Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chpater Four.

Chapter Four:

Before the year ended Janie began to realize that her husband was acting different. Logan was mainly mad at Janie because she wouldn't do things for him like his last wife would.

The next morning Logan called Janie out to the barn and told her that he was going to Lake City to talk to a man about getting another mule. She didn't see why until he told her that hes getting another one so she can help him plow the fields.

Janie had gotten all her work done inside the house, and moved outside and sat where she could see the road. She heard a whistle come from down the road, and seen a well-dressed man. She went to the water pump, and got him some water. His name was Joe Starks. He had worked for white people all his life, and saved up some money, about $300 dollars.

He asked her somewhat about her life, and she told him that she was married, and they talked, and all that jazz. He was on his way down to Florida, but it didn't harm him to stop and talk. Every day after this they met in the scrub oaks across the road and talk.

Joe tells her that he wouldn't make her do half of the things that Logan made her do, and he wanted to make a wife out of her. Janie went to bed that night and couldn't help but think about Joe and what he had said. She starts talking to Logan about their relationship. Logan starts saying rude things about her, how she was born in a carriage, and raised in a white folks back yard. She then asks Logan what he would do if she left him. He doesn't seem to care, but it did hurt him that she said that. The next morning Logan yells to Janie to help him move manure in the barn. She walks out on the porch and tells him that shes not helping him. She went back into the kitchen and finished making breakfast.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter Three.

Chapter Three:

For Janie, the last few days before she was sent to live with Logan were spent wondering back and forth from the pear tree. After Nanny talked to her more, and she thought about it, she basically tricked herself into the thought that she'll love Logan.

Janie and Logan got married in Nanny's parlor on a Saturday evening, with three cakes and big platters of fried rabbit and chicken. After this the new married couple went off the Logan's house. It was a lonely place, it didn't really have anything that appealed to Janie, but she went with it and waited for love to begin.

Janie goes to visit Nanny at Mrs. Washburns kitchen. They talked about the marriage and all that junk, Nanny also asked if Logan has ever hit her. And, he hasn't.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter Two.

Chapter Two:

Chapter Two Starts out to talk about Janie's life. She had never seen her mom or her dad, and she grew up with her grandma. Her grandma worked for a family of white people, and she lived in a house in their backyard. And that's where she was born. The family's last name was Washburn. They were nice, they had quite a bit of money and they had four other kids that Janie played with. All of the kids, including Janie called her grandma, nanny.

Janie didn't know she was white until she was six years old, and she had seen a picture of herself. The family sometimes called Janie “Alphabet” because she has so many different names Whenever Janie went to school she was teased because she lived in a white person's back yard. She was also teased because of her clothes. Mrs. Washburn would dress Janie in clothes that her kids didn't wear anymore, so Janie was well dressed compared to some of the other colored kids.

Janie was teased about her parents too. All the kids would sit and make up lies just to make her feel bad. Nanny was sick of seeing her sad, so she got land and bought their own house. Mrs. Washburn even helped.

Pheoby really wanted to know what was going on, so it helped Janie that she had someone to listen too.

At her nanny's house, Janie would always sit under their blooming pear tree. Any minute that she could get she would sit under that tree. One day Janie let Johnny Taylor kiss her over the gate, Nanny got mad and made her come inside, and realized that she can no longer take care of Janie. Nanny is going to make Janie get married.

Janie was 16 at this time. Nanny wants to marry her off to Logan Killicks, because he is a wealthy man, but Janie doesn't like that idea at all. Janie starts to throw a fit, and doesn't answer nanny so nanny hits her. Nanny and Janie sit down and talk about her life, and how she needs to be married to a white man because he is the ruler if everything.

Nanny continues to tell Janie that she needs to marry Logan for protection, because Nanny can't protect her forever. She also tells her that she is probably going to pass on soon, and she wants to make sure she has a good life, and that she loves her, and blah blah blah.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Chapter One.

My Second Book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, 193 pages.

 

Chapter One:

The book starts out with Janie walking back into town. And all of the people in the town are sitting out on their poaches talking about her. They all sit outside at sundown everyday. The boss man was gone, they were all outside and they felt like they had power.

They seen Janie walking back into town and she was dressed in dirty overalls. She left town in nice clothes, with a younger man named Tea Cake. Everyone was saying rude things about her, like that he took her money and left her for a younger woman, because Janie was older than him.

When she walked past everyone they told her good evening. Even though they were all talking about her and wondering what had happened. After she walked into her house everyone laughed at her. Some people did stick up for her though.

