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Madison Helmer
Ms. Woelke
ERWC
23 April 2015
Black Boy (Revised)
It is undeniable that a mother has an immense influence on her children. In the excerpt,
Black Boy by Richard Wright, a tough love relationship between a mother and a son helps him
to defend himself. Wright tells a story of a young boy who is mistreated and ganged up by a
group of other boys. The boy cries to his mother, but his mother has no sympathy and tells him to
fight for himself (2). Through this encounter, the boy gains strength and independence to
defend himself. His mothers stern words pressured him yet also encouraged him to fight and
ultimately gained the ability to defend himself.

In the beginning of Black Boy, Richard is a frail, fearful boy who does not have enough
strength or confidence to stand up for himself to the group of boy who consistently beat him.
Richard tries to rely on his mother for comfort and sympathy, but his mother denies his request.
Richard thought he would receive compassion from his mother, but ends up being forced to fight
the gang of boy or else she will whip him (2). His mother demands he fights those boys and
even threatens him dont come back here if he does not obey her by not defending himself.
Richards mother is trying to prepare him for the harsh world ahead, especially because of him
being African American. Richard cannot escape his race, therefore he must get used to defending
himself from individuals that seek to impose violence upon him. Richard ponders if he should

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really fight those boys, but after taking everything into consideration, he would rather be beaten
in the street than by his own mother because there was absolutely nothing he could do about it
at home (2). His mothers robust peer pressure directly effected Richard to learn to fight for
himself when he thinks he should run from the problem.