Rating: 
Summary: Black Boy, A Hero
Review: The book that I enjoyed reading was Black Boy by Richard Wright, an African American writer of the early 1900's. Black Boy is an autobiography of Richard Wright's life from birth to his mid-thirties. The book discussed the racial prejudices that Richard Wright and other African Americans endured in the North and the South. Based on his progressions as a reader and writer, which he accomplished through hard work and large amounts of reading and writing, I found him to have the many characteristics of a hero, such as discipline, intelligence, and determination.
When Richard was a child, he was constantly hungry and had poor schooling because only his mother supported him and his brother, Alan. As he grew up, his hunger forced him to find a job. Due to racial discrimination, Richard could not learn a trade, but he still showed discipline as he continued to do the best he could. As a result of working with whites, Richard learned what society expected and thought of him as an African American. Since many whites believed he was inferior, he could only address them as "Sir" or "Madam." Although he was mocked and felt anger towards the whites, like when he was offered money to fight another African American, he still treated them with respect. I thought that these actions showed extreme discipline because he was very careful not to let his anger get the best of him, for he might make a poor mistake. As he moved to the Northern parts of America, Richard experienced new freedoms and wasn't not looked down upon for his strong passion for literature. He no longer had to borrow a library card from Mr. Falk, his co-worker, and forge Mr. Falk's signature to use it. Richard Wright's strong desire to read grew even more and he became very determined to write like the professional authors such as Mark Twain and William Faulkner. He showed to be an intelligent and determined student when he graduated high school as valedictorian and wrote his own speech to read instead of the professors. Perhaps Richard Wright loved literature a great deal because it allowed him to escape from his stress with the outside world, especially as an inferior to many. His desire for reading constantly grew, and he learned to use words as weapons by writing poems. H.L. Mencken, a critic of the white South inspired Richard, and read his books by borrowing a library card from a man he worked with, Mr. Falk. As time passed by, Richard joined a writer's union, which happened to be Communist. When he first entered, he was a bit skeptical. He mastered the many skill of writing and progressed in position from a curious writer to the chief editor of the union's magazine, New Masses. He developed a unique style of writing and won an assortment of prizes and awards, like Springarn Medal from the NAACP. In his later years he published many short stories like "Big Boy Leaves Home," and a few novels, such as Uncle Tom's Children. Richard Wright's determination and self-discipline proved to be efficient qualities because they gave Richard a whole new mind and the literacy which helped him cope with his emotions of the world. Overall, Black Boy described the differing amounts of discrimination he received as moved more North and how he endured it, which was through literature, despite the objections of white people.
I believe that Richard Wright was a hero because he showed determination to learn and disciplined himself not to pour out his anger when whites verbally abused him for it. In return for his love for literature, he became full of knowledge and won many awards for his writing. I believe he wrote Black Boy because he wanted every person to know the truths about the capabilities of African Americans and the cruelty of racial discrimination and prejudice. He served as a beacon of hope for the racially persecuted; that advancement in position and honor is possible, no matter what the other race wants or thinks. He emphasized a theme in the power of words, whether spoken or written (The pen is mightier than the sword). Richard Wright used his words as weapons to abolish racial discrimination and prejudice, which may be the primary reason for the writing of Black Boy. Richard Wright displayed heroic qualities when dared to learn even when he knew he would be humiliated, showing self-discipline. His determination and passion for literature forced him to work extremely hard, but his perseverance rewarded him in the end with understanding and knowledge of literature and society. I believe that this book was a worthwhile read because Richard's lifestyle inspired me. He persevered through times of trouble, working diligently and with determination to acquire the fulfillment of achieving a goal, even when looked down upon. To me, this is one of the greatest examples of a hero.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow-amazing story
Review: I picked up this book without giving it much thought--I'd never really heard of Richard Wright and couldn't see why he would wirte an autobiography. How foolish I was! How could he not write a story of his life? (As I read the first half of the book, which covers his childhood and teens years when he lived in the deep south, it was hard to imagine how this young and tortured boy would develop into the eloquent, thoughtful and engaging person who was narrating the story. A total literary trip.) An excellent story about one man's intellectual and philosophical development, or in other words, a story about a person, plain and simple.