Pheoby sort of went on a rage towards everyone because they were saying mean things about her. She pretty much flipped out at everyone, then went and made Janie dinner. Pheoby goes over to her house and finds her sitting on her back porch.

Pheoby gives Janie a plate of rice, and they both sit down to talk as she eats it. Then begin to talk about pretty much everything, how their lives are, and the town and all the people in it. Pheoby really wants to know what Janie has been doing, and what happened to Tea Cake. But she doesn't want to seem nosy.

Janie goes on to tell her that she still has $900 in the bank, and that Tea Cake didn't take any of her money. She also tells her that Tea Cake died, and that's why shes back in town. Her and Tea Cake lived in the everglades.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 19 and 20.

In 1954, a week before Christmas Ira was arrested to the 51^st time for being drunk. A month later he was found dead in a snow bank. Everyone thought it was because he got in a fight after a card game, some think it was because of his alcohol. Tons of people pay their respects and go to his funeral.

Rene worked as an airline clerk, an employee in Pauline's travel agency, then he fell do9wn to being a janitor. Their marriage suffered because she was emotionally abusive. He died of a heart attack at the age of 54, trapped in a janitors closet.

In 1979, Mary Elson, a Chicago Tribune write surprises John Bradley at his funeral home. He tells her that he wishes he wouldn't of helped put up the flag, and he only gives her a 10 minute interview.

In 1980 Dave Severance starts to plan reunions for the Marines who were apart of the battle on Iwo Jima. Jack doesn't go to any of them. He hates that people think he is a hero. He told his son that the hero's of Iwo Jima were the ones that didn't come back.

James Bradley (the author, and John's son) doesn't ask his dad about Iwo Jima until 6 years later. John begins to talk about how Iggy and how he died. He tells his son that after the war, he visited Iggy's parents and lies to them about how he died.

In 1994 John dies after a stroke. A lot of people went to him funeral, no one really remembered his for his part in the photograph, but for his role in the community. John Bradley was awarded a Navy Cross for his heroism.

Then end of the book includes a letter that James's 15 year old daughter wrote to her late grandfather. She asks him why he never told his family about the Navy Cross, and why he kept everything from Iwo Jima a secret.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 17 and 18.

Ed and Belle Block move to Loma Linda, California. There was a large Seventh-Day Adventist presence. They mainly moved because of Harlen death, and his mom didn't to live in the valley anymore. Ed (her husband) only goes with so he can save their marriage. He doesn't like living there so he moves back without Belle.

In July of 1945 Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Josef Stalin plan the use of atomic weapons on Japan to end the war. Jack finally returns to Appleton, Wisconsin from treatment for his leg wounds. He has a date with Betty Van Gorp he has to have more surgery. She later becomes his wife. Rene returns to work in the mills in Manchester, New York with his new wife Pauline.

Ira goes back to his life on the reservation near Phoenix, Arizona and does odd jobs. Reporters always follow his around and stuff. He turns into a loner and drinks a lot.

In January 0f 1947 the government starts shipping back the remains of the Marines that died on Iwo Jima. Belle Block returns to the valley to see Harlon's funeral. Mike Strank is buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, and Iggy is buried at the Mational Military Cemetery in Rock Island. In 1949 the last two Japanese fighters finally surrender.

This is the Arlington National Cemetary.

 

The production for the film of “The Sands Of Iwo Jima” begins at Republic Studios. The three men didn't want to be in the film, but they are ticked into it. They are each told that the two other men want to be in it, and if they say no, then they will ruin the whole movie. None of the three men even get a big part. The flag raisers aren't in the news for awhile up unitl the time that Ira gets jailed for being drunk. He gets out, and goes home to continue drinking.

 

Felix de Weldon finishes a bronze status of the photograph in 1954. It is finally unveiled on November 10^th in Arlington. All of the flag raisers and their families are present. Joe Rosenthal is even there, and he realizes that he got no credit for the photo. The people that are in the statue aren't even on named. The only name that is in it is the sculptors name.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 15 and 16.

Many mothers around the country are receiving news that their sons will not be coming home from Iwo Jima. During this time the Treasury Department makes plans for the seventh bond tour. Bond Tours are fund raising trips around the country. There was already six bond tours before this. They use the photograph a lot to persuade people to donate.

 

President Roosevelt sends orders to the Marine headquarters that he wants the six men that are in the photo sent home. He wants them to participate in the bond tour. The three men that are left are, Ira, Rene, and Jack. When ira hears the new about the bond tour, he tells Rene that if he tells the news people that he is in the photo, he will kill him. Sometime after this Franklin's mom learns that he is killed in battle.

