Page 75 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

TRM Lesson Plan
How It Feels to Be Colored Me A lesson plan for this text can be found in chapter 4
A lesson plan for this text can be found in
the T
eacher’
s Resour
ce Materials.
Zora Neale Hurston the Teacher’s Resource Materials.
Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960) came to prominence in the 1920s TRM Text Talk Video and Podcast
alk featuring the authors of
ext T
A T
during the Harlem Renaissance, a period of enormous creativity of A Text Talk featuring the authors of The
Language of Composition
African American artists, writers, and musicians. A novelist, Library of Congress, LC-DIG-van-5a52142 Classic Essay Language of Composition in a roundtable
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
discussion of the rhetorical features and
folklorist, and anthropologist, she first gained attention with her discussion of the rhetorical features and
pedagogical approaches to this text is
short stories, including “Sweat” and “Spunk.” She is best known for pedagogical approaches to this text is
available in both video and podcast form.
her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), set in Eatonville, available in both video and podcast form.
Both formats can be found in the Teacher’s
Florida, where Hurston grew up; the town was the first incorporated Both formats can be found in the Teacher’s
Resource Materials.
African American community in the United States. She attended Howard University and Resource Materials.
won a scholarship to Barnard College in New York City, living in Harlem throughout the TRM ELL Essential Guide Handout
1920s. Toward the end of her life, Hurston remained out of the public eye; she was buried in
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
eading
An ELL Essential Guide for this r
an unmarked grave in Florida. An ELL Essential Guide for this reading
eacher’
s Resour
ce
can be found in the T
can be found in the Teacher’s Resource

KEY CONTEXT Hurston is a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance, an artistic movement Materials.
Materials.
spanning the 1920s and 1930s that celebrated Black life and culture. Most of her writing takes place
in the American South, where Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation from the 1870s through the TRM Vocabulary Handout
V
cises based on
ocabulary in Context exer
1960s. “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” was first published in The World Tomorrow , a progressive Vocabulary in Context exercises based on
eading can be
om this r
ds fr
challenging wor
political magazine that was an encouraging home for Harlem Renaissance writers, in May 1928. challenging words from this reading can be
found in the T
s Resour
found in the Teacher’s Resource Materials.
eacher’
ce Materials.
d b
e
am colored but I offer nothing in the way of The front porch might seem a daring place
y of
am color
a
ut I offer nothin
g in the w
The front porch might seem a daring place
I extenuating circumstances except the fact that
I extenuating circumstances except the fact that for the rest of the town, but it was a gallery seat
for the rest of the town, but it was a gallery seat
for me. My favorite place was atop the gate-
I am the only Negro in the United States whose for me. My favorite place was atop the gate- BUILDING CONTEXT
I am the only Negro in the United States whose

post. Proscenium box for a born first-nighter.
n
n
ot
an
ot
grandfather on the mother’s side was not an post. Proscenium box for a born first-nighter.
grandfather on the mother’s side was not an
Indian chief. Not only did I enjoy the show, but I didn’t mind If students are unfamiliar with the Harlem
Indian chief.
Not only did I enjoy the show, but I didn’t mind
e unfamiliar with the Harlem
If students ar
I remember the very day that I became col- the actors knowing that I liked it. I usually Renaissance, you might have them do
the actors knowing that I liked it. I usually
I remember the very day that I became col-
Renaissance, you might have them do
spoke to them in passing. I’d wave at them
ored. Up to my thirteenth year I lived in the little spoke to them in passing. I’d wave at them some quick research into the social context
ored. Up to my thirteenth year I lived in the little
esear
some quick r
ch into the social context
and when they returned my salute, I would
Negro town of Eatonville, Florida. It is exclu-
Negro town of Eatonville, Florida. It is exclu- and when they returned my salute, I would and some of its other prominent figures,
es,
ominent figur
and some of its other pr
sively a colored town. The only white people I
,
sively a colored town. The only white people I say something like this: “Howdy-do-well-I- such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay,
such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay
say something like this: “Howdy-do-well-I-
thank-you-where-you-goin’?” Usually automo-
Nella Larsen, and Duke Ellington. You might
knew passed through the town going to or com-
knew passed through the town going to or com- thank-you-where-you-goin’?” Usually automo- Nella Larsen, and Duke Ellington. Y ou might
ing from Orlando. The native whites rode dusty
ing from Orlando. The native whites rode dusty bile or the horse paused at this, and after a also have them research the terms for race
bile or the horse paused at this, and after a
esear
ch the terms for race
also have them r
of the time, noting dif
horses, the Northern tourists chugged down the
queer exchange of compliments, I would prob-
fer
ent meanings and
horses, the Northern tourists chugged down the queer exchange of compliments, I would prob- of the time, noting different meanings and
sandy village road in automobiles. The town
sandy village road in automobiles. The town ably “go a piece of the way” with them, as we connotations within the time period. As
ably “go a piece of the way” with them, as we
connotations within the time period. As
knew the Southerners and never stopped cane say in farthest Florida. If one of my family hap- they r ead, students could pay attention to
say in farthest Florida. If one of my family hap-
knew the Southerners and never stopped cane
they read, students could pay attention to
the dif
fer
ent terms Hurston uses, beginning
pened to come to the front in time to see me, of
chewing when they passed. But the Northerners
chewing when they passed. But the Northerners pened to come to the front in time to see me, of the different terms Hurston uses, beginning
with the essay’
s title.
were something else again. They were peered at
were something else again. They were peered at course negotiations would be rudely broken with the essay’s title.
course negotiations would be rudely broken
cautiously from behind curtains by the timid. off. But even so, it is clear that I was the first
off. But even so, it is clear that I was the first
cautiously from behind curtains by the timid.
The more venturesome would come out on the
The more venturesome would come out on the “welcome-to-our-state” Floridian, and I hope
“welcome-to-our-state” Floridian, and I hope
the Miami Chamber of Commerce will please
porch to watch them go past and got just as
porch to watch them go past and got just as the Miami Chamber of Commerce will please
much pleasure out of the tourists as the tourists take notice.
much pleasure out of the tourists as the tourists
take notice.
got out of the village.
got out of the village.
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CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING CLOSE READING
Students might need help recognizing Hur- Key Passage. The highlighted text is a rich
ston’s tone in the first paragraphs: she uses passage suited for close reading. Students
some sly humor, especially in paragraph 3. can annotate this key passage in the book’s
You might begin by reading aloud the first digital platform, or you can print it to be
four paragraphs. Before doing so, you could annotated by hand.
ask the class to pay attention to her tone and
to try to characterize it, and to write down TRM Annotation Handout
any questions or impressions they might A student handout for annotating this text can
have. You may want to note for them that her be found in the Teacher’s Resource Materials.
tone changes throughout the essay. Addition-
ally, students might have questions about a
“Proscenium box” (and the theater metaphor
that extends to the next sentence and to
paragraph 4). If you are not familiar with this
context, it may be useful to perform research
of your own.
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