Summary:
In Richard Wright's autobiographical "Black Boy," a culture of violence was a part of his childhood. His parents beat him, and violence by whites against blacks was common.
Analytical Essay
In the book Black Boy, Richard Wright faces violence almost on an everyday basis. Whether it was from the Whites, bullies trying to steal his money, or even his parents, violence was there. However the older and more educated Wright became the less he had to use violence and the more writing became, for him, a powerful tool.
Early in Wright's childhood, violence was common for him. His parents would often beat him, to chasten him for a wrongdoing. In the first chapter Wright actually hid under a burning house because he knew that if found he would be beaten.
"I would be beaten. I did not care anymore. I knew what was coming" (pg.6)He was beaten, and in fact beaten so badly that he almost died:
"I was lashed so hard and long that I lost consciousness. I was beaten out of my senses and later I found myself in bed, screaming, determined to run away, tussling with my mother and father who were trying to keep me still. I was lost in a fog of fear. A doctor was called - I was afterwards told - and he ordered that I be kept abed, and that I be kept quiet, that my very life depended upon it." (pg.7)
Times were tough during Wright's childhood. He regularly went hungry, as did other children. Gangs walked the streets searching for food and money, picking a weak loner toassail and steal from. This happened to a six year old Wright on more than one occasion.
"They came toward me and I broke into a wild run toward home. They overtook me and flung me to the pavement. I yelled, pleaded, kicked, but they wrenched the money out of my hand. They yanked me to my feet, gave me a few slaps, and sent me home sobbing."(pg.17)
For Wright, violence was taught at an early age. After his row with the bullies, his mother, with much reproof, gave him a stick and told him to go out and fight. In school he had to use brutality as a way to make friends or gain social standing.
Later on he realized how much violence derived from the whites. He started to understand that in order to avoid it, he must act in a certain way. Lynchings were very common in Wright's day; blacks were frequently killed.
At work blacks were treated very disdainfully; they got the worst jobs and many whites didn't want them to work at all. It was almost as if violence against the backs was like a game to the whites. In some cases they did provoke violence merely for entertainment. At one of Wright's jobs his boss actually told him that a black across the street wanted to kill him, just so him and the other whites could watch.
" I wish they'd leave us alone," I said. "I don't wanna fight nobody," Harrison said bashfully, but he kept his hand in his pocket on his knife.
Each of us felt the same shame, felt how foolish and weak we were in the face of the domination of the whites.
"I wish they'd leave us alone," I said.
"Me too," Harrison said.
"There are a million black boys like us to run errands," I said. "They wouldn't care if we killed each other."
"I know it," Harrison said." (pg.239)
Soon after his brawl with Harrison, Wright moved north to Chicago in hopes of a better life. This new environment allowed him to gain more access to books. Making his dreams of becoming a writer more tangible. Books became so important to him that he would've almost rather purchased a book than food. He joined the communist party wanting to act by writing, they want him to do something physically dangerous.
"You'll have to prove you're revolutionary loyalty."
"That's what I"m trying to do through writing."
"That's not the way to do it," he said. "You must act."
Even though Wright grew up and was able to control his anger, violence was still always around him. It was a very dangerous time many people were uneducated and violence seemed to be the only solution. Thankfully a lot has changed since Wright's time. There is still violence and discrimination, but it is much less.
This is the complete article, containing 698 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
