Reading Response #4 - Zora Neale Hurston, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me, " Informal Essay - Develope Different Way of Seeing
How It Feels to Be Colored Me, written by Zora Neale Hurston.
Occasionally, once in a great while, a unique person comes along. Zora Neale Hurston was one of those bigger than life people. She would have told you so herself. She was just as she should have been. She was, "Zora."
When she was young, Zora was already full of who she was, with strong hints of the amazing person she would become. She did not notice the differences between the racial societies. Her hometown, of Eatonville, FL., was an all black community. She felt the only difference between the whites and the blacks were the whites did not live in Eatonville. They would only pass through on their way to Orlando. She appointed herself as the person to greet these people. The welcoming wagon to Eatonville. She would then entertain them in various ways. She would dance or talk her talk. The white people would reward her with silver, even though that was not her goal. She performed for the joy of entertaining, and the celebration of who she was. She was “ZORA, ” when she was young, and she was, “The Cosmic Zora,” when she was older. Always unique and remarkable to everyone, including herself.
She spent her childhood believing all people are the same. That changed when she left her hometown when she was thirteen. She learned on the boat ride to Jacksonville, FL, the world saw her as the little colored girl. Later she writes someone was always reminding her that she was the granddaughter of slaves. Her personality was so full of who she was, and where she was going, she didn’t have time to wine about the past. She was on her way, not stuck in the past because of where her race had been. Zora saw her ancestor's past history of slavery, just that way, in the past. Long gone and yesterday's newspapers. It was how her race was brought to civilization, once slavery was abolished. She saw a big future filled with endless possibilities. These words Zora wrote show great
Occasionally, once in a great while, a unique person comes along. Zora Neale Hurston was one of those bigger than life people. She would have told you so herself. She was just as she should have been. She was, "Zora."
When she was young, Zora was already full of who she was, with strong hints of the amazing person she would become. She did not notice the differences between the racial societies. Her hometown, of Eatonville, FL., was an all black community. She felt the only difference between the whites and the blacks were the whites did not live in Eatonville. They would only pass through on their way to Orlando. She appointed herself as the person to greet these people. The welcoming wagon to Eatonville. She would then entertain them in various ways. She would dance or talk her talk. The white people would reward her with silver, even though that was not her goal. She performed for the joy of entertaining, and the celebration of who she was. She was “ZORA, ” when she was young, and she was, “The Cosmic Zora,” when she was older. Always unique and remarkable to everyone, including herself.
She spent her childhood believing all people are the same. That changed when she left her hometown when she was thirteen. She learned on the boat ride to Jacksonville, FL, the world saw her as the little colored girl. Later she writes someone was always reminding her that she was the granddaughter of slaves. Her personality was so full of who she was, and where she was going, she didn’t have time to wine about the past. She was on her way, not stuck in the past because of where her race had been. Zora saw her ancestor's past history of slavery, just that way, in the past. Long gone and yesterday's newspapers. It was how her race was brought to civilization, once slavery was abolished. She saw a big future filled with endless possibilities. These words Zora wrote show great