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Black Boy Research Paper

1399 Words6 Pages

Everyone has a way they feel about themselves. In Black Boy, a memoir by Richard Wright, it explores the challenges of an African American living in the South and always having White society around to bring him down in some way. Richard Wright has been a victim of racism on countless occasions, whether it be physically or verbally, he learns from these experiences as he matures and becomes aware of his own self worth when entering his adult life. In Richard Wright’s Black Boy, Richard’s journey and struggle throughout his early childhood to early adult years to reach his esteem needs is consistently shown when he is faced with the challenge of having to prove himself as someone who can accomplish something in life while tackling the boundaries …show more content…

Growing up as an African American living in the South, Richard is striving to become more than what White society expects of him and what other African Americans expect of themselves. While in search for a job to earn enough money to go to the North, Richard finds one with a white woman, but soon realizes that he wouldn’t go back because she had “assaulted” and “assumed” his “place in life” when she totally degrades him and his idea of ever becoming a writer (147). Richard knowing he lives in a racist world illustrates how he is still not letting nobody bring him down from his aspirations and what he wants to do with his life. Also, when Richard gets a hint that he may have an opportunity to teach in the city's school system, it helps him “emotionally” and makes him “hope faintly” (174). Richard being able to have such an opportunity illustrates that he is not paying attention to what White society expects of him and is exceeding what any other African American at this time would consider a success. Lastly, at Richard’s workplace, he and another African American boy were “duped” into fighting each other by Richard’s foreman, Mr Olin and other white employees (243). Afterwards, all Richard got out of this experience was “shame and anger” (243). The hate that Richard feels for himself and the other African American boy, further proves how he is becoming aware of his own self worth and won't let an experience like this ever happen to him again due to his motivation to

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