The theme of isolation is utilized in writing to shape the principal characters and provide a particular vision on some crucial aspects of their identities. Authors such as Nancy Mairs in, “On Being a Cripple” Zora Neale Hurston in, “How it Feels to Be Colored Me” and Sherman Alexie in, “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me”, offer us characterization to set the theme of isolation in their writing. In “On Being a Cripple” Mairs examines the public’s view of the disabled, as well as the views they have of themselves, and compare them to her own. In “How it Feels to Be Colored Me” Hurston discusses how she embraces being a girl of color in a world where people can be very discriminating. In “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” Sherman talks about how reading and writing helped shape his life in a positive way. Every author has their own unique way to express isolation in their writing such as personal experience which provides creditability to the writing and further engages the reader. Sherman, Zora and Nancy, are the principal characters of each story and are portrayed as entirely isolated personalities who, despite the different background and different living conditions, experience similar loneliness and despair. Sherman is an Indian kid who grew up in the Indian Reservation and did not follow the rules that all the Indians had to follow. He mentions that when he states, “A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non-Indians alike” (75). Zora has moved to a new town and is now faced with having to discover how it feels to be black in a world where discrimination is a huge part of society. “I was not Zora of Orange County any more, I was now a littl... ... middle of paper ... ...y, but ultimately achieves the same conclusion of overcoming their individual isolation. They also do a great job of demonstrating their isolation theme in different ways. Being isolated can be demonstrated in writing very effectively when used the right way. Works Cited Alexie, Sherman. “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” Writer’s Presence: A Pool of Readings. 5th ed. Ed. Robert Atawan and Donald McQuade. Boston:Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 73-76. Print Hurston, Zora Neale. “How It Feels to Be Colored Me.” Writer’s Presence: A Pool of Readings. 5th ed. Ed. Robert Atawan and Donald McQuade. Boston:Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 166-170. Print Mairs, Nancy. “On Being a Cripple.” Writer’s Presence: A Pool of Readings. 5th ed. Ed. Robert Atawan and Donald McQuade. Boston:Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 183-193. Print
In her essay “On Being a Cripple,” Mairs describes her path of acceptance of her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis by declaring that she is a “cripple” in alternative to the more broadly acceptable terms: disabled or handicapped. Her essay is written with humor, satire, an open heart, and open eyes. Mair’s purpose is to describe her acceptances of her condition by using rhetorical elements and appeals, such as ethos and pathos, in order to allure her audience.
In the book, The Short Bus, Jonathan Mooney’s thesis is that there is more to people than their disabilities, it is not restricting nor is it shameful but infact it is beautiful in its own way. With a plan to travel the United States, Mooney decides to travel in a Short bus with intentions of collecting experiences from people who have overcome--or not overcome--being labeled disabled or abnormal. In this Mooney reinvents this concept that normal people suck; that a simple small message of “you’re not normal” could have a destructive and deteriorating effect. With an idea of what disabilities are, Mooney’s trip gives light to disabilities even he was not prepared to face, that he feared.
Ethnic group is a settled mannerism for many people during their lives. Both Zora Neale Hurston, author of “How It Feels to Be Colored Me; and Brent Staples, author of “Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space,” realize that their life will be influenced when they are black; however, they take it in pace and don’t reside on it. They grew up in different places which make their form differently; however, in the end, It does not matter to them as they both find ways to match the different sexes and still have productivity in their lives.. Hurston was raised in Eatonville, Florida, a quiet black town with only white passer-by from time-to-time, while Staples grew up in Chester, Pennsylvania, surrounded by gang activity from the beginning. Both Hurston and Staples share similar and contrasting views about the effect of the color of their
How does Zora Neale Hurston’s race affect her approach to life? America has a long history of discriminating certain groups of people, particularly people of color. African-Americans were treated as slaves and was not seen as equal. Although slavery remained a history and was ultimately legally abolished, race still plays a big role in determining superiority today. Author of How it feels to be colored me, Zora Neale Hurston, describes her journey of racial recognition outside her world that reshaped her conception of racial identity that resulted in the prideful embrace of her African American heritage.
Zora Neale Hurston’s personality drives her to be an entertainer and an experienced conversationalist, and she is very well aware that she is charismatic. Zora’s vanity beautifully transcends her race. She relishes in both the positive as well as the negative aspects of being a black woman in this time period. Rather than internalizing the grotesque history that her people have been through, like other black Americans that she has observed, Zora takes the history in stride and tries to use her situation as an opportunity to make the most out of the life she has now. When Zora does encounter racism; however, she deals with it similarly. True to her character, Zora sees people who would avoid her for her skin color as at a loss because, in her words, “How can anyone deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.”
In ‘How it feels to be colored me’ Neale Hurston opens up to her pride and identity as an African-American. Hurston uses a wide variety of imagery, diction using figurative language freely with metaphors. Her tone is bordering controversial using local lingo.
