How It Feels to Be Colored Me by Zora Neale Hurston

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How it Feels to be Colored Me
In “How it feels to be colored me” Zora Neale Hurston begins recanting her life in Eatonville, Florida. This little town was a black community and the only white people who ventured in to Eatonville were tourist either coming from or heading to Orlando which was just south of Zora’s home town, Eatonville. The town never gave much attention to the southerners never stopping from chewing sugar cane as they pasted but the Northerners who came through were a different breed. In Eatonville the timid would peer behind curtains, those more venturesome would come on to the porch and watch them past with equal amount of pleasure as the tourist got from surveying the village. Young Hurston was more venturesome then most and rather enjoyed the interaction she had with the occasional visitors. She would sit atop the gate-post as she describes it being her favorite place to sit. It was a “proscenium box for a born first-nighter” the equivalent of a podium on top a stage. She had no fear in letting the tourist she calls “actors” into knowing she liked the show. She would interact with them beginning with waves eventually giving “Speak pieces” the visitors. If a family member happened to come outside in midst conversation she would have to rudely break it off. This is such a reverse from my experiences growing up in the 90s. As a child I was told not to talk to strangers and taught the universal teaching of “Stranger Danger”. I was told stories of child abductions and facts of why I should not accept a ride from anyone if I wasn’t told directly by my parents or grandparents prior. If I was expected to go straight to my grandmothers after school and if I was minutes delayed the prepaid cellphone my parents gave me f...

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...ause we place trust in realtors to help us find a home to have them just promote segregation in this way is disgraceful. Zora mentions herself as “Cosmic Zora” stating at times she belong to no race. I understand this ideal as I am a strong believer in all of us being link by a greater power. The sense of aligning yourself with the universe and its’ energy is an intriguing one to me. Leaving behind social class, ethnicity, political stance and focusing on living and enjoying the time we are given on earth. I know as much as anyone that this is very idealistic. If such an event occurred there probably won’t be progression in civilization. In moments of discrimination Zora just asks herself “How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me” a phrase I will now repeat to myself if I ever am discriminated against or given rejection in the future.

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