Black Boy by Richard Wright is an autobiography. Richard talks about his early life and the days after that. I find this quite an interesting story. It is adventurous in its own little way. I can say that Richard was a very mischievous boy. Though, this could be because his dreaded father left him when he was at a young age.
Richard introduces the reader to him burning down his house and getting punished for it. A little later into the book, he tells everyone he became a drunkard at the age of six. Richard also informs him about his many beatings, punishment, and never ceasing hunger.
He was once sent to buy groceries and was turned back because of a gang boys. They were beating Richard up and taking his money. Richard reported this to his mother and his mother did not nurse him, but instead gave him a stick to fight the boys and threatened to beat him if he did not return with groceries. His mother played the role of a catalyst for maturing and becoming a man. Even though she becomes sick, the sickness only speeds up the need for making a man out of Richard.
At one point, because Richard's mother is too sick to work, he takes up a job to support the family. When he finds out his mother had a stroke and is paralyzed, he informs his relatives and they took him and his brother to stay with them, though separately. I have not yet finished this book even though it is very interesting because of the limited time I have. This is a very interesting book, again, and I would recommend it.
This is a well written blog post. I also agree with you that this book is very interesting and the opinion that Richard's mother was the catalyst to help Richard mature and become a man. Based on what you have read so far after posting this blog, do you think that Richard had matured into a man or does he still contain some aspects of a child?
ReplyDelete