On April 12 there was supposed to be a parade held in honor of Rene, but President Roosevelt died. The three ment are introduced to President Truman and are honored to the senate. They are then honored at a New York Yankees game.

The bond tour begins, and they want to raise $14 billion dollars to support the war. On May 8^th Germany surrendered, and Joe Rosenthal won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph. The three flag raisers are still saying that they aren't any more special than other people from the battle.

Ira is really stressed out about everything, and he turns to alcohol to comfort himself. Most of the time he is drunk, because it takes his mind of of the war, which seems to be following him everywhere. When the three are in Boston for the bond tour, Pauline Harnois meets up with them. She loves the fame more than they do, and she being to pressue Rene to marry her.

On May 14^th the boys are returned to New York, after that it was off to Chicago, and Pauline is still with them. Then they went to Detroit, Indianapolis, then back to chicago. Because he was drunk all the time, Ira goes back to war with his unit. (they are now in hawaii.) Rene and Jack continue their tour. On July 4^th, the tour ended and they raised $26.3 billion dollars.

Rene is granted leave, and marries Pauline. And Jack is being treated for his leg wounds.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapter 13 and 14.

The flag is raised on the mountain. But the battle ends up lasting for another four weeks. Mike Strank is killed when a shell explodes when he is about to draw an escape route for his men. Harlon Block dies soon after. In the letter that he wrote. He told his mom that he was fine, which is now wrong.

Joe Rosenthal lands on Guam. He is asked if the photograph is staged, and he says sure. He didn't know which picture he was talking about. This rumor starts a whole big problem. The question referred to the famous picture, which wasn't staged. On the March 5^th edition of Time magazine, the picture is on the cover, seeming like we have won the battle.

Easy Company is now on the western beach. They all take a break and go swimming in the ocean. Jack worries about his friend Iggy, who went missing. They later found his body in a cave, where he was tortured horribly.

Rene fires his rifle for the first time, after a Japanese soldier kills his friend. Franklin dies when he wonders into an open road and gets hot in the back. On March 26^th Easy Company finally leaves Iwo Jima. They started out with 310 people, and are now left with 50. The Americans had more deaths, but they did win the control of the island.

The book moves forward, up to where Jack had started his family in Wisconsin. Jack didn't want to be known as a hero, and rarely ever talked about the battle. He married his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth Van Gorp. He bought a funeral home, and have eight kids. Jack makes it known very well that he doesn't want to be known as a hero. He avoids phone calls from people, and avoids pretty much anything that has to do with the battle.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 11, and 12.

On the fifth morning of the battle, Colonel Chandler Johnson ordered two four man patrols to make their way up the northern face of Mount Suribachi.

 

The rest of the men from the Easy Company, are given a flag and are ordered to put it on the top of the hill. They are taking the walk very slowly, because hey could be attacked at anytime. When they reach the top without attracting enemy fire, they set about raising the American flag. Boots Thomas, Sergeant Hank Hansen, Doc Bradley, and a small group of others get the flag in place while Sergeant Lou Lowery takes a picture.

Soldiers all over the island are celebrating as they see the flag being raised. After its raised a little group of Japanese soldiers start a firefight. Nothing big happens with that.

The secretary of the navy, James Forrestal decides that he wants the flag that was raised has a souvenir. Chandler Johnson believed that they belong to the battalion that raised it. So he send his assisstant to get a bigger flag. He gives it ro Rene Gagnon (one of the main characters) to take to the top of the moutain. Rene climbs up the moutain with Mike, Harlon, Ira and Franklin.

These six men put up the flag with no problem. Joe Rosenthal takes a picture of this moment. But he doesnt know how the picture turned out, because he just held up the camera and took a picture

 

For the next four days the Marines believe that their battle is over. But they still stay alert for japanese intruders. Jack, Franklin, and Rene write letters to home. John Bodkin, the AP photo editor in Guam, sees the photograph that Joe Rosenthal took and radiophotos the image to the headquarters in new york right away. It it put into the papers the next morning and Americans are astonished. Joe Rosenthal becomes an instant hero. None of the soldiers are named, but Belle Block knows right away that her son is in the picture, but no one believes her.

The New York Times starts to publish things that aren't true. And it starts causing problems for everyone.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 8, 9, and 10.

The men of Easy company has a rough night on the western beaches of Iwo Jima. The Japanese men bombed them through out the night. The 2^nd and 3^rd Battalions of the 28^th Regiment continued their way to Mount Suribachi. The Easy Company is put back in the east to be a back up position for the 2^nd battalion. More and more men are being killed. Easy Company receives the order to head to the front lines and they are already under heavy fire.

