Zora Neale Hurston How It Feels To Be Colored Me

Okay, let’s talk about Zora Neale Hurston. Specifically, her essay "How It Feels To Be Colored Me." You know, the one everyone reads in high school?

I’m going to say something maybe a little controversial. Maybe even…unpopular. Don't hate me!

The Joyful Jolt

Hurston's perspective? Honestly, I kind of dig it. She doesn't dwell on victimhood.

Instead, she's like, "Yeah, I'm Black. And?" It's refreshing, isn't it?

She describes this moment of realization. Bam! It hits her in Jacksonville, Florida. But it doesn't crush her.

She doesn't suddenly become a sad, tragic figure. Instead, she feels…different. Interesting.

I think she embraces this difference. And maybe, just maybe, enjoys it a little.

Jazz and Juxtaposition

The jazz club scene? Come on, that’s iconic! White patrons are just…listening. Hurston? She *feels* the music.

The music flows through her. It moves her. She is connected to her primal self.

It highlights this fascinating divide, right? Some feel, some observe.

It's not necessarily about superiority. It is about experiencing the world differently.

The "Cosmic Zora"

And then she talks about throwing her spirit against the sky. This "cosmic Zora" bit?

It's wonderfully strange! It's almost like she's saying race is irrelevant on a grand scale.

We're all just stardust. Floating around. Trying to make sense of things.

She is like, race is a social construct. It exists, sure, but it doesn't define her.

The Bag of Miscellany

The whole “bags of colored bits” metaphor? Okay, that’s a bit weird. I admit it.

She compares everyone to a bag of random stuff. It doesn't matter the color of the bag!

But think about it. Aren't we all just a bunch of random quirks and experiences?

Maybe she's onto something. Underneath the surface, we are all just a complex collection of memories and emotions.

Unpopular Opinion Time

Here comes the really unpopular opinion. Brace yourselves!

Sometimes, I think we get too caught up in the "struggle." We focus so much on the pain. We forget the joy.

And Zora Neale Hurston, in this essay, reminds us to find the joy. Even in the face of adversity.

She isn't dismissing the challenges. She is choosing to focus on something else. The power within.

She’s choosing to find the music, the dance, the cosmic connection.

Maybe that’s why "How It Feels To Be Colored Me" still resonates. It is not about anger. Or resentment.

It's about resilience. And self-acceptance. And a whole lot of fabulousness.

So, yeah. I like it. I really, really like it.

Don't @ me. Please.

I said what I said. Now go read Zora Neale Hurston for yourself! You might be surprised.