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1. Tea Cake inviting Janie to play checkers and teaching her how to play is symbolically significant because it represents a sense of equality and partnership in their relationship. By engaging in a simple, leisure activity together, Tea Cake is breaking traditional gender roles and societal expectations, showing that he values Janie's companionship and sees her as an equal.
2. This action makes Tea Cake a foil for Joe Starks because Joe, Janie's previous husband, was more concerned with his own power and status in the relationship. Joe's controlling and domineering nature contrast with Tea Cake's willingness to share experiences and empower Janie through learning a new skill like playing checkers.
3. Tea Cake's willingness to teach Janie and engage in activities with her highlights a more egalitarian and supportive dynamic in their relationship, unlike the hierarchical and authoritative relationship she had with Joe Starks. This contrast between the two men underscores Tea Cake's character as someone who values mutual respect and partnership in a relationship.
By playing checkers with Janie and being her guide in learning the game, Tea Cake demonstrates a level of intimacy and connection that was lacking in Janie's previous relationships, particularly with Joe Starks. This symbolic act serves to emphasize the differences in their approaches to relationships and highlights Tea Cake as a more supportive and empathetic character in Janie's life.