She is trying to deliver the message that her dark skin color does not affect who she is as a person and in no way prevents her from achieving what she wants to achieve. She also says she that her feelings are the same as of the others and in no way different because she is a colored American citizen. She further says that she represents a part of the Great Soul that moves within the countries territories. This quote used by Huston implies her never ending attitude of courage, optimism, and zeal as she refuses to let her past as a young girl dictate her future and also refuses to use the race card to define her character and personality. Additionally, Zora openly embraces and welcomes commencement of her life by not allowing her past and surrounding issues of skin color affect her and prevent her forward progress but rather focuses on the person she intends to become. Referring to herself as a Great Soul surging within the territories implies that irrespective of her skin color, she still considers herself a Great Soul implying she is a wonderful person that is proud of what defines her as a person. She is not willing to allow her past and skin color issue influence the life she wants to live and the person she aspires to
Hurston writes about how she moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and it wasn’t until then that she realized she wasn’t just Zora—she was also colored. She says, “I was not Zora of Orange County any more, I was now a little colored girl” (941). It was after she was thrown against the backdrop of a white community that others made her feel colored. But even though she was made aware of her differences she did not feel any anger about slavery or the discrimination she was faced with. She states, “…I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, n...
In today’s world, humans are exposed to many different types of illness, and diseases’, some are born even born with critical health conditions. But as a matter of fact, that should not change their perception of viewing their life. As Mairs once stated, society prefers being a dead than being crippled. She uses sarcasm to let readers know that despite the fact that many people could offend her, by calling her terrible names and making her feel depressed due to her disability, she does not care. By evoking audience empathetic and showing them that it does not matter that she is crippled, she express gratitude that at least she is alive and able to breath. This is shown in her words: “I want them to see me as a tough customer, one to whom the fates/gods/viruses have not been kind, but who can face the brutal truth of her existence squarely” ( Mairs 1).Mairs’s choice of word and her resilient tone indicate that she is strong even in her weakness. Despite Mairs’s illness, she does not want the society to believe that because she was disabled, they could take advantage of her and treat her unfairly.She also mentions how she wants to be a tough customer, and she uses her strength to make a connection with readers who have a disability like
Janie discovers that she is African American when she sees a picture of herself and asks who that person is. When she was told it was her who had very dark skin, she responded with “Aw, aw! Ah’m colored!” (Hurston Par. 9). For the first time, Janie discovers
Alexie, Sherman. “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.” The Arlington Reader: Context and Connections. 3rd Edition. Eds. Lynn Z Bloom and Louise Z Smith. Boston:
Words and characters represent symbols that contribute to the depth of literacy works, and these symbols vary according to cultural standards. Stemming from the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston’s work presents issues that focus on the disruption of African Americans. from American literature in the nineteenth century forward. Not only did African Americans write about their experiences coming out of slavery, but they also faced spiritual and gender changes, which altered the entire world view of their people. An important writer, Zora Neale Hurston, had “ideas concerning a folktale genre which were characterized chiefly by their reliance upon personified images” thus,
Sherman Alexie in the “Superman and Me” essay wrote “A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non-Indians alike. … We were Indian children who were expected to be stupid.” Alexie’s father, who was an avid book reader, transmitted his passion for reading to his son. At an early age, Alexie taught himself to read. He read as many book as he could come across with. This addiction for books made him very clever and grow quickly. But being a literary genius didn’t fit with the picture of being an Indian child living in a reservation. Alexis desperately fought to escape his Spokane Coeur d’Alene reservation to accede an High School that could offer him a proficient education and opportunistic future. He craved
When you hear the word “cripple,” do you instantly develop a negative image of a person in a wheelchair, who is unable to care for himself or herself in any way? Or do you think of someone with just a minor disability, maybe a physical one, but who still has the brainpower of an average person, such as Stephen Hawking? Both definitely do exist, but it’s a matter of personal perception that affects how you think of inconvenienced individuals. To most people, the life of a cripple seems abstract and unthinkable, but when one writes an essay about her life, it gives new perspective to those who cannot understand it first person. In her essay, “On Being a Cripple”, Nancy Mairs maintains a prideful tone, develops a sympathetic mood within the reader,
Zora Neale Hurston, born in 1891, is considered one of the most inspirational female black activist for her literary contribution to the Harlem Renaissance. Social activist, novelist, folklorist, short story writer, and anthropologist, lived in an era of total discrimination and women degradation. Her literature, in particular, gave insight to what it meant being an African-American between the 1900s to 1960s. But, it was her tenacity and devotion for writing that persevered despite criticism and unrecognition from the white and her own black community. Her life upbringing influenced her perspective which now reflects in her novels, essays, and short stories. The color of her skin also greatly influenced her career as a writer, namely as a