Black Boy
In the novel Black Boy, by Richard Wright, the author writes autobiographically about his childhood. Throughout his experiences, many different women affect Richard. He describes his relationships with his mother, Granny, and aunts. Each woman in his life influenced Richard's outlook in a different way. Granny happened to have a negative influence on him, though that was surely not her intention.
Early in his life, Richard lived with his mother, father, and brother in his grandmother's house. Granny was an extremely religious Seventh Day Adventist and insisted that her children and grandchildren follow her ways. Because of her fanaticism, Richard's mother chose to move her family elsewhere. After Richard's father left, and his mother fell ill, they were forced to live with Granny once again.
Living with Granny and her overbearing ways, Richard formed many opinions about life and the world. He describes the fact that he did not share the same religious views as his grandmother, and this was looked at as something strange and horrible.
Because he did not hold strong religious beliefs similar to Granny's, he was looked at as a sinner. So many times throughout the novel Granny and Richard's mother and aunts try to convince Richard to become more religious, and so many times he refused. He did not intend to be disrespectful or difficult, he simply could not go against his heart. At one point, Richard's aunt, Addie, became a teacher for a religious school, and he was forced to become a pupil. "The religious school opened and I put in a sullen attendance...This was the first time she had ever taught school and she was nervous, self-conscious because a blood relative of hers-a relative who would not confess her faith and who was not a member of her...
lots missing, lots
The religious aspect of Black Boy is blown out of proportion. There were so many key points in the book that were overlooked. You did not mention anything about the "communist" party Richard had joined. How about the effect his uncle had on him? Sure you mention the places that he lived, but go into somewhat of "detail". Mention the problems at school and how he gained acceptance. His father did not simply just leave!!! He left with another women!! At the beginning he picks up a lot of traits from the local "pubs". He expresses these traits throughout the entire novel. Anyone who believes that this book is about the oppression of the south and religious conflict totally missed the point. The book is about an internal struggle with himself. Sure society and his family have always been there, but there has never been any "permanent" aspect in his life. Change is the only thing he has ever known. The book is about his internal struggle; the south and religions reasons are merely dots in the big picture. So what i really want to say is, it was not just "women" that affected his life. I would like to urge the author of this "essay" into reading the book another time.
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