t Feels to Be Colored Me by Zora Neale Hurston and A Letter From Birmingham Jail are both extraordinary literary works written about African Americans and the racism they face. Their differences-such as their audience, tone, and message- make both pieces unique. Hurston holds a more positive and prideful tone, unafraid of the repercussions of her words as she uplifted her race. Alternatively, King was more measured, attempting to appeal to his audience: white Americans, and more specifically, clergymen.
In both works, racism and prejudice are discussed and disputed. Although the methodology differs, Hurston and King both agree that racism must be eradicated. Additionally, both authors are unafraid of judgment from others for speaking out.
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Hurston's work was written during the Harlem Renaissance, whereas A Letter From Birmingham Jail was written during the Civil Rights Movement. These two time periods hold significantly different perspectives for African Americans. During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans were beginning to assert through literature their pride and hope for future rights. Hurston exemplifies this as she calls herself "cosmic," discloses her surprise at a white man not seeing the impressiveness of Jazz music, and exclaims, "Sometimes I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company!" Conversely, King's letter depicts the attitude of the Civil Rights Movement. African Americans then not only had hope, but they had a campaign driven by their agitation at constantly being denied their innate rights. As a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement, we can see the attitude of the time period as he states, "I am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom," and "It seeks so to dramatize the issue [racism] that it can no longer be ignored." King seeks only one solution: end racial prejudice. King's entire missive is focused completely on the goal of the Civil Rights Movement. While Hurston criticized racism, her work wasn't focused on ending
It is strange that two of the most prominent artists of the Harlem Renaissance could ever disagree as much as or be as different as Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright. Despite the fact that they are the same color and lived during the same time period, they do not have much else in common. On the one hand is Hurston, a female writer who indulges in black art and culture and creates subtle messages throughout her most famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. On the other hand is Wright, who is a male writer who demonstrates that whites do not like black people, nor will they ever except for when they are in the condition “…America likes to see the Negro live: between laughter and tears.” Hurston was also a less political writer than
In paragraphs 12-14 of “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King begins addressing the clergymen’s belief that the peaceful demonstrations conducted by him and his associates were untimely. King starts answering questions frequently heard by opposing or moderate forces, as well as essentially denouncing the resistance to desegregation. King then introduced the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed; concluding that the oppressor is not inclined to act on things that do not directly affect them. Therefore, providing a platform of his argument as to why blacks could no longer wait to be given their basic human rights. Action needed to take place because fair treatment was no longer a hope to be given, it had to be taken.
Paragraph: Published in during the 1900s, at a time when being colored was considered unbeneficial, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” depicts Hurston’s audacious (for the time) pride in being an African-American woman. In order to emphasize her thesis, she employs pathos and figurative
King’s use of many rhetorical devices in these three paragraphs of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” solidify his conviction that segregation needs to be quelled immediately. Dr. King’s explanations justify the demonstrations and protests that he is participating in. Although this was a letter meant for clergymen, Dr. King simultaneously taught all of America a very important lesson: justice is a universal natural right, and when it is denied, it needs to be demanded. Racial equality is the form of justice in this case, as segregation was the culprit that divided society into two racial groups. Thus, Dr. King successfully advocated civil rights through this letter with powerful, clever
Zora Neale Hurston’s “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” can be interpreted as a reverse response of W. E. B. DuBois’ concept of “double consciousness” that he describes in “The Souls of Black Folk.” Hurston shows that not all African Americans experience a sense of double consciousness and that some are instilled with the self confidence required to embrace one’s “blackness.” First, it may be helpful to define consciousness before attempting to explain the notion of double consciousness. Consciousness is defined as the state of being mentally aware of something: oneself, in this essay. Therefore, we can now define double consciousness as the state of an individual being mentally aware of “two selves”: one as you see yourself and the second as
Finally, racism was a major theme, and it was even the cause of the letter’s writing. For example, Dr. King said that though “it is unfortunate that so-called demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham at this time, but . . . it is even more unfortunate that the white power structure of this city left the Negro community with no other alternative” (78), describing how it was racism that forced his actions which led him to be jailed. Dr. King further described the immense racism present at the time by noting that “There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in this nation” (78).
