NON-AFRICAN PROSE RICHARD WRIGHT: Black boy
Examine the causes of violence in the novel.
Explanation
The causes of violence in the novel. Violence has been a major feature of the American society since the advent of the Blackman in America. Richard Wright's Black Boy gives a detailed and largely faithful expression to the phenomenon of violence in that society. Violence, as portrayed in Black Boy, emanated from three principal sources. These are racial discrimination, quest for dominance and domestic tension. Racial discrimination in the novel is manifested whenever instances of brutality, segregation and injustice are meted out against blacks on account of their colour. There is enough evidence in Black Boy that Whites brutalise Blacks under the idea that the latter are sub-human and so do not deserve any humane treatment. Instances of brutality leading to violence are as follows:
(a) Avenues for employment are closed to blacks. They are therefore confined to menial jobs and reduced to poverty. They therefore resort to petty thievery and violence against each other. Indeed a white boss becomes surprised when a black employee is not for longtime discovered to have stolen something. This is a major cause of white violence against blacks.
(b) The White man in the American society appears to be convinced that the Black man is sub-human and does not deserve to be treated as human. The blacks are therefore continually the victims of violence from whites. Richard Wright is hit with a bottle between his eyes because he failed to address a white man "sir". Richard does not receive any treatment from his white boss when the boss's dog bites him because "dog bite no harm nigger". These and other incidents lead to violence.
(c) The Richard-Harrison fight is another evidence of racial discrimination. The white push them to maul each other to satisfy their sadistic tendencies while the poor black boys suffer.
The quest for dominance among blacks is also another source of violence. Here, reference may be made to the street children who attack Richard, beating him and snatching his money from him. The money was given to him for shopping. The mother sends him back mainly to fight back and secure his right to Memphis streets. After fighting and defeating the boys, he declares that he has indeed acquired his right to the streets.
A third source of violence is the domestic tension always unfolding in Richard's home. There is, first of all the frequent beatings Richard's mother receives in the hands of the father. This breeds a sort of tension in Richard which always threatens to break out.
The fight between Richard and Aunt Addie over religious differences and which spilled over to the school is also the result of the domestic tension going on all the time.
The killing of the kitten meant to embarrass the father is also a kind of violence in the home. There is also the setting ablaze of the house which is also evidence of violence.