You should NOT attempt to answer these questions in writing before class tomorrow; however, it might be helpful if you thought about them and let them guide your reading tonight. Enjoy!
All of the following questions imply the additional
questions of “How does this help you understand her purpose?” and “How does
this help her communicate her purpose?”
1. Identify
the arguments Hurston counters in this essay. For example, what is the argument
that prompts her to counter, “But I am not tragically colored” in paragraph 6?
2. What
is the effect of Hurston’s metaphor describing the end of slavery in paragraph
7?
3. What
is the purpose of paragraph 8? What is the “dark ghost” she refers to?
4. How
would you characterize the language Hurston uses in paragraph 11 to describe
her reactions to the music in The New World Cabaret?
5. Hurston
divides her essay into four sections. What is the purpose of these divisions?
6. The
term “colored” was considered pejorative even during Hurston’s time. Why does
Hurston use it in her title and throughout her essay? Note other words and
descriptions Hurston uses to refer to skin color. What is she suggesting by the
range of terms she uses?
7. What
is your reaction to the analogy in the concluding paragraph? Is it consistent
with Hurston’s overall tone, or does it induce a different “note”? Does the
final sentence provide an effective ending?
8. Who
do you think Hurston’s audience is in this essay?
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