Book Review on Black Boy
TITLE: Black Boy
AUTHOR: Richard Wright
INTRODUCTION OF AUTHOR: Richard Wright was born in Natchez, Mississippi.
When he was six years old, his father, Nathan Wright deserted the family for whatever
reason. His mother, Ella, became the breadwinner of the family. Abandoned by her
husband and unable to establish economic independence from her strict mother, Ella
suffered greatly. A strong woman who faces terrible adversity, she trained Richard to be
strong and to take care of himself. Later, the feisty, independent spirit Richard developed
at home led him to refuse to accept the codes of behavior the white world has set for
Southern blacks. When Richard finally decided to become writer, that career represented
a declaration of independence from those in the black community.
PLOT SUMMARY: The opening chapter recounts Wright's early childhood in Natchez,
Mississippi, and his family's move to Memphis. It describes his early rebellion against
parental authority, his poverty and hunger, and his unsupervised life on the streets while
his mother is at work. Then the Wrights move to the home of Richard's Aunt Maggie. But
their pleasant life there ends when whites kill Maggie's husband. Later the threat of
violence by whites forces Maggie to flee again. Richard's mother has a stroke. Richard is
sent to his Uncle Clark's, but he is unhappy there and insists on returning to his mother's.
Richard confronts his Aunt Addie, who teaches at the Seventh-Day Adventist church
school. He also resists his grandmother's attempts to convert him to religious faith. And he
writes his first story. Richard gets a job selling newspapers but quits when he finds that
the newspapers espouse racist views. Later, his grandfather dies. Richard gets a job
working for white people. Then he is baptized in his mother's church. Finally, he has
another near-violent confrontation with a relative. Richard publishes his first story. The
reaction from
AUTHOR: Richard Wright
INTRODUCTION OF AUTHOR: Richard Wright was born in Natchez, Mississippi.
When he was six years old, his father, Nathan Wright deserted the family for whatever
reason. His mother, Ella, became the breadwinner of the family. Abandoned by her
husband and unable to establish economic independence from her strict mother, Ella
suffered greatly. A strong woman who faces terrible adversity, she trained Richard to be
strong and to take care of himself. Later, the feisty, independent spirit Richard developed
at home led him to refuse to accept the codes of behavior the white world has set for
Southern blacks. When Richard finally decided to become writer, that career represented
a declaration of independence from those in the black community.
PLOT SUMMARY: The opening chapter recounts Wright's early childhood in Natchez,
Mississippi, and his family's move to Memphis. It describes his early rebellion against
parental authority, his poverty and hunger, and his unsupervised life on the streets while
his mother is at work. Then the Wrights move to the home of Richard's Aunt Maggie. But
their pleasant life there ends when whites kill Maggie's husband. Later the threat of
violence by whites forces Maggie to flee again. Richard's mother has a stroke. Richard is
sent to his Uncle Clark's, but he is unhappy there and insists on returning to his mother's.
Richard confronts his Aunt Addie, who teaches at the Seventh-Day Adventist church
school. He also resists his grandmother's attempts to convert him to religious faith. And he
writes his first story. Richard gets a job selling newspapers but quits when he finds that
the newspapers espouse racist views. Later, his grandfather dies. Richard gets a job
working for white people. Then he is baptized in his mother's church. Finally, he has
another near-violent confrontation with a relative. Richard publishes his first story. The
reaction from