Zora Neale Hurston: How It Feels to Be Colored Me

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This activity contains 3 questions.

Hurston presents herself as happy with who she is, especially with her race. Do you think her experience and attitude are characteristic of most people? Why or why not? What does Hurston see as the advantages for her of being “colored”? Consider Hurston’s presentation of herself from the standpoint of race. How does Hurston use her race to define herself, and how does she use race to convey her attitudes towards both others and towards herself?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Write an analysis of Hurston's essay. Consider its organization into four parts. Identify the focus and point of each part and the connections among the four parts leading to the essay’s main idea. Identify and explain the key images Hurston uses to convey her main idea.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Write an essay in which you explore your identity in terms of gender, race, class, or ethnicity. Try to account for times when you feel especially acutely this aspect of your identity, and times when it seems to disappear or fade into near insignificance.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

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