Rating:
Summary: Strange, wonderful, and oh so real
Review: There are three books I couldn't live without: Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD, and this one--BLACK BOY. Of the three, BLACK BOY is my all-time favorite.
Rating:
Summary: A suprise!
Review: Black Boy turned out to be a novel that I will not soon foget. This is strange, considering that most required reading for school is not interesting. This novel centers itself around Richard Wright, a black boy who grows up in the Jim Crow south of the early 1900's. When I first started reading, I thought this would be just another story about some poor family that was chased out of town and dad was lynched blah blah blah same story, different name, I already know about tolerence thank you. Much to my suprise, there was very little about Jim Crow laws and discrimination. This was, on the contrary, the story of a VERY intelligent young man who grows up not fully grasping racial barriers and who obtained the ability to transcend them to a stunning degree. The events of the book are interesting on their own to read. Stories of sadistic aunts and uncles who enjoy beating Richard for no reason. Stories of Richard pulling out razor blades to defend himself. Stories of alcoholism, conformity, greed, and a desire to succed all in a new and original way. The first section of the book is about 250 pages, which goes by at a great pace.
Rating:
Summary: Autobiography
Review: Richard Wright is considered by many to be one of the premier Black American writers of the 20th century. He wrote a long string of books and essays before his death in 1960. Wright even wrote thousands of haiku poems and some plays. His best-known novel is probably "Native Son," a novel that takes a close look at Black America and it's relation to the penal system. Wright overcame huge obstacles to take a place among the great writers of his day, although I suspect he is more appreciated these days, when minority writers are all the rage. This book, aptly subtitled "American Hunger," is Wright's account of his tumultuous upbringing in the Jim Crow American South and his subsequent exodus to Chicago. The "Hunger" refers to both a physical hunger of poverty and a mental hunger for knowledge. Most of the book concentrates on Wright's troubled childhood. His father abandoned the family at a young age, and for most of his youth Wright was bandied about amongst his frail mother, his psycho-religious grandmother, and a string of uncles and aunts. Wright rarely attended school, and when he did, he almost never stayed for more than two years in a row. His main occupation was trying to find work to feed his family and save for his trip to the North. Along the way Wright gives us many interesting stories about his youth and about the American South. Wright drank liquor heavily before he was seven, lived in a whorehouse, and even spent time in an orphanage. Despite all of these obstacles, Wright still managed to teach himself how to read and write. He was reading Sinclair Lewis and Theodore Dreiser in a time when to do so could spell disaster for a
Black man. His accounts of the discrimination he encountered while working in the South are pretty disturbing. Wright was threatened with bodily injury, pitted against his fellow Blacks, and forced to run errands for White workers during his lunch hour. Wright really brings home the dehumanization that a system like Jim Crow brings about. Wright himself had a tough time staying out of trouble because it was difficult for him to play "step 'n fetchit." Whites seemed to sense his intelligence and most felt threatened by his mental faculties. Wright left the South behind and headed North to what he felt would be a better life. It was, to some extent. It was easier to find work, although prejudice still followed him. Be sure and read about his job at the laboratory. It's a hoot! I can sympathize with him about people stepping on floors while they're being mopped. I've gone through that and felt the same rage Wright did. It was also in the North that Wright began his long dalliance with the Communist Party. This is the best part of the book, in my humble opinion. Wright candidly reveals the failings of Communism. According to Wright, the Communist party spent more time on internal bickering than trying to bring about revolution. There's even an incident where a certified lunatic ends up in a high position in a pro-Communist group. Wright himself suffered endless character assassination because he was an "intellectual," a big no-no in pro-Stalinist Communism. In short, Wright shows us that Communism, when taken from the ideal to reality, is a huge sham. The biggest problem with this book is that it just seems to end with little fanfare. I would have been interested in hearing about Wright's trips to Europe and his stay in France. Still, this is an adequate book that gives a perspective that is often overlooked. I suspect that Wright would not be very impressed with the ghetto culture of today's world. Wright believed that Blacks have to lift themselves up and get out of poverty. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would not be friends of Richard Wright. Overall, this book is well written and contains interesting anecdotes. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: how to over come prejudice in the south
