Parker Verhoeff

9th Grade English

Mr. Salsich

October 21 2008

The Art of Appreciation
An Analysis of An Essay by Zora Neale Hurston, and My Own Life

Appreciation is found in all walks of life. It is most surely found in Zora Neale Hurston's essay, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me", but I would like to think that it is found in my own life as well. Hurston explains that appreciating yourself is one of the greatest values you can have. Everyone should appreciate themselves no matter what situation you're currently in; if Hurston can so can you!

Hurston has been through tougher times then we will ever be in, and she still managed to keep her composure. She was often discriminated against horribly, and viciously. Even though she has been through all of this, she still manages to write,"How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company! It's beyond me." How anyone could still think that in times of struggle is beyond me! In addition, she was often discriminated against due to the color of her skin. She still pulled through, she was still able to make the best of a tainted society. She exclaims, "I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes.", because she's saying she's not mad that she's African American , she does not have any grudges towards anybody. Hurston thinks in the present, she lets go of the past and appreciates herself for who she is. Hurston explains further;"Slavery was sixty years in the past. [...] Slavery was the price i paid for civilization, and the choice was not with me.", she said this because of what i said before; she lets go of the past and appreciates herself for who she is. These values that she holds dear, should be carried out by everyone more often. Zora Neale Hurston has an incredible appreciation for herself and life in general, which is an exceptional attribute to have.

I would like to think I appreciate myself as much as Hurston appreciates herself. However, I don't have the exact same tenacity to do so, that Hurston had. I'm involved with so many things right now (e.g. school, sports and secondary school) that I haven't taken time out of my day to just appreciate me! I need to start appreciating myself for who I am. As I said before, if Hurston can do it through her struggles, than surely I can. It's not anywhere near as hard for me to have the same appreciation that Hurston did in the late 1920's. I know now that appreciation for one's self is one of the most important values to have, so I will work on it more often. Though, I do appreciate myself in a few aspects of my life. I can play lacrosse, participate in the Pine Point cross country team, start thinking about what I'm going to do next year, have a social life and still maintain decent grades in school . This is crucial to do, because I want to be the best I can be right now, so it can help me in the future. In the long run, I am going to work on this very important attribute, and hopefully improve on it over time.


This art of appreciation is an extraordinary thing to master. Zora Neale Hurston, no doubt, had done this and I hope that I eventually will too. Appreciating yourself is a wonderful thing to do no matter where or who you are.