Cora Unashamed

1. Cora Unashamed by Erica, Julia, Raechel, and Sam

2. Conflict • In the story Cora Unashamed, there were a few conflicts. The main was how Cora was a made more as a slave then family but she gets paid. The whole time she was there they always called her the “N” word. I think Cora being apart of the only black family in Melton made her feel she

3. Biographical Information Langston Hughes born on February 1st 1902 in Joplin, Missouri, he specialized in poetry but also wrote plays. Among the short stories is Cora unashamed is about the hardships and mistreatment of a female african american which was not the only piece of work based on african americans by Hughes, considering that he was one of the first to use jazz rhythms and dialect to depict the life of urban blacks in his work which is what Cora is the story, an urban black woman. His purpose of writing about blacks was to”address the racial issue” which is what Cora unashamed is about as well as based on. This Story did exactly what Langston Hughes intended. It addressed the racial issues similar to his other stories as well as poems.

4. Historical Context Described in the story was the I.W.W “Everybody said he was an I.W.W Cora didn’t Care.” At this time in the early 1900s workers of the world lead by William D. Haywood he described this organization as the “first continental congress of the working class.” All this meant was that this organization was mainly unskilled middle class workers. It welcomed all working people including women, immigrants, minorities( african americans), and even the unemployed. This provided a lot of help for financially troubled people such as Cora and her family at the time even though she never really was part of the I.W.W.

5. HIstorical Setting Melton was according to the story, smaller than a town but larger than a village it was also one of the poorest small towns near the south and also according to the story this unwealthy small town was having trouble with trade and getting supplies because Melton was 150 miles away from the closest concrete jungle(city) causing their financial issues to become greater which explains why the organization of I.W.W was also very involved in Melton because of all the financially challenged people.

6. Literary Criticism • Hughes dramatizes Cora’s self-assurance and her courage by contrasting her with the wealthy Studevant women for whom she works as a domestic in a small rural town, Melton. • While Studevant women are hypocritical, elitist, insensitive Cora is humble, strong, and generous, particularly with her sincere love for people • Hughes use natural imagery to suggest Jessie’s and Cora’s wholesomeness as opposed to the narrow mindedness and unnaturalness of Mrs. Studevant, her mother and older daughter. • A moving portrayal of the interrelationship between race, culture, and gender, Cora Unashamed dramatizes how the Studevant women’s elitism and insensitivity cause them to ignore Jessie and motivate their attempt to instill their cultural values in Jessie

7. Theme • The theme of Cora Unashamed is that even though you have the racial superiority, the wealth, and the reputation you have nothing without love, and compassion for people close to you. (Cora) • “ Cora was like a tree once rooted, she stood, in spite of storms and strife, wind, and rock, in the Earth”