Question

Reread the following section.

For instance at Barnard. "Beside the waters of the Hudson, I feel my race. Among the thousand white persons, I am a dark rock surged upon, overswept by a creamy sea. I am surged upon and overswept, but through it all, I remain myself. When covered by the waters, I am; and the ebb but reveals me again."

Question
What point does Hurston make with the metaphor she develops in paragraph 10?
Select one:
a. Hurston sometimes feels overwhelmed by the way others see her.
b. Hurston's own identity remains intact despite external circumstances.
c. Hurston fears that her racial identity will be eroded by her surroundings.
d. Hurston's feelings about her color cannot be easily washed away by outside forces.

Answer 1

Hurston uses the metaphor of herself as a “dark rock” in a “creamy sea” to convey the idea that her identity remains intact amid a predominantly white environment.

It's a powerful expression of her resilience and unyielding sense of self, which aligns with her views on racial pride and self-reliance.

Step-by-step explanation:

Zora Neale Hurston makes the point with her metaphor that although she is amid a predominantly white environment and feels the cultural and racial difference deeply (“Beside the waters of the Hudson, I feel my race”), her own identity remains firm and unaltered despite these external factors (“I am surged upon and overswept, but through it all, I remain myself”).

Hurston is asserting her strong sense of self and resilience, likening herself to a “dark rock” that withstands the surging “creamy sea” of the people around her. This metaphor not only emphasizes the enduring nature of her identity but also her belief in the strength and value inherent in her racial heritage.

Considering Hurston's pride in African-American culture and her views on self-reliance and identity, as reflected in her works and her opposition to the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the metaphor supports the understanding that her identity endures despite being “covered” by the dominant white culture around her.