Black Boy College Essay

Education and literacy is crucial for individuals to thrive and overcome their oppressive societies, for it allows them to find outlets for their struggles and create their own success. Furthermore, it empowers them by shaping their outlook on life and providing them with the ability to overcome by offering new opportunities. Through his memoir Black Boy, Richard Wright highlights the familial and educational difficulties he faced throughout his childhood; however, it was these challenges and failures that encouraged him to push himself further. Similarly, Frederick Douglass’s novel Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass also emphasizes the struggle of living as a young Black slave without a family in the South. Despite the boundaries

Richard Wright, being a young Black boy, is also forced to endure stifling experiences before finding success. While he is in school, before he is a proficient writer, Wright is asked to write his name on the blackboard; however, “[he] could remember nothing” (Wright 75). Despite his attempts to succeed, he finally gave up when “[he] realized how utterly [he] was failing” and his whole body “grew weak” (Wright 75). The words “nothing,” “failing,” and “weak” evoke a sense of defeat, and they prove how Wright was incapable of succeeding in this moment. The oppressive society in which he exists forces him to work harder to achieve the same ambitions, yet his perseverance helps him through his adversities. Similarly, Rodriguez finds a similar struggle with literacy, for it makes him feel isolated from the outside world; therefore, leaving him incapable of connecting with his society. As Rodriguez begins furthering his education, he becomes more dedicated to his books, but “written words made [him] feel all alone” (Rodriguez 64). Although Rodriguez finds success by immersing himself within his texts, the world “alone” suggests a feeling of isolation and separation from the rest of his community. Despite the educational achievements he

After gaining access to a library card and continuously checking out books from the library, Wright’s love for reading was renewed, for he gained “nothing less than a sense of life itself” from reading these books (Wright 250). Additionally, it evoked a “new hunger” within him, one that was no longer physical, but emotional (Wright 250). By comparing his love for reading to the words “life” and “hunger,” he proves how strong his growing desire to read and engage with books is becoming, a desire that is as crucial to living as food. Furthermore, by falling back in love with reading, Wright displays how it is possible to find personal success even when the path along the way may not be clear. Similarly, Rodriguez finds himself in a similar situation to Wright, for he initially did not enjoy reading; however, his increased engagement with texts taught him to find it “a pleasurable activity” (Rodriguez 66). Additionally, Rodriguez began to find a “mysterious comfort” from his books” (Rodriguez 66). The words “pleasurable” and “comfort” hold a positive connotation and emphasize feelings of enjoyment and safety. Although reading had initially been an activity which Rodriguez found lonely and miserable, his ability to find a sense of happiness within his isolation allowed him to alter his outlook, thus, it