Page 76 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

During this period, white people differed
During this period, white people differed
4
from colored to me only in that they rode
from colored to me only in that they rode
through town and never lived there. They liked
through town and never lived there. They liked
to hear me “speak pieces” and sing and wanted
to hear me “speak pieces” and sing and wanted
Identity
to see me dance the parse-me-la, and gave me
to see me dance the parse-me-la, and gave me
generously of their small silver for doing these
generously of their small silver for doing these
things, which seemed strange to me for I wanted
things, which seemed strange to me for I wanted
to do them so much that I needed bribing to
to do them so much that I needed bribing to
stop. Only they didn’t know it. The colored peo-
stop. Only they didn’t know it. The colored peo-
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
ple gave no dimes. They deplored any joyful ten-
ple gave no dimes. They deplored any joyful ten-
dencies in me, but I was their Zora nevertheless.
dencies in me, but I was their Zora nevertheless. Glenn Ligon, Untitled (Four Etchings) (detail), 1992. Suite of 4, softground etching, aquatint, spit bite, and
I belonged to them, to the nearby hotels, to the
I belonged to them, to the nearby hotels, to the sugarlift on paper. Artwork Dimensions, each: 25 x 17.38 inches (63.5 x 44.15 cm). © Glenn Ligon; Courtesy of the artist, Hauser & Wirth, New York, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, Thomas Dane Gallery,
county—everybody’s Zora.
county — everybody’s Zora.
But changes came in the family when I was
But changes came in the family when I was 5
CLOSE READING thirteen, and I was sent to school in Jacksonville.
thirteen, and I was sent to school in Jacksonville.
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
I left Eatonville, the town of the oleanders, as
You might ask students to predict how life I left Eatonville, the town of the oleanders, as
Zora. When I disembarked from the river-boat
will change for Hurston once she moves Zora. When I disembarked from the river-boat London, and Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris
at Jacksonville, she was no more. It seemed that
to Jacksonville. Up until age thirteen, she at Jacksonville, she was no more. It seemed that
I had suffered a sea change. I was not Zora of
was the darling of Eatonville, bringing joy to I had suffered a sea change. I was not Zora of
was the darling of Eatonville, bringing joy to
Orange County any more, I was now a little col-
the passersby. What do students think will Orange County any more, I was now a little col-
ored girl. I found it out in certain ways. In my
be different in a larger city? How might her ored girl. I found it out in certain ways. In my
heart as well as in the mirror, I became a fast
identity be affected? heart as well as in the mirror, I became a fast This image is a detail of Untitled (Four Etchings),
brown—warranted not to rub nor run.
brown — warranted not to rub nor run. a 1992 work by American conceptual artist
Glenn Ligon (b. 1960).
• • •
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING How do Ligon and Hurston capture the
But I am not tragically colored. There is no precarious line between who we are and the
A “sea change” (par. 5) is a profound trans- great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor labels we bear?
formation (the phrase originated in William lurking behind my eyes. I do not mind at all.
1
Shakespeare’s play The Tempest). I do not belong to the sobbing school of Reconstruction said “Get set!”; and the genera-
Negrohood who hold that nature somehow has tion before said “Go!” I am off to a flying start and
given them a lowdown dirty deal and whose I must not halt in the stretch to look behind and
CLOSE READING feelings are all hurt about it. Even in the weep. Slavery is the price I paid for civilization,
helter-skelter skirmish that is my life, I have and the choice was not with me. It is a bully
You might ask students to make a chart seen that the world is to the strong regardless adventure and worth all that I have paid through
listing all the metaphors Hurston uses in of a little pigmentation more or less. No, I do my ancestors for it. No one on earth ever had a
paragraphs 6–10. In the left column of the not weep at the world — I am too busy sharpening greater chance for glory. The world to be won
graphic organizer, students could write the my oyster knife. and nothing to be lost. It is thrilling to think — to
quote and paragraph number; in the right Someone is always at my elbow reminding know that for any act of mine, I shall get twice as
column, they could explain the effect of me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails much praise or twice as much blame. It is quite
the comparison and note whether it is an to register depression with me. Slavery is sixty
extended metaphor. For example, how do years in the past. The operation was successful 1 Period from 1865 through 1877, immediately following the end of
the comparisons contribute to Hurston’s and the patient is doing well, thank you. The slavery and the Civil War. During Reconstruction, ex-Confederate
tone? How do they contribute to her pur- terrible struggle that made me an American out states were readmitted to the Union and Black people in the South
gained some civil rights. However, these rights were restricted during
pose? To what earlier metaphor does Hur- of a potential slave said “On the line!” The the Jim Crow era. — Eds.
ston return at the end of paragraph 7? To 182
give context on this metaphor, you might
tell students that Hurston was Barnard
College’s first Black graduate in 1928.
Students could then divide into small
groups to share their observations, or they 05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315.indd 182 12/10/22 2:33 PM
could turn their findings into a paragraph DIFFERENTIATION
about Hurston’s rhetorical choices in this
section. Scaffolding
TRM Activity Handout Students might be interested in exploring
Hurston’s provocative attitudes toward
A student handout for this activity can be slavery in paragraph 7. You could ask them to
found in the Teacher’s Resource Materials. consider the rhetorical situation here, within
the Harlem Renaissance (and you could call
attention to the meanings of the word
“renaissance”). You could also look at
Hurston’s comments in relation to the idea of
reparations, using the Conversation section in
Chapter 7. Or, you could ask students to raise
counterarguments to Hurston’s claims.
(Students may need help understanding the
foot-race metaphor in the paragraph, too.)
182 chapter 4 / Identity
05_sheatlcte4e_46921_ch04_170a_315_2pp.indd 182 1/20/23 7:44 PM