Alienation

In How It Feels To Be Colored Me, Zora Neale Hurston responds to her alienation by writing an essay that celebrates her uniquess and pride rather than creating an essay about racial injustices like many other essays. Hurston justifies her individuality through the sentence "I am colored but I offer nothing in the way of extenuating circumstances except the fact that I am the only negro in the United States whose grandfather on the mother's side was not an Indian chief" (812). By inserting the word "only," Hurston separates herself from all the other blacks in America, implying that she is truly different because Indian blood does not run through her veins. Her heritage really reflects that although Hurston may be different, she does not consider it a disadvantage. Another way she responds to her alienation is when she says, "At certain times I have no race, I am me. Hurston does not want to conform to a race, to a color but she tries to be herself. In this essay Hurston shows self-confidence and self-veneration. Her work makes it clear that she wants to be recognized as an individual rather than being seen as just another "negro." This seperates her from the rest of her race because unlike them she want to just be noticed as her own person rather just being known as another negro she wants to stand out. In Two Ways To Belong in America, both the sistesrs have different responses to their alienation in America. Mira responded to her alienation because she was upset that immigrants needed to be a citizen. As stated, “This is such an unfair way to treat a person who was invited to stay and work here because of her talent.” (Page 274). Mira did not agree with becoming an citizen because she wanted to stay India instead of becoming American. Unlike Mira, Bharati embraced the idea of becoming a citizen. “She is happier to live in America as expatriate Indian than as an immigrant American. I need to feel like a part of the community I have adopted...”(825). She was