die at dusk. It’s so many people never seen de light at all. Ah wuz fumblin’ round and God opened de door." (18.36-37)
In her reassuring response to Tea Cake, Janie likens life to a day—referring to traditional light imagery of dawn representing hope, while dusk and the coming of darkness symbolize despair. She calls Tea Cake her "light at daybreak" and considers her life full enough so that she can "die at dusk" peacefully.
Quote 22
[Tea Cake]: "Looka heah, y’all, don’t come in heah and raise no disturbance in de place. Mis’ Turner is too nice uh woman fuh dat. In fact, she’s more nicer than anybody else on de muck." Mrs. Turner beamed on Tea Cake. (17.31)
Tea Cake pretends to be on Mrs. Turner’s side, complimenting her person and inflating her ego, so that her disgrace will be more devastating. His tactics also cover his back; after he is through destroying her, Mrs. Turner will not be able to blame Tea Cake for her demise.
Quote 23
"Aw, twudn’t nothin’ much, doctah. It wuz all healed over in two three days," Tea Cake said impatiently. "Dat been over uh month ago, nohow. Dis is somethin’ new, doctah. Ah figgers de water is yet bad." (19.90)
Tea Cake arrogantly dismisses the idea that his sickness is caused by the bite from the mad dog. His impatience is an outward manifestation of his quick pride. This is the second time Tea Cake has overlooked a crucial fact (the coming hurricane and the mad dog) out of his masculine pride and he will be punished for it yet again.