The narrative switches between Janie and Jody's points of view during chapters 5 and 8, in which their poor relationship is clearly established. Janie is relegated to a life in the store, submitting to her husband's demands that she be quiet and stay in her place. She feels unfulfilled with her role as "Mrs. Mayor," expressing that "Ah feels lak Ah'm jus' makin' time," yet in Jody's mind she should be happy with her position. "Here he was just pouring honor all over her, building a high chair for her to sit in and overlook the world and here she pouting over it!" (46, 62).
Jody is heavily invested in image, as his goal to be a leader is one of the first things he talks about with Janie. Once he accomplishes that goal he makes sure Janie lives up to his ideals of a model wife, telling her she has to stay home from events such as the mule's funeral because it's not a place for a woman of her status to be. Jody also looks down on the townspeople, saying he wishes they would "git mo' business in 'em and not spend so much time on foolishness" (62). However, he's still so concerned about what they think of him that he fears that there is "nothing to do in life anymore" when they agree with what Janie says about him and see that he's being hypocritical (80).
It also seems that Jody wants Janie to entirely belong to him, to have no action or idea that's unique to her; what makes me think of this is the scene where he hears Janie commenting on the poor treatment of the mule, then sends her away to fetch his shoes while he buys the mule and sets it free. The people of the town respect him for doing that, and it seems like he's benefiting from something he didn't completely think of himself. Janie says a few words about it, mentioning how it's an idea "tain't everybody would have thought of" and comparing him to Abraham Lincoln (58). By likening his freeing a mule to freeing slaves, I wonder if Janie is actually undermining Jody's achievement through her praise. He doesn't seem to notice.
