Literary Elements In 'Black Boy'

Keya Chaurasia
Ms. Crimmel
American Literature I
03/03/2022
Naturalism as Seen Through Literary Elements in “Black Boy”
The novel “Black Boy” by Richard Wright is an unique autobiography about growing up as a black man in the 1900s. In this particular scene from pages forty to forty-one, Richard’s mother, who is deeply devoted to her religion, invites a preacher along with a few neighbors over for dinner. Richard is excited for the dinner, as he does not usually get a lot of food, but gets angry when the preacher eats more and more of the chicken, which is a delicacy to him, while he doesn't get a single bite. This passage is significant because it demonstrates a moment where Richard realizes the power of authority figures, which he deeply

He writes, “But no sooner had the preacher arrived than I began to resent him, for I learned at once that he, like my father, was used to having his own way” (Wright 40). Richard is able to relate the preacher to his own father, who selfishly left the family and never showed any love towards his children. This quote shows how men in this time period were used to doing whatever they wanted and were seen as the main authority figures in a household. Furthermore, in the case of Richard’s father, it highlights the socially-accepted absence of men from the life of their children. Richard sees both his father and the preacher as men who take advantage of his family without contributing much, and this causes him to be resentful of

This is seen in the text: “I gave up and sat staring in despair at the vanishing pieces of fried chicken… I grew hot with anger” (Wright). The negative and irked word choice highlights the frustration Richard feels at not being able to enjoy the chicken, even at his own house. Additionally, this also reveals his attitude towards religion, as seen in this quote: “My mother’s ardently religious disposition dominated the household” (Wright). The use of the word “dominated” shows how Richard, despite not believing in religion, is pressured by his mother and surrounding forces to join the church. He feels suffocated in his household and connects his bitter emotions about religion to religious figures, which is another reason for his “growing hate of the preacher” (Wright). Overall, the resentful tone of this passage demonstrates how Richard feels out of place in his own home, and also portrays how he associates his animosity of religion to authority figures. Richard struggles his whole life, as seen in several instances throughout the book. This is symbolized when he writes, “I forced a spoonful of soup down my throat and looked to see if my speed matched that of the preacher. It did not… I tried eating my soup faster, but it was no use” (Wright). These quotes display how Richard feels as if he is behind in life, as he comes from a poor family and is struggling with problems such as hunger and illnesses. Richard despises authority figures because