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zora neale hurston

March 3, 2003 12:35 PM posted by : track it (0)

Zora Neale Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama January 7th, 1891. A year or so later her family moved to Eatonville, Florida. The first all black town in the US. The community of Eatonville had a great influence on her life and writing. She spent most of her life, from a very young age, traveling, studying, and living life. Zora portrayed women as she portrayed all people, as they truly are. No smoothing over the wrinkles, and no sweeping things under the rug. So women who were weak and stupid were portrayed as such, but women who were strong and intelligent were given the same treatment. One of her best loved characters, Janie, is just this type of woman, from her most well known novel, 'Their eyes were watching God'. Zora also wrote during an era where women writers were not given much credit, and she was known to use the pseudonym "Neale Hurs". Being a black woman during that time certainly made things more difficult. She was very involved in the Harlem Rennaissance, known for her cocked hat, and shocking habit of smoking in public, Zora made friends with such notable people as Langston Hughes, Arna Bontemps, and Jessie Fauset.

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men.
Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly.
So the beginning of this was a woman and she had come back from burying the dead."

Zora Neale Hurston's works are brilliant glimpses into the mind of a woman who lived life for what it was, who wanted nothing more than to have "...a busy life, a just mind and a timely death.". She lived as she wrote, to the fullest. She wasn't just a writer, but also an anthropoligist who brought to light the folklore, and culture of nations that before her there had been little study of. She brought new, exciting views of the world through her poetic words, and is a shining example of what it is to be a woman. Intelligent, driven, and confident.

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Ye-a-uh!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Anna on May 28, 2004 11:36 AM |