In Mary Helen Washington's essay denying Zora Neale Hurston's efforts to create a liberated Janie, she focuses on Hurston's failure to give Janie her own voice. Throughout the book Janie's "power of oral speech" is restrained by the men around her, such as Joe Starks. Janie becomes the subject of conversation on the porch, which she wants to join but cannot take part in. After twenty years of oppression, Janie finally counterattacks Jody's teasing by implying his loss of manhood in the presence of other men. Her first speech on behalf of herself and women, ironically, is a “commentary on the limitations of a male-dominated society.” When Jody dies, curiously, her first action is not to declare her freedom, but to appreciate her hair by looking in the mirror just like other men, who consider her a "visual object". Janie's action of finding Hezihiah, who “is the best imitation of Joe” to further run the store, demonstrates the dominant role Jody plays in her world and agreement with the concept of women's helplessness. It seems Janie has finally found him...