What is Hurston's Attitude Toward Her Life?

What is Hurston's stance on her life? What are the factors that contribute to her point of view? What is her self-definition?
Hurston does not understand the social disparity between people of color and white people until she is taken to school in Jacksonville at the age of thirteen. Previously, to her, the only distinction between colored and white citizens was that whites did not live in Eatonville, Florida (a typical colored-people-only residence). These car owners are only passing by on their way to or from Orlando. Hurston, on the other hand, faces racism on a regular basis in Jacksonville. In spite of occasional instances of racism, she undergoes, she does not seem engrossed with the past ordeals the people of color endured. She comes out as a positive, progress-oriented thinker. One who is not still bitter about the atrocious acts her ancestors went through. Instead, she wonders why anyone wouldn’t want to associate with her.

In fact, Hurston asserts that it takes strength rather than the color of one’s skin to survive the world. At times, her race becomes the highlight of the moment, depending on the nature of the circumstance. Despite those instances of feeling colored, Hurston sees no difference between being an American citizen and being a person of color. In fact, Hurston prides herself as an American who happens to be a person of color, and there is absolutely no basis for discriminating a person against a pigmentation they found themselves possessing. She puts across the view that boundaries established by color should be surpassed because everyone is equal before the eyes of God. Hurston also puts across the opinion that every person has strengths as well as flaws despite their race. Therefore, no race should claim superiority.

Before Hurston leaves Eatonville, she merely is Zora. A young girl who does not pay attention to her skin color. She does not recognize the implication evoked by the differences in people’s skin-pigmentation. Hurston is merely a girl who occasionally enjoys the views of the only white people she knows, passing through her front porch heading to or from Orlando. For her, the white people’s pigmentation is a non-factor. In fact, to her, the only difference between the colored and the white people is that “they rode through town and never lived there” (Hurston 478). Moreover, these white people seem to like her. According to Hurston, the white people enjoyed hearing her “speak pieces” and sing as well see her dancing, to the extent of rewarding her with silver (478). These acts certainly do not highlight discrimination against color.

However, when Zora arrives at Jacksonville, her color of skin suddenly becomes the highlight of her day to day interactions. She says, “I became a fast brown-warranted not to rub nor run” (Hurston 479). This statement portrays the discrimination against color Hurston is facing. In the excerpt, Hurston describes several occasions she feels colored. For instance, she opens up about the time her preference for Jazz music instantly made her feel more colored than ever. Her passion her for Jazz is portrayed through descriptions such as; “This orchestra grows rambunctious, rears on its hind legs and attacks the tonal vein with primitive fury,” and “I yell within, I whoop; I shake my assegai above my head, I hurl it true to the mark yeeeeooww!” (Hurston 480). When Zora is over her temporary trance induced by the Jazz music, her white friend is said to be “sitting motionless, in his seat, smoking calmly’’ (Hurston 480). She notices that her friend is not quite as intrigued as she is. Hurston also asserts that being colored implies getting twice “as much praise or twice as much blame” (479). This statement undoubtedly highlights the racism people of color undergo on daily lives.

In spite of the occasional instances of discrimination against color she comes across, Hurston maintains quite a positive outlook on life as a person of color. She claims that “There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes” (479). In fact, Hurston completely disassociates herself with the usual contempt and bitterness most people of color possess towards the slavery, among other brutal acts, they were subjected to in the past. Hurston does not see the need to “look behind and weep” (479). On the contrary, she attributes survival, in the modern world, to strength with no regard to “pigmentation” (479). Hurston also sheds some light on her view of equality. In the excerpt, she says that “I have no separate feeling about being an American citizen and colored. I am merely a fragment of the Great Soul that surges within the boundaries” (481). This statement undoubtedly highlights Hurston’s view that all Americans are equal regardless of their race.

Hurston further asserts her view that discrimination founded by race is a baseless vice that should be denounced. Hurston employs the analogy of bags of different colors to demonstrate the concept of equality among different races. As per the analogy, when the contents in the brown, white, red, and yellow bags are poured, Hurston claims that the bags all have “a jumble of small priceless and worthless” (481) things. This statement affirms her view that every person, regardless of the race, possesses both strengths and weaknesses. The fact that the said strengths and weaknesses may vary, regarding number and degree, among people of different skin-color does not matter. What matters is the fact that pigmentation is a phenomenon no one has control over. Therefore, in the light of that reality, no race is superior to the other.

Works Cited

Hurston, Zora Neale. "How it feels to be colored me." (1928): 152-55.