Zora Neal Hurston
Student of Franz Boas (founder of modern Anthropology,
scientific study of human development and society) ethnography�you have to go
out in the field and observe (before you theorize) primitive vs.
�civilized� culture
We define ourselves through biases and cultural constructions/preconceptions
�How it feels to be colored me?�
White uplift/support governmental interference?�she opposed
Do we know what we�re missing? Loss of soul/culture amenable to development of soul/spirit in the modern industrialized society
�The native whites rode dusty horse� natives? Primitives or people native to place?
�got just as much pleasure out of the tourists as the tourists got out of the village.�reciprocity�the �natives� are just interested in the �native� tourists
Zora between Eatonville and greater world�defined by herself
�brown specter� for whites�white guilt
As �black� she is in complete freedom to define herself, instead of being defined by history
�the veneer we call civilization�Zora�we all have this false veil we wear to control/mask our �primitive� primal reality American �high culture� has lost its connection with the soul/emotions/authentic identity beyond the mask of supposed education
Culture is organic�cannot change it overnight with legislation
Langston Hughes��A Dream Deferred�
Pessimistic�very visual-imagery
Both have nice jazz-like rhythms (not standard rhyme)
Ultimate message to whites and blacks: not achieving cultures�explosion? Riots? Revolution? Crime? Drugs�creation of permanent under-class, hopelessness
What would Zora say to Langston? What is your dream? Is it too materialistic? Or too individualistic? What�s happened to that organic community? Consumer society?
Last Modified 7/1/23