Olivia's Essay

Olivia Denison

Mr. Salsich

English 9

23 October 2008

Appreciation for yourself and life

The idea of appreciation in Zora Neale Hurston’s essay and your own attitude toward yourself

1. Zora Neale Hurston, who wrote the essay, “How it Feels to be Colored Me”, has great appreciation for her life although this is difficult, because some people discriminate against her. 2. She mostly focuses on how she feels and her actions make her feel that way. 3. But Ms. Hurston has an attitude and strength that most people wouldn’t have if faced with the same level of discrimination, which makes her unique. 4. She is happy no matter what ever happens to her and walks down the street with her head held high saying, “Hello world!"

(TS) People like Ms. Hurston, who lived in the same time and were black probably wouldn’t have much appreciation for themselves, not only because they were black, but also because they were portrayed as just being children of slaves that no one cares about. (SD) However, these people had much more substance than that. (CM) Ms. Hurston appreciated her life in a way nobody else did and she lets nothing get to her. (CM) Nobody can tell her what to feel or what to do, “Peggy Hopkins Joyce on the Boule Mich with her gorgeous raiment, stately carriage, knees knocking together in a most aristocratic manner, has nothing on me.” (SD) As a little girl she lived in Eatonville, Florida and as the travelers would pass she would wave and start conversations with complete strangers. (CM) She enjoyed doing this, because even though she was embarrassing herself and other people found it amusing, she didn’t care what others thought. (CM) Everyone would curiously watch for the reactions of the travelers to her, because the Eatonville neighborhood was mostly all black and the travelers were almost always white. (SD) When she moved to Jacksonville in her mid-teens, she felt like she, “was now a little colored girl.” (CM) While in Jacksonville, she went to a jazz bar where there were white people that would talk about “any little nothing”, and when the music started to play and the white man next to her said, “Good music they have here.”(CM) But Ms. Hurston feels differently about the music. On the outside, the music wildly excites her, but she doesn’t show how she feels on the outside. (CS) Ms. Hurston appreciates the smallest and the strangest things in life, but they all matter to her.

(TS) I have experienced a lot over the past four years of my life and in just starting the fifth, I’ve begun to recognize and appreciate a lot of things about myself. (SD) I realize and I appreciate that I’m passionate, caring and loyal. (CM) These are all good qualities that I would like to share with other people that have these same qualities. (CM) I can’t choose between the three qualities that I listed, because they are all equally admirable traits and I appreciate having all of them. (SD) I appreciate every time I feel an emotion toward something. (CM) I love it when I let go a big booming laugh and everyone looks at me with an expression that says, “Like what is so funny?” It is exhilarating to feel the vibrations in your chest and to know that you are alive and are experiencing the moment. (CM) The two other emotions that I identify are confusion and sadness. Although they might not be the most satisfying emotions in the world, it is still good to feel them, because they are heartfelt. (SD) I’ve evolved and matured from the years that I once thought I had to wear make-up and be someone I’m not. (CM) I am now a freshman in high school and over that summer I realized that I’m pretty the way I am and that my personality is fine. If people can’t accept me as I am, too bad, they’ve missed out. (CM) I realize now that if people don’t like me because of what I wear, say, do or look, then those people don’t matter. (CS) I appreciate who I am, with or without make up and definitely appreciate myself more when being myself and not the person others want me to be.

1. No matter what people think of you, who you are, or what you do, you should appreciate life. 2. Even though life sometimes doesn’t turn out like you thought it would, you could learn something from the things that you’ve done, right or wrong. 3. Appreciate everything in life as Ms. Hurston did, maybe even make fun of yourself along the way as she did. 4. Appreciate who you are, both inside and out and appreciate those experiences that have shaped what you’ve become.