Colored Me Identity

Identity is like a deciduous tree that goes through all the seasons; it is ever changing. As individuals, we grow and we tend to adapt depending on the circumstances, along with the environment that surrounds us. But, like trees, we also manage to wither, especially when occasional obstacles come our way. We are infinitely being shaped and molded as individuals, as we stroll through the road of life. In Amy Tan 's essay, "Mother Tongue" and Zora Neale Hurston 's piece, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" the authors explores the concept of identity and how their own identities are formed by the embrace of their personal life experiences. Identity can be structured by ethnicity, beliefs, and [society 's] perception. Ethnicity plays a huge role in our society; it categorizes individuals into various sets of groups, depending on their origin and their culture. But, that 's not always the case. Ethnicity can also be conflicting. In Zora Neale Hurston 's essay "How It Feels to Be Colored Me", Hurston reveals how she "suffered a sea change"(1). She grew up in a black community in Eatonville, Florida. But as she turned thirteen years old, she moved to a new school located in Jacksonville, where it was predominantly white. That was when Hurston admitted, "I was not Zora of …show more content…
It does not take one idea, or five traits, or a specific background to determine an individual 's identity. According to Hurston, ethnicity is accompanied by identity. Belief can transform a rotten apple to a fresh apple. It has an ability to open up a whole new perspective. Understanding the main core is the key when making judgements, shift the main focus on perception. The importance of identity allows individuals to have control over themselves, as well as how they treat their surroundings. Cultivating healthy relationships with others starts with learning how to handle oneself by exploring the different and ever changing aspects that makes up one 's