How Does Richard Wright Create Tension In Black Boy

Throughout Richard Wright’s Black Boy, Richard has to learn to cope with the White world and cope with society. He has many experiences involving work in which he learns how difficult it is being a Black boy in the society he lives in, especially while having such unique thoughts, actions, and views of the world like he does. Richard must restrain his feelings and desires around White people, which is straining and anxiety-inducing. But, the ambitions that he must conceal are a part of the very nature of his life and personality and the only thing that keeps him from acting on that ambition is his need for survival. The tension that Richard feels surrounding White people and conformity in society comes from the internal tension between his

Throughout this quote, Richard mentions “them,” which refers to the White people in society, grouping all of them together as antagonistic, powerful people in society. When referring to them, Richard expresses a desire to “look them straight in the face.” In this, Richard demonstrates a wish to speak to these White people as equals rather than submit to the subordinating position that Black people, like himself, have in society. Richard also explains that he “wanted to talk and act like a man.” This shows that the way that he is treated and expected to act in society now, is not “like a man” and is dehumanizing. He resents these expectations and wishes to act against them. Richard says that his desire to do so “inspired fear in them,” showing that Richard’s emotions and desires make him stand out and make him a target to White people, as they are threatened by his wish to act against expectation. When Richard works at a drugstore, one of his many difficult jobs in this period of his life, he says, “My sustained expectation

When Richard describes his many hardships in working and finding jobs, he says, “Many times I grew weary of the secret burden I carried and longed to cast it down, either in action or resignation. But I was not made to be a resigned man and I had only a limited choice of actions, and I was afraid of all of them” (200). In this quote, “secret burden” refers to Richard’s having to constantly conceal his ambitions, showing that he feels isolated and under hardship. Richard wants to be rid of this “burden” and he feels that his choices lie “either in action or resignation.” For Richard, “resignation” means submitting to White people’s expectation of him, and conforming to society. “Resignation” for Richard would mean submitting to his fears. However, Richard cannot choose “resignation” because he “was not made to be a resigned man.” Rather than being “made to” conform to society, Richard was made full of pride and ambition . Richard feels as if he was made to have an important role in society. Richard thinks that his other choice then, is “action.” To Richard, to choose “action” would be to choose himself. He would be choosing to align with his beliefs and his desires. It would be what he was made for, as he was not made for resignation. However, Richard says that “[he] had only a limited choice of actions, and [he] was