At the end of D-Day, more than 3,500 men have been killed. Its now night time, the guys are tring to sleep, but they are still under constant fire. The next morning the Americans bombed the island. Marines are on the ground, they are expecting tanks to lead them, but they are delayed by a half-hour.

Doc Bradley is running through everything trying to save his fellow partners around him, that are being hurt left and right. He was carrying his “Unit 3” first aid bag.

This bag made him a big target. If the Japanese killed him, he wouldn't be able to help the wounded soldiers, which would leave less men for the Americans. Lieutenant Ed Pennel was injured when a shell exploded in between his legs. He layed in the middle of the battle until nightfall when he was evacuated to an offshore hospital ship.

Lieutenant Keith Wells turned the command of the 3^rd Platoon to Platoon Sergeant Ernest Boots Thomas. He found the week spot on the defensive line on Suribachi, and lead to the breakthrough to the mountain.

It is the third day of the battle and there is a Japanese air raid on the ships that are off shore. On the Japanese were wielding grenades, to terrorize Marines. On the morning of D-Day Plus Three, the marines plan to take out Mount Suribachi.

The American Marines are surrounding Mount Suribachi. On the fourth night of fighting, most of the remaining Japanese soldiers voluntarily abandon the mountain. Colonel Kanehiko Atsuchi, the commanding officer of Mount Suribachi gave orders to abandon the mountain, but the Marines killed most of the soldiers that were left. Mount Suribachi has fallen.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 5, 6, and 7.

The six flag raisers arrive at Camp Pendleton.
(MORE INFO ON CAMP PENDLETON: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Base_Camp_Pendleton)
It is a huge Marine training cap between Los Angeles and San Diego. This is where they all met for the first. Mike, Harlon and Ira are back from home, Franklin and Rene are back from basic training, and Doc arrived from Medical school. All of these men were assigned to the Easy Company. Which was lead by Captain Dave Severence.

At this camp the marines learned a ton of different things. How to become riflemen, and mastering the use of their weapons. Mike, Harlon and Franklin became rifle specialists. This is when Doc Bradley met Ralph Ignatowski. He forged his urine test to be able to enlist. They both became buddies.
The flag raisers start forming close bonds with each other. But Rene. He is the shy one and is often on the sidelines.


After spending Christmas at Camp Tarawa
(MORE INTO ON CAMP TARAWA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Tarawa)
they begin their forty day sail to Iwo Jima. Which they know as “Island X.” They stop at Pearl Harbor.

The flag raisers are shipped to Island X on the USS Missoula, along with 1,500 other troops, which include all of the Easy Company. Two days after the soldiers left Pearl Harbor they found out that Island X was Iwo Jima.

They had to study maps so they could learn their plan of attack. Iwo Jima is really important to the Japanese.

The Americans want this land because the the Japanese military that is stationed there is shooting down American planes when they are on their way to bomb the Japanese mainland.

The main Lieutenant for the Japanese, General Kuribayashi knows where the marines were going to land. He had 22,000 Japanese soldiers waiting for them. They have underground tunnels and rooms on the island. The U.S. Didn't really have any idea of what the underground world would be like. They thought that it was going to be an easy small battle, but they were way wrong.

The marines arrived at Iwo Jima on Febuary, 19, 1945. The first hour of the battle it was silent. Kuribayashi's (the japanese army leader) wanted to wait until the beach was full of marines to attack.
Many marines died that day, and the next night which is known as “D-Day.”

(MORE INFO ON D-DAY: http://www.army.mil/d-day/)

D-Day was bad, if not worse. The darkness made it scarier. The Americans came up with an idea and used passwords to identify themselves to each other in the night, so they wouldn't be mistaken for a Japanese soldier and killed.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters Three and Four.

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, America's attitude towards everything changed. Japan have been an important military power for decades. They took over Manchuria and China.

MANCHURIA:

CHINA:

 

Japan wanted to conquer all of the European colonial empires that were in Asia. General MacArthur's lack of movement after the bombing of Pear Harbor resulted in the bombing of his fleet, this caused him to have to leave and flee to Australia. The American military was stunned, they all jumped at the chance to make sacrifices for their country.

The Japanese were drafting people left and right, and they were fighting for the emperor. They didn't believe in surrendering at all. They thought it was foolish.

Mike Strank enlisted in the Marines before the war even started. Because the Pima tribe was a peaceful group, it surprised them that Ira joined the marines. Harlon Block enlisted with his entire Weslaso football team. Harlon and Ira both became paratroopers. Jack Bradley enlisted in the Navy with his friend Bob Connelly. Rene joined when he was seventeen.

