The Struggle For Individuality

"The Struggle for Individuality"

Richard Wright was a young man of extreme intelligence and openness to speak his mind. Richard’s
writings in "Black Boy" are a collection of his alienation, not only from white society, but from his own
people. In Richard’s boyhood there was virtually no chance for a personality such as his to develop freely.
Everything conspired against personal freedom, not only the white social structure, but the black as well.
Richard was treated brutally and tyrannically at home in order to prevent his being treated the same way or
worse outside of home and especially in the white society. His family tried to enforce a code of conduct
on him, so when in the presence of whites he would not be harmed. The family was trying to convey to
Richard that black children must never strive to be more than black children; if they did, not only would
they suffer a terrible fate by the white people, but their families would as well. This was a method of
limiting one’s individuality, fortunate!
for Richard he overcame and aspired to become a great writer.
Richard’s struggle for freedom and individuality started at a young age with the brutality from his family
and the black society. We see this very early when Richard is beaten, almost to death, by his mother and
father for setting the house on fire. On could argue that the beaten was justified, but the extreme method of
this beaten can not be justified. It appears that Richar...

The Struggle For Individuality

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