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Janie visits the pear tree of her childhood many times before deciding that marrying Logan is the right thing to do.

Topic Tracking: Nature 3

Janie and Logan Killicks get married on a Saturday in Nanny's parlor. Janie does not feel good about the marriage, but she has hope that it will get better. This hope comes from Janie's idea of what a marriage should be (given to her by Nanny), and she thinks that with marriage comes love. After about two months and two weeks of marriage, Janie does not feel the love that she thought would happen. She goes to visit Nanny and Mrs. Washburn to ask them some questions about marriage and love. Janie tells them that Logan chops wood all day and the water buckets are always full. In this respect, he is a good husband, but she just doesn't feel the love that Nanny said she would. Nanny tells her that she is crazy talking about love and that black women always get themselves caught up on love. Instead, she says, Janie should be happy with the house on the big road that's already paid for and the sixty acres of land she has. But, Janie insists that she wants to love him, and wants to feel that love; she doesn't want Logan, or any man, to be the one to do all of the wanting. Janie says that Logan's head is long one way and flat on the sides, he has fat under his neck, a big belly, toe-nails that look like mule feet, and smelly feet.

Janie again associates herself and marriage with that pear tree. She wants marriage to be like sitting under a great pear tree:

"'Ah wants things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ah . . .'" Chapter 3, pg. 23

Topic Tracking: Nature 4

Nanny begs God to take care of Janie, and a month later, Nanny dies.

Janie does not have love in her home with Logan, so she finds happiness with nature. She has a connection with nature; she understands nature. She realizes that marriage does not necessarily equal love, and from this realization, she matures into a woman.

Topic Tracking: Identity 3
Topic Tracking: Nature 5