There are different ways to reveal meaning in a literary work. The first method we will use is reader-response. This is a subjective way to understand and interpret a literary work. Reader-response includes sharing impressions of a literary work. The purpose of reader-response in this course is to familiarize ourselves with the literary work and to thoughtfully and critically interact with the work. To that end, complete the following:
- Share your general impressions of “How it Feels to be Colored Me” by answering at least one of the questions below.
What did you think about the work?
Did you like or dislike the work? Why?
What was your experience when reading the work?
Did you relate to the work—setting, characters, plot—in any way? How so?
Another way is to learn about the context of the work. Context is information about or related to the work. Learning about the context can help us better understand the meaning of a work. To that end, after reading “Harlem Renaissance. American Literature and Art” and “About Zora Neale Hurston”, post two items of information that you learned about the context of “How it Feels to be Colored Me”.
Harlem Renaissance | Definition, Artists, Writers, Poems, Literature, & Facts | Britannica