The memoir “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurston, was first published in 1928, and recounts the situation of racial discrimination and prejudice at the time in the United States. The author was born into an all-black community, but was later sent to a boarding school in Jacksonville, where she experienced “race” for the first time. Hurston not only informs the reader how she managed to stay true to herself and her race, but also inspires the reader to abandon any form of racism in their life. Especially by including Humor, Imagery, and Metaphors, the author makes her message very clear: Everyone is equal.
"How it Feels to be Colored Me" was written in 1928. Zora, growing up in an all-black town, began to take note of the differences between blacks and whites at about the age of thirteen. The only white people she was exposed to were those passing through her town of Eatonville, Florida, many times going to or coming from Orlando. The primary focus of "How it Feels to be Colored Me" is the relationship and differences between blacks and whites.
How It Feels to be Colored Me is an essay by Zora Neale Hurston published in the World Tomorrow on May 1928. In the essay she describes her first experience with racism. The purpose of the piece is to show self-confidents and pride in her identity. She shows the reader the positives of embracing your identity and not letting society affect your true selves. Stating “I’m not ashamed to be colored.” (pg.416), meaning that no matter what anyone saying about her being black, she still has pride in herself.
“A Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was written during the peak of the civil rights movement. In the letter, Dr. King uses many rhetorical devices to discuss the racial discrimination that was sweeping the nation. Although Dr. King is presently seen as an American hero, during the Civil Rights Movement he was simply seen as another negro trying to break the social norm. In "Letter From Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King uses many rhetorical devices to counter the arguments made by eight white clergymen.
Even though both Hurston and Hughes grew up around the same time period, they had very different ideals regarding their experience as African American’s as well as a different voice used within their works to convey their ideals. Hurston in her 1928 essay “How it Feels to be Colored Me” describes her childhood and coming of age with a delightful zest that cannot be contained. Although the essay does contain some dark moments such as when she describes her experience with her friend at the jazz club and the sudden realization of the racial difference between her and the other patrons, for the most part the work exudes her keen sense of dignity despite the popular opinion of the masses during that period. Lines in her essay such as “But I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes…I do not belong to the sobbing school of Negrohood who hold that nature somehow has given them a lowdown dirty deal and whose feelings are all hurt about it” (Abcarian, Klotz, and Cohen 812) beautifully express her sense of self dignity and refusal to give in to the negative energies surrounding her race. Despite the many hardships that the color of her skin caused her she was proud and determined to never let that stand in her way of
In the short story “Drenched in Light” by Zora Neale Hurston, the author appeals to a broad audience by disguising ethnology and an underlying theme of gender, race, and oppression with an ambiguous tale of a young black girl and the appreciation she receives from white people. Often writing to a double audience, Hurston had a keen ability to appeal to white and black readers in a clever way. “[Hurston] knew her white folks well and performed her minstrel shows tongue in cheek” (Meisenhelder 2). Originally published in The Opportunity in 1924, “Drenched in Light” was Hurston’s first story to a national audience.
In reading through the works of Zora Neale Hurston, W. E. B. DuBois, and Booker T. Washington, I traveled back in time and felt the pain and suffering of the black folks from the past. The three authors completed their works to the best of their understanding, experiences, and chosen disposition to the matter. While the tones and messages of their works differed from one another, addressing various issues at specific levels of either favouring it or opposing it, Hurston, DuBois, and Washington brought to light a single message: respect the race that had endured so much from the past and yet survived the test of time – the race of African-Americans.
Zora Neale Hurston How It Feels to Be Colored Me is an autobiographical short story wrote in 1926. She takes us back to her childhood youth a time period when racism was prevalent. She
In order to understand both paragraphs I will first explain what both authors life was like during this time. King wrote “Letter in the Birmingham Jail” to address his audience. King started his movements for equal rights in the 1950s. He wrote over 450 speeches and spent years traveling the country. He did this to make a movement and get people to join his cause in a nonviolent way. Many people had crosses burned in their yard and objects thrown at them on the streets. African Americans did not have the same rights as white citizens did. King wanted to convince people that African Americans were the same but kings showed his action through nonviolent actions always. At a motel in Georgia King was assassinated in 1968 and left behind his wife and four children. Years later Kings movements made a difference allowing all