Blindness in Richard Wright's Native Son Essay

In the short story, Cathedral by Raymond Carver, the word “blind” acquires different meanings. The unnamed narrator is metaphorically blind; he can look at the surface of everything but not see what is inside. Although the narrator can listen to conversations, he cannot understand the deeper emotional context the conversation might hold, compared to Robert, who is visually impaired but can truly listen and understand. It is not until the end of the story that the narrator metaphorically opens his eyes, with assistance from Robert.

Despite knowing that they are "nicer, brighter," they cannot ignore "the honey voices of parents and aunts and the obedience in the eyes of [their] peers, the slippery light in the eyes of [their] teachers" when Maureen is around or the topic of conversation (74). The way Maureen dresses and behaves in front of adults is not the only way she affects Claudia and Frieda. With racist comments such as, "What do I care about her old black daddy...[and] you ugly! Black and ugly black e mos. I am cute," she infuriates the girls, for in their eyes Maureen is black too. Racist attitudes like Maureen's affect the poorer, darker blacks and can eventually lead them to think racist thoughts of their own.

Throughout the novel Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison works with many different images of blindness and impaired vision and how it relates to perception. These images prove to be fascinating pieces of symbolism that enhance the themes of impression and vision within the novel. From the beginning of the novel when the narrator is blindfolded during the battle royal to the end where Brother Jack's false eye pops out, images of sight and blindness add to the meaning of many scenes and characters. In many of these situations the characters inability to see outwardly often directly parallels their inability to perceive inwardly what is going on in the world around them. Characters like Homer A. Barbee and Brother Jack believe they are all knowing

Although the two men have very different situations, their blindness helps them to see what child of theirs was really there for them and who wasn’t in the end. What the whole theme of blindness really comes down to is the fact that both men needed to be blind in order to really know anything about the loyalty and dedication of their family members. The similarities between the plot and subplot deepen the story of the play, and overall give readers and viewers multiple parallels to figure out and connect together, making it more interesting to read and/or watch the

When the ladies talk about their own life’s they never once assume that they are all thinking or going through the same problems, their ingroup. But when thinking about this “big, black boy” they think he must be a threat to the teenage daughter. Even though through further getting to know him we find out that he would never let anything happen to his new family let alone do anything, the only 98% he got in school was protectiveness on the aptitude test.

Many people make an assumption they are not blind to life itself whether ignorance plays a part or pride. In Cathedral by Raymond Carver, it describes a few myths that society has portrayed and opinions of the visual impaired. The main focus is getting to know the person before drawing a conclusion. Its not fair to anyone to be neglected whether you are visual impaired or have the functionality of what is considered to be a normal human being.

To engage a large audience, Staples appeals to readers with his use to two different points of views throughout the essay: societal views and black views. Staples tries to connect with the readers by giving examples of unconscious thoughts that run through the minds of most people when in the same situation as the “white women.” In his opening sentence, Staples calls the women a “victim.” In her own eyes, she herself was “victim” due to the influence of generalized stereotypes presented in our culture. She becomes quick to judge based on Staples appearance: his skin tone. Because of his color, his every action becomes nothing but threats and anxiety on the women. “She casted a back worried glance. To her, the youngish black- broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a

In this excerpt ZZ Packer clearly points out that the aversion the girls feel towards the whites is not based on their own experiences, but rather their families. According to their parents, dealing with “whites” was a problem every adult had to face. Lauren’s statement clearly exposes the young African-American girls’ lack of reasoning on racism, and thus portrays the parents as the responsible for the children’s behavior. Resentment on behalf of the parents did indeed have a huge impact in the brownies.

After Gus and Bigger finished playing white, they began to talk about the lives of the white people. Gus talks about white privileges. Bigger replies "I don’t know. I just feel that way. Every time I get to thinking about me being black and they being white, me being here and they being there, I feel like something awful’s going to happen to me..."(Wright, 20). The quotation exposes that Bigger could not overcome the obstacle of fear. His fear of white superiority restrains him from being courageous in taking control to improve where he is at now. Wright used words such as “being here” and “being there” to develop a sense of racial hierarchy that Bigger is afraid to go against. The word “Everytime” suggests that this feeling has always surrounded him and it’s unstoppable. If he opens up and tries, chances may be able to come to him but he chose not to. This fear is like a wall in his heart that he is unable to destroy. The collapse of the wall can cause chaos, and it is not what Bigger want. Altogether, fear of white supremacy confine Bigger in one place and does not let him leave so he can achieve that

"Whenever I thought of the essential bleakness of black life in America, I knew that Negroes had never been allowed to catch the full spirit of Western civilization, that they lived somehow in it but not of it. And when I brooded upon the cultural barrenness of black life, I wondered if clean, positive tenderness, love, honor, loyalty, and the capacity to remember were native with man. I asked myself if these human qualities were not fostered, won, struggled and suffered for, preserved in ritual from one generation to another." This passage written in Black Boy, the autobiography of Richard Wright shows the disadvantages of Black people in the 1930's. A man of many words, Richard Wrights is the father of the modern

The Man Who Was Almost a Man is a fictitious short story about an uneducated black boy's quest to become a man. Growing up in the early 1900's was a very hard task for most black people. The lack of education was one of the hardest hills they had to overcome to

Within their communities, many character are discriminated against because of the way they look and act. In her search for work, Willie realizes that she cannot even be associated with her husband because the color of her skin prevents him from being able to get work. When they search for work, “They no longer [walk] together on the sidewalk...they never [touch]. She never [calls] his name anymore” (208). Willie often describes Robert as looking like a white man, in fact, others might even seen their marriage as shameful. Willie, who wants to become a singer, is also told that she is “Too dark...Jazzing’s only for the light girls” (209). Willie’s unequal treatment reveals an implicit bias against dark-skinned individuals in the musical industry, particularly from a socioeconomic standpoint. Similarly, Marjorie is mocked by the other black girls at her high school because of the way she speaks, and is told that “[She sounds] like a white girl