In defense of Nanny
There was some debate in our class on the selfishness/selflessness of Nanny. Certainly Nanny’s actions had a negative effect on Janie’s life, but I believe she acted in Janie’s interest, and truly thought the marriage she pushed her into was the best thing for her. Let’s discuss. I’m going to start by recapping Nanny’s life, for context. When she was younger she was a slave, was raped by a slave owner, and had his child. This child, whom the reader can tell Nanny cares greatly about, grew up and at seventeen, was also raped, and then the two of them became estranged. Now, at the end of her life, Nanny’s primary commitment is raising Janie, her granddaughter, the product of two generations of traumatic sexual experience. That history provides a clear reason for Nanny to have issues regarding sex and love, which is arguably the main area where she and Janie clash. Janie wants to pursue love, but Nanny sees only danger there. In her mind, a kiss from Johnny Taylor is a “laceration”. So