Mike Strank was a member of the Raiders, they were out in the Pacific. Ira and Harlon eventually joined him there.

Ira, Mike and Harlon returned home because of economic reasons, for a brief time. Ira's tribe thought that he has transferred into a man. But he was still the quite guy inside. Mike was suffering from Malaria, and he told himself that his next battle would be his last. And that's what he told his family. Harlon thought the same. He told his girlfriend that he wouldn't be coming back. When Franklin was home he took his girlfriend out on a date, and told her he would return a hero.

(MORE INFO ON MALARIA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria)

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapter Two.

In Chapter 2, Bradley introduces the 6 main characters, the flag raisers. His father was one of the flag raisers. He was nicknamed “cabbage”, and was a vet of WWI. His mother was very catholic, and when he was 10 his little sister died after being badly burned when their house burnt down. He ended up enlisting in the Navy, but he hoped that he wouldn't have to battle on land.

James Bradley.

this is John Bradley from the movie.

Franklin Sousley grew up in Hilltop Kentucky. His mother and himself suffered from the deaths of his father and his sister. He is remembered by being a fun, daring and silly person. He was very handsome and was always popular.

This is Franklin Sousley from the movie.

Harlon Block grew up in Texas, in the middle of 6 children. His mom was devoted to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and wanted Harlon to believe in this too. The family grew up in the country, and moved to the city later on. Harlon stopped going to his Seventh-Day Adventist school and joined the Weslaco football team, and became a star.

This is Harlon Block from the movie.

Ira Hayes grew up on the Gila River Indian Reservation, he was the oldest of six children. His mom made him read from the bible, and made sure he was educated at the Phoenix Indian School. He was a quiet person, like a shadow figure.

This is Ira From the movie.

Rene Gagnon grew up as an only child after his mom divorced his dad. His dad was having an affair. So Rene grew up not knowing his dad. He was a very handsome guy, and he was drafted into the army. He also promised Pauline Harnois that he would marry her.

Rene From the movie.

Mike Strank grew up in Franklin Borough, Pennsylvania. He immigrated to the U.S. With his family. After the depression hit his town he joined the CCC, where he worked until he was 19. He decided to join the marines, even thought he could have avoided military service because of his Czech citizenship.

Mike Strank from the movie.

Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapter One.

The book that I am reading is Flags of our Fathers, by James Bradley. It is 353 pages, and 20 chapters.

CHAPTER ONE: Sacred Ground

Chapter One stars out with James Bradley on the beach of Iwo Jima. It talks about how James set aside his normal life for a few days in Rye, New York and made a commitment to the other side of the world. His dad is one of the main characters of this book, Jack Bradley. He then starts talking about how history turned for the six main characters in the story. The amazing picture that you had to have seen at one time.

 

This image, sort of blurred changed the soldiers fate. It made them hero's, even if they didn't make it home. This picture became the symbol for this battle. Three of the men were killed in battle, and the other three made it home. Even though they wish at times that they didn't. Jack Bradley was the only one of the six that went home and lead a normal life after the war was over. He married his thrid-grade sweetheart, have 8 kids, opened a funeral home, and joined a bunch of groups. He never talked about the battle, the flag raising, or anything that has to do with Iwo Jima. Whenever someone would ask him about it, he would always change the conversation, if someone called the house, he would have one of the kids answer, and say that he was gone fishing in Canada. When he never even fished. The Bradley children grew up with a good life, and they were happy. They never asked about Iwo Jima, even though they new about the photograph. James was the middle child, he didn't really know anything. Everyone told him that his dad was a hero, and he loved that about his dad, he believed it. He would always try to get his dad to tell him about it, but he never would. It was a boring topic for Jack. He would always tell everyone that they hero's of Iwo Jima are the ones that didn't come back. He almost succeeded in taking his secrets to his grave, but his wife and one of his children were looking for his will in his small apartment that he used as his small office. They found three old boxes that were full of things from Iwo Jima, all of the things that he got for being a flag raiser. They found many letters, even one that was supposed to be sent home. James was standing where the flag was raised, and could see the whole island. He goes on to talk about the Japense and more about the island. Read to get more details! (:

The first chapter sets up the whole story, but it does give away somethings that happen towards the end of the book. It pretty much foreshadows certain things.

1. The death of 3/6 main soldiers. (The ones that are in the picture.)
2. The return of soldiers.
3. Some of the things in the battle.