How It Feels to Be Colored Me?

How It Feels to Be Colored Me - An Analysis

In 1978, Zora Neal Hurston discussed her experience as an African American in her work on “How It Feels to Be Colored Me”. She is a well-known African American writer who talks about her struggles in the changing times of America.

Being an African and American writer, she puts her heart and soul into writing down the horrors she faced in the community and the complexities she has faced because of society subjected to her being colored.

Today, we will explore her work and see her take on self-awareness, race, equality, identity, and more as we analyse the book.

Background

Born in 1891 in Alabama, Hurston was very bright from early childhood. Later she moves to Florida along with her family at a very young age. Although she was predominantly part of the black community, she was aware of the impact white society had on black families. Her experiences and the things she faced are the main plotlines for most of her stories.

She majorly focuses on themes like race, equality, identity, self-belief and society’s outlook towards people of colour.

How It Feels To Be Colored Me

How it feels to be colored me - talks about the story of Hurston, who was born in Alabama, Eatonville. She never felt uncomfortable or demeaned during her stay there based on her color. This was a small place where everyone knew everyone's business making it a small community but a loved one. This made them feel like a family and brought along all people, and made them feel secure and comfortable.

But this feeding did not last long as they soon moved away into a bigger world. When she moved to the bigger world, this is when she realized how big of an issue her race and colour were. She vividly recalls one of her trips to Jacksonville, where she had her first experience of being coloured. This was when she came to the realization that people perceived her to be different just because she had a different colour.

This was the first incident that she remembers accurately, which further led her to shape her thoughts on racism, colorism, and society as a whole.

Although she faced the differences of being African American yet, she did not let it define her. Rather she said, "I do not always feel coloured. I feel most colored when thrown against a sharp, white background.”

 This depicts that she was not uncomfortable in her skin. But she only felt it when surrounded by other people and their opinion, which made her conscious of her colour.

Although she knows the differences she is facing, she refuses to let society and its terms define her. View Examples

Themes In “How It Feels To Be Coloured Me”

Hurston’s work is very inspirational, and it has moved thousands of people to feel motivated rather than discouraged due to poor treatment by American families. Her work was one of the most successful touchstones regarding topics abutting race, identity, and colorism.

Her views on ignoring societal categorization and not feeling discriminated against Americans uplifted many. In her work, she highlighted that only by listening to those who are oppressed we can know how equality is served in society in reality.

As a child, she didn't know much difference between black and white.  The only difference she thought was that white people did not stay in her "negro town" as they left. Also white people gave her a dime after she danced and singed. She was surprised at this gesture because she thought that she would do it anyway. She wondered why the white people gave her money because the black people didn't.

After she moved, she was no longer” Zara” but instead a "little colored girl." This did not make her feel like a victim, rather, she was angry at how the past has been for African Americans, and she refused to bow down to injustice named in the name of societal norms.

And why should she worry when she dwells on the past while trying to get the most out of life? She believes a better future is ahead of them, so why be sad over past historic events? The future will bring happiness, and success is what she strongly believed in.

Life was not easy for her. She faced differences and lost her mother at a very young age. Regardless she was optimistic and had a positive outlook on life. She knew that if she allowed hate to dwell, she would have difficulty getting it out of her. Her logical, inquisitive nature made her question right and wrong, which ultimately changed her into a rational character.

From a very young age, she knew that violence, hate, inequality, and discrimination were not the answer which made her who she was.

Conclusion

In short, we can say that Zora Neale's "How it feels to be colored me” is a story about a simple girl, and we see how she feels the society to be through her lens. When she was young, she faced the atrocities of discrimination which moulds her thinking and how she views society.

Life is hard, and it was nerve easier for African American societies. However, she refuses to abide by the injustice because they have prevailed in society for so long. In one situation, she wonders" how people can not enjoy her company just because she is of a different color.”

Hurston’s story is a reminder of how Africans are struggling to live under equal terms along with white people. The struggle has not ended, and it shall continue as more and more people become aware of it.

 Although her work was very dominant at that time, we still see black people facing a lot of disadvantages even to this day. Be it in education, societal or political situations, black people still face a lot of harsh behaviour towards them.

Recently we saw the black lives matter movement which was a reminder of how bad the situation is for black people. Even though we are walking towards modernization and acceptance, some people are still subjected to harsh atrocities of injustice due to colorism.

This story is a great reminder for humans to recognize that we work better together as a force. Rather than letting differences divide us, we should focus more on equality and strengthen our forces together for society's goodwill.