Review: I really enjoyed the book black boy by richard wright. I recently had to do a book report in class. and the teacher really loved the book and story. richard wright was a very strong black young man growing up in Jackson Mississippi. even though he went through a lot of prejudice and racism. he was determined to become a writer. I would advise readers to buy this book and read it. I wanted to read it over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: I Could Thoroughly Relate
Review: Like Richard Wright, I spent my teenage years reading only "classic" novels and therefore skipped over "Black Boy", which I assumed wouldn't be substantive enough for my tastes. Now that I've read it years later, I'm regretful that this stunning memoir wasn't a part of my consciousness when I was younger. This is a story of racial dissonance-- and how horrifying it is to see the lengths that whites would go to to abuse and humiliate emancipated blacks!-- but it is also a story of a brilliant young man whose voice crosses racial bounds. I could identify with him completely, and I have little patience with those reviewers who've described him as "whiny" or "negative" or "hateful." I know what it feels like to grow up in a rural town and have people try to break you for having aspirations. I know what it's like to "feel and cultivate feelings" while others strive for "the trivial material prizes of American life," and I know that justifiable distrustfulness and resentment are not to be confused with hate.Most importantly, I know what it feels like to try to escape one's oppressive roots. The pain in this story was so real for me that I cried my way through many, many passages. "Black Boy" should come as a revelation to black persons, white persons (like myself), and anyone who has ever hungered for their life to mean something more.
Rating:
Summary: Black Boy is the BOMB!!
Review: Black Boy is a wonderful book that everyone should read. I LOVED IT and it made a clearer understanding of how ghetto life can sometimes be. I think that Richard is a strong boy with a wild imagination and he can put up with the challenges that life puts in his face. His father leaves his family to go with another woman and Richard and his mother and brother stay alone. His mother works and just can't support them. The story goes on with a variety of experiences and challenges that Richard faces. He ends up being a man and I know that deep down in his heart he has a feeling of hate toward the people that discriminated against him and didn't treat him like a human being. Well I think that you should read this book in order to get a better understanding of what I am trying to say. I know that you will end up loving this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Book to Remember
Review: Black Boy, an autobiography written by Richard Wright, describes what many average African American children faced growing up in the Jim Crow South. Wright described the poverty that he, his friends and family lived through and the agony and dangers they had to face day-to-day. Wright also described the unfair treatment from white people that African Americans had to endure and ignore. He also described how white people treated African Americans as slaves. Wright wrote in excruciating detail bringing to the reader what life was truly like in the South and in the U.S. in the early 1900s.
I enjoyed reading Black Boy since it gave me insight into how African Americans were really treated in the South. The book really showed me the crisis that America was in over racial segregation. Black Boy also described the despicable acts that white people committed on African Americans for pleasure and entertainment. Richard Wright's actions showed me how a person that is always put down can still strive to be the best. Wright never gave up and kept on dreaming about his goals in life. Wright's book really showed the determination that one can have. His actions in life influenced me to never give up and to keep on trying no matter what someone tells me to do. This was a great book and if one wants to understand what things were like for African Americans in the South in the 1900s, they should read it.
Rating:
Summary: A remarkable autobiography
Review: Black Boy is a outstanding autobiography about Richard Wright. Richard writes about his whole life. The book shows the great discrimination Richard faced, as well as he a lot of the times stood up for what he believed in. He fights the world back and in the end his dream of becoming a writer comes true, but not only does he become a writer he also becomes one of the best writers of the 20th century.
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