Olaf's Fear In The Good Big Black Man By Richard Wright

In the story “The Good Big Black Man” the main character Olaf is paranoid of Jim, a giant black man, who comes to stay at his hotel. Olaf is convinced that Jim is going to kill him, and the more he thinks about it, the more he is convinced. Rather than think about it rationally, he lets his fears get out of control. His fear of Jim ultimately leads to the delusion that his life is in danger. The short story, “Big Good Black Man”, by Richard Wright, Olaf’s fear changes his perception of Jim, which illustrates how one’s fear can spiral out of control until it warps one’s vision of reality.
The first time Olaf interaction with Jim is is a stormy night in Denmark. He sees Jim standing in the doorway as a “brooding black vision”(pg. 88). This phrase
helps to give a context of how scary Jim is. Jim asks Olaf for a room. When he doesn't respond he asks again. Olaf is sent into an immediate sense of “sheer fear”(pg 89) that forces him to answer Olaf starts seeing Jim in a new light. He starts to see Jim as animalist. He starts seeing Jim as an animal and not as a person. For example, he describes JIm as a having to bend his “buffalo like head” (pg.88) to get under the door. Olaf is losing sight of Jim as a person and turning him into an animal. Eventually, Olaf’s terror grows until Jim becomes an animal in Olaf’s mind. By turning Him into an animal he is able to justify his action, some of which are atrocious.
One of Olaf’s many jobs at the hotel is to send women to men. Olaf has never had a problem with these requests “He’s send women of all races to men of all color”(pg.92). On the phone talking to Lena he repeatedly tells her how “big” (pg.92) Jim is. Once again, Olaf’s fear of Jim corrupts his thoughts. He believes that Jim will attack Lena. Even though Lena has a key to the hotel Olaf stays up all night to make sure Lena is ok. He starts interrogating her on what happened, because he fears Jim harmed Leane. Leane snaps at him and asks him why does he cares what happened. Olaf’s fear of Jim makes him over protective of Leane because he is scared that Jim will hurt her. The irony is that Jim and Lena are falling in love.
On the night that Jim leaves, Olaf is sitting in his chair in the front room.
It is the last night of Jim's stay. Olaf feels relieved that the “ordeal is finally over”(pg.#) Jim walks in to collect his cashes and check out. After Jim leaves Olaf wants to get revenge. He has fantasies of Jim's boat sinking and shooting Jim if they meet again. Olaf doesn't even care if hundreds of innocent people die. Olaf looses his perspective because he is willing for hundres of people to die to take revenge of one perosn.
At the very end of the story Olaf encounters Jim again. In very much the same way he encounters Jim at the beginning of the story. This time Olaf stands up to Jim telling them there is no room available. He is confused because Jim replies that he does not want a room. He reaches into his suitcase and Olaf yells at him to stop while holding his gun in the desk drawer. Jim turns around holding six nylon shirts in his hand. Jim tells Olaf that the shirts are a thank you for Lena. This just goes to show how distorted Jims reality is becoming.
In conclusion, Olaf lets his fear warp his mindset that controlls the way he perceives Jim. Olaf's warped perspective turns Jim's innocent actions into making him fear for his life. Furthermore, Olaf turn Jim into an animal making him seem inhuman to justify his treatment of
Jim.