My responses

1.  This quotation is important because it leads into the second part of the chapter where Nanny and Janie talk and fight about her and marrage.  Its also important because it sets the backlight for the later quotation, [pg 17] "so de white man throw down the load and tell the nigger man tuh pic it up.  He pick it up because he have to, but he don't tote it.  He hand it to his womanfolks.  De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see.  Ah been prayin' fuh it tuh be diffrent wid you.  Lawd, Lawd, Lawd."

2.  This quotation is important because it mocks the traditional idea of the loyal wife with her husband and replaces it with the idea of the relaxed and happy wife (or ex-wife)