Looking For Zora
DIANA NYAKUNDI
FRESHMAN COMPOSITION
09/29/10
LOOKING FOR ZORA
In her essay Looking for Zora, Alice walker ventures out to Eatonville Florida to find out more about Zora Hurston. Walker masquerades as Zora’s niece and goes around inquiring on what was the cause of Zora’s death, where her grave is currently, and what was she like, alive. Walker argues that the writer’s undignified and unfamiliar resting place is far less important than the memories and influence she has left behind. The main appeal Walker uses is pathos, to evoke empathy in the audience. In a way, it is seems like she has made it a personal quest to get a stone to put on Zora’s grave as a sign of homage for a great author she was.
The author shows an element of surprise when she find out that Zora died of malnutrition. In surprise she states “ Hell, our condition hasn’t changed any since Phillis Wheatley’s time. She died of malnutrition!(Pg.401)” This sounds incredulous to her, so she seeks to find out from another cause of Zora’s death from a Dr. Benton who was Zora’s doctor. Dr. Benton confirms that Zora died from a stroke. He states “She had a stroke and died in the welfare home” (Pg. 407). Also we can see that the author uses humor. For example, when she goes to look for Zora’s grave, she yells out at the graveyard “ Zora!..I’m here. Are you?” (Pg. 403). She continues to use humor when she converses with Rosalee as they are looking for Zora’s grave. Walker concludes her visit by buying a monument stone and has it engraved then visits where Zora used to live before her illness and death.
I think this was a very interesting piece by Walker. She narrates her journey vividly to show the readers her emotional journey to find out about Zora Hurston. Zora must have been a really interesting person. From the essay, even Dr. Benton kept saying how she always used her mind and she was so intelligent. Today, most scholars, veterans and other people of significance are given a sort of ‘decent’
FRESHMAN COMPOSITION
09/29/10
LOOKING FOR ZORA
In her essay Looking for Zora, Alice walker ventures out to Eatonville Florida to find out more about Zora Hurston. Walker masquerades as Zora’s niece and goes around inquiring on what was the cause of Zora’s death, where her grave is currently, and what was she like, alive. Walker argues that the writer’s undignified and unfamiliar resting place is far less important than the memories and influence she has left behind. The main appeal Walker uses is pathos, to evoke empathy in the audience. In a way, it is seems like she has made it a personal quest to get a stone to put on Zora’s grave as a sign of homage for a great author she was.
The author shows an element of surprise when she find out that Zora died of malnutrition. In surprise she states “ Hell, our condition hasn’t changed any since Phillis Wheatley’s time. She died of malnutrition!(Pg.401)” This sounds incredulous to her, so she seeks to find out from another cause of Zora’s death from a Dr. Benton who was Zora’s doctor. Dr. Benton confirms that Zora died from a stroke. He states “She had a stroke and died in the welfare home” (Pg. 407). Also we can see that the author uses humor. For example, when she goes to look for Zora’s grave, she yells out at the graveyard “ Zora!..I’m here. Are you?” (Pg. 403). She continues to use humor when she converses with Rosalee as they are looking for Zora’s grave. Walker concludes her visit by buying a monument stone and has it engraved then visits where Zora used to live before her illness and death.
I think this was a very interesting piece by Walker. She narrates her journey vividly to show the readers her emotional journey to find out about Zora Hurston. Zora must have been a really interesting person. From the essay, even Dr. Benton kept saying how she always used her mind and she was so intelligent. Today, most scholars, veterans and other people of significance are given a sort of ‘decent’