The Gilded Six-Bits Marriage Quotes

Home is where the heart is, and the house of Missie and Joe is a mixture of crazy and put together. There seems to be a real ying and yang quality to the place, as well as the couple themselves. Hurston uses the details of the house as a sort of foreshadowing into the couple that lives inside.

Well, this is a good sign, right? Missie's just finished her bath and rushes to make sure she's ready for her husband's arrival at the house. The fact that she times her cleaning to coincide with his arrival means she wants to look good for him and that he's important to her. 

Aww, that's cute. Well, maybe not as cute as the hidden gifts in Joe's pockets, but still, we like the adult version of cat and mouse they play together every time Joe gets paid. He makes the money but he likes to spend it on her; it's like her birthday every week!

Now here's something you don't see adults do every day. Hurston does a nice job showing how the two adults have a fresh, young love that most of us lose as we get older. It's also a light contrast to how they'll act later on in the story, when things get more serious and dark.

Both Joe and Missie love this game, and it shows in the joy they give each other. Of course, their love isn't based solely on little gifts but on the fun banter and horseplay they share. The ritual is what makes it pleasurable and it's a day they both look forward to every week. We'll admit, we're a little jealous at the love these two share. 

Zing! Missie says this to Joe in jest after he tells her to have dinner waiting for him after his bath. It's a saucy comment with a little bite to it, and when Missie cheats on Joe later on in the story it takes on a new, ironic meaning. It isn't Missie who gets burned—it's Joe. 

Missie says this to Joe and we totally believe her. Up until she meets Slemmons, she thinks Joe is the perfect man and husband. She compliments his looks, his figure, and shows her devotion by keeping house and making delicious meals. She's also super concerned for his happiness, which is why she sleeps with Slemmons in the first place, to get money for Joe. At least, that's what she says. Do we believe her? The jury's still out for us, but what do you think? 

Umm, talk about mixed signals. Joe's the one who can't stop talking about Slemmons and his clothes, money, women, and gold teeth—but when Missie tells him they could have money, too, he changes his tune and says he's "satisfied." Guess he didn't realize how serious Missie would take his desire to be a rich, important man?

We think it's pretty cool that in this story it's the man who wants the baby. Joe's ready to settle down and start a family with Missie, to the point of being 'obsessed' with the idea. He's definitely not a typical macho guy and we like this softer side of Joe. It's a nice way for Hurston to flip traditional gender roles. 

This is what Missie thinks soon after she cheats on Joe with Slemmons. She knows she made an awful mistake and that it would make complete sense for Joe to leave her…but he doesn't. Why, we wonder? Does he feel slightly guilty for maybe pushing her away? Or does he just not want to let her go? Love sure can be a complicated at times.