Traditional human existence encounters immense and minute transformations in predominant viewpoints that directly influence subsequent proceedings as individuals embark on an exploration of lucid self-expression to explore personal identity. Literary pieces produced during periods of revolution to achieve equality and thriving cultural progress as artistic innovations, primarily in the Harlem Renaissance, deliberately communicate the liberation of individuals often portrayed as characters. The novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, composed by American folklorist and author Zora Neale Hurston, describes Janie Crawford's arduous situation in realizing her visions of living without strings attached while searching for a compassionate and genuine companion. Zora Neale Hurston's unique childhood experiences described in "How it Feels to Be Colored Me," in addition to her use of dialect as a literary technique, provided an authentic basis for character development and the central purpose of existence. as self-realization. Zora Hurston's Childhood and Adolescence The years she spent as an African-American woman residing in a highly discriminatory society significantly influenced Hurston's perspective and compositional dynamics. In Hurston's self-introduction, she says, "I remember the very day I became colored ("How does it feel to be colored me"). This personal experience is directly related to the protagonist of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie Mae Crawford, when she cannot identify with a photograph containing a single African American child. Basically, Janie is the direct representation of Hurston in the literary work that exemplifies identical perceptions. .How it feels to Be Colored Me” in addition to the use of literary technique composed of dialect provided an authentic basis for character development and the central purpose of existence as a reader, I was captured by the passionate determination and Janie's enduring success in finding true happiness for herself, ignoring belittlement and failed relationships. True happiness is only discovered in times of self-acceptance and ambition that define humanity as relentless in moving forward in a positive direction. , but we as beings must choose to live and not simply exist. The spirit of Zora Hurston will forever enshrine this masterpiece as it constitutes a staple of American literature. Works Cited “Zora Neale Hurston Biography – Extended.” Lakewood Public Library (Lakewood, Ohio). Network. February 28. 2011. .