Taylor Hamilton

A Black Boys World Through A Book

Black Boy is an autobiography written by Richard Wright. This piece of literature

goes through his life growing up. Throughout this book Richard’s live had a lot of

struggles and he experienced a lot of negative and scary thing. Because of not only the

fact that this book was written by an African American, but the fact of the experiences

that motivated him to write this book and his tone toward the society makes this piece fit

into my definition of African American Literature.

Throughout this book Richard speaks about many experiences he had growing

up which ultimately were result of racism in society even though it was not explicitly

expressed that way. Richard also experienced things were racism was explicitly shown

as the motive. “‘ Mr. Hoskins....he done been shot. Done been shot by a white man,’ the

boy gasped. “Mrs. Hoskins, he dead.” This is an example in the book where Richards

experience was explicitly because of racism. During his experience of his uncle Mr.

Hoskins being shot and killed because of being a thriving successful African American

in the south became the eye opener to Richard that race is a problem in society, and

arose many different emotions and fears about the society that he was living in.

Richard speaks in a different dialect and has a certain tone that shows that this is

African American Literature. Throughout the book while speaking about the experience

that he had as a child he has a disapproving tone toward the things that were

happening in society. Richard also speaks some about the culture of African American

in a way that some may not be able to relate to or be able to fully understand because it

is not apart of their culture. “ I was black; I lived in the south. I would never learn to

operate those machines as long as those two white men in there stood by them. With
anger welled in me as I felt what I had missed;” This shows the disapproving tone

toward the treatment and unequal opportunities because of his race in the society of the

south, this also speaks with dialect or lense that not everyone maybe able to

understand, for example one may say that there should be no reason for him to be

upset because he still is getting the opportunity to work.

Black boy is a great example of African American Literature because it displays

every aspect that I have defined. There is a certain tone and dialect in this book that

sets it aside from the other types of American Literature that can be found. Also there

are many experiences in this book that are due to racism in society weather it is

explicitly written that way or deeper thought is needed to understand where racism play

a role.