...reviewed each other’s work, the prospect of Edgar Degas, a devout realist, commenting on Claude Monet’s works of impressionism likely evokes phrases such as ‘stylistic misunderstanding’ and ‘representational disdain.’ Both Claude Monet and Edgar Degas actively sought to achieve some level of worldly representation through their works. They achieved this representation through vastly different methods and fundamentally different brushstrokes. As brushstrokes are to the canvas of the painter, diction is to the pages of an author’s work. The stark and frequently unadulterated realism that Richard Wright, one of the major novelists to emerge from the Harlem Renaissance, is known for, is often contrasted to his contemporary and rival, Zora Neale Hurston’s, more socially appealing racial and human sensuality. Much like Monet and Degas, who aimed to achieve some level of inspiration through their art, Hurston and Wright both actively sought to expand the minds of their audience through socially provoking writing. While no record of contemporary criticism is in existence between Monet and Degas, the same cannot be said for Hurston and Wright. Both authors were passionate about their own methods and styles and rarely shied away from an opportunity to vocalize their opinions regarding the other’s work. Hurston and Wright grew up in diametrically different spheres and shared very little in common regarding early life experiences. As a child, Wright was raised without his father,...
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...Zora Neale Hurston, was born on January 7, 1891. She was born into the family of John and Lucy Ann Hurston; she was one of their eight children. Hurston and her family were originally from Notasulga, Alabama. However, they moved to Florida, when she was just a toddler and Hurston, had little, if no memory, of Notasulga. Many of her writings, reflect the culture and happenings of Eatonville, Florida. Hurston, was anything but a usual African-American woman. She defied numerous odds against her, to complete college, travel past the borders of her home town, and become something more than a poor housewife. Despite all difficulties, Hurston received her associate degree from Howard University, in the year of 1920. A few years later, she would begin working on her bachelors, at Barnard College, were she studied anthropology....
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...How It Feels to Be Colored Me Analysis Paragraph Novelist, Zora Neale Hurston, in her narrative essay, How It Feels to Be Colored Me, describes her childhood struggles with identity. Hurston, as a young girl, was known as “Zora of Eatonville”. Eatonville, a predominantly African American town, was a sort of utopia for Hurston. She did not have to face racial issues until she moved to Jacksonville, where Zora changed the way she viewed both Black and White people. Hurston’s purpose in her essay How It Feels to Be Colored Me is to describe a shift in her views on Blacks, Whites, and herself because of her move to Jacksonville. Hurston adopts a sanguine tone in order to persuade her audience that no matter one’s race, all people are made the same....
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...poets of this time included Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay. These poets not only encouraged African Americans in Harlem and around the world, they also paved the way for many subsequent African American poets. Each poet had a different style of writing and they each wrote about different things. For instance, Langston Hughes’ writing reflected his belief that black culture should be celebrated because it was just as valuable as white culture. Zora Neale Hurston’s writing reflected her belief that her people should be honored. She, like Langston Hughes, believed in celebrating black culture and uplifting the African American society. Lastly, Claude McKay’s writing reflected his belief that black aggression could suppress white supremacy. He wrote fairly militant poems challenging white authority in America. Although these poets each wrote about different topics, their contribution to the African American society will forever be remembered and embraced. To begin with, Langston Hughes embraced the African American community through his work of poetry and writing. In his poetry of “Fine Clothes”, Hughes explained the negative aspects of African American life. It says “If white people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter. If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn't matter either.” (Hughes). In this, he explain that it doesn’t matter what people feel about the black community as a whole, they...
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...Fauset’s “The Sleeper Wakes”, and Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat”, the roles most often appear to have men as dominant, or in charge, figures. However, the typical view of the male figure being dominant and the female being submissive may not be quite as distinct in the above three texts, as first thought. It is even possible that the roles of the dominant and submissive parts are actually switched. The following will show how both the male/female and dominant/submissive combinations may be interchangeable, depending on which aspects are considered. In the stories “The Closing Door”, “The Sleeper Wakes”, and “Sweat”, male figures appear to be the ones that are in control, or dominant, in the situations. The women take direction from men. Throughout their stories it is pervasive that society is male dominated. Although there are many similarities between the stories in this regard, some of the differences are due to social, economic, physical, and moral divisions. These divisions, or aspects, become important in how one may look at domination in these stories. In the story “The Closing Door” by Angelina Weld Grimke, the two divisions that become important in respect to who controls things are physical and economic. Grimke describes the male character, Jim Milton, as being a “brown, good-natured giant” and also “He would reach her, it seemed, in one stride and would pick her up bodily, apron, money and all” (Grimke 94). These two are good examples of how the physical aspect with Jim...
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...She once stated that “It is exclusively a colored town” (Hurston 2). In the town she lived in her colored was inevitable to be recognized by the white community. She had also said “ He is so pale with his whiteness then I am so colored” (Hurston 4). When Mrs.Hurston’s was younger she didn’t quite understand the point of being divided due to her skin color. When she was younger it didn’t feel normal to her because she even said that “I feel almost colored when I am thrown against a white background” (Hurston 4). Society even today has continued to show a degradence in everyone who isn’t white. The Declaration of Independence was very narrow when it came to saying it was for “all men” but they made mistakes that’s why the ended up having to make amendments. Anyone other than the white race was deprived from their american dreams because the founding fathers didn’t make a big enough difference in the first...
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...Zora Neale Hurston is a powerful writer of African American literature. Hurston is closely associated with the Harlem Renaissance and influenced many writers during the time period. In 1928, Hurston’s article “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” was published by The World Tomorrow. The essay argues against the typical ideologies of racial segregation. Hurston states that she “do[es] not belong to the sobbing school of Negrohood” (“How It Feels…”, 1-2) that requires her to internalize past and present injustices faced by African Americans. Hurston later published another article in 1950 titled “What White Publishers Won’t Print”, where she addresses the lack of interest in society about the lives, emotions, and culture of African Americans. White people find their interest sparked by...
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...critical theory today critical theory today A Us e r - F r i e n d l y G u i d e S E C O N D E D I T I O N L O I S T Y S O N New York London Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Routledge Taylor & Francis Group 270 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 Routledge Taylor & Francis Group 2 Park Square Milton Park, Abingdon Oxon OX14 4RN © 2006 by Lois Tyson Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business Printed in the United States of America on acid‑free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number‑10: 0‑415‑97410‑0 (Softcover) 0‑415‑97409‑7 (Hardcover) International Standard Book Number‑13: 978‑0‑415‑97410‑3 (Softcover) 978‑0‑415‑97409‑7 (Hardcover) No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data Tyson, Lois, 1950‑ Critical theory today : a user‑friendly guide / Lois Tyson.‑‑ 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0‑415‑97409‑7 (hb) ‑‑ ISBN 0‑415‑97410‑0 (pb) 1. Criticism...
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...Proceeding for the School of Visual Arts Eighteenth Annual National Conference on Liberal Arts and the Education of Artists: Art and Story CONTENTS SECTION ONE: Marcel’s Studio Visit with Elstir……………………………………………………….. David Carrier SECTION TWO: Film and Video Narrative Brief Narrative on Film-The Case of John Updike……………………………………. Thomas P. Adler With a Pen of Light …………………………………………………………………… Michael Fink Media and the Message: Does Media Shape or Serve the Story: Visual Storytelling and New Media ……………………………………………………. June Bisantz Evans Visual Literacy: The Language of Cultural Signifiers…………………………………. Tammy Knipp SECTION THREE: Narrative and Fine Art Beyond Illustration: Visual Narrative Strategies in Picasso’s Celestina Prints………… Susan J. Baker and William Novak Narrative, Allegory, and Commentary in Emil Nolde’s Legend: St. Mary of Egypt…… William B. Sieger A Narrative of Belonging: The Art of Beauford Delaney and Glenn Ligon…………… Catherine St. John Art and Narrative Under the Third Reich ……………………………………………… Ashley Labrie 28 15 1 22 25 27 36 43 51 Hopper Stories in an Imaginary Museum……………………………………………. Joseph Stanton SECTION FOUR: Photography and Narrative Black & White: Two Worlds/Two Distinct Stories……………………………………….. Elaine A. King Relinquishing His Own Story: Abandonment and Appropriation in the Edward Weston Narrative………………………………………………………………………….. David Peeler Narrative Stretegies in the Worlds of Jean Le Gac and Sophe Calle…………………….. Stefanie Rentsch...
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