About the Author
What year was Zora Neale Hurston born?
1891
What major theme does Hurston explore regarding her racial identity?
Pride and individuality
What literary device does Hurston use when she describes herself as “the only Negro in the United States whose grandfather on the mother’s side was not an Indian chief”?
Hyperbole
Finish this quote: “I do not weep at the world—I am too busy __”
sharpening my oyster knife.
During which time period did Hurston write this essay?
1920s—Harlem Renaissance
Hurston was a key figure in what 1920s cultural movement?
Harlem Renissance
Hurston compares herself to what object to describe the uniqueness of identity?
A brown paper bag stuffed with random bits and pieces
The essay frequently shifts between formal and conversational tones. What is this an example of?
Code-switching or tonal shifts
What does Hurston mean when she says,
“I am not tragically colored”?
She refuses to see her racial identity as a limitation.
How did Hurston’s views on race differ from some of her Harlem Renaissance peers?
She focused more on self-empowerment than on racial struggles.
What is the name of the Hurston’s most famous novel?
Their Eyes Were Watching God
How does Hurston describe her awareness of race before and after moving from Eatonville?
She became aware of racial differences only after leaving her all-Black hometown
Hurston’s imagery about “a sharp white background” contrasts with her dark skin.
What literary device is this?
Juxtaposition or contrast
What emotion does she feel when listening to jazz music?
A deep, spiritual connection to her Black heritage.
What kind of town was Eatonville, Florida, where Hurston grew up?
One of the first self-governing all-Black towns in the U.S.
In addition to being a writer, Hurston was also an anthropologist. What did she study?
African American folklore and culture
What is Hurston’s attitude toward racism in this essay?
She acknowledges its existence but refuses to be victimized by it.
The world to be won and nothing to be lost” is an example of what literary device?
Optimistic diction and parallelism
What does Hurston mean by “I have no separate feeling about being an American citizen and colored”?
She sees her identity as both Black and American as natural and inseparable.
How did some Black intellectuals react to Hurston’s perspective on race?
Some criticized her for not emphasizing racism and oppression enough.
Where did Hurston grow up, the setting of her early life reflections in the essay?
Eaton, Florida
How does music symbolize racial identity in the essay?
She describes listening to jazz and feeling deeply connected to her Black heritage.
The phrase “I am not tragically colored” directly rejects what common stereotype?
The idea that Black identity is inherently a burden or a struggle.
When Hurston writes,
“Slavery is sixty years in the past,” what argument is she making about her personal identity?
She acknowledges history but refuses to let it define her present self.
Why was Hurston’s work largely forgotten after her death?
She fell out of favor during the Civil Rights era but was rediscovered in the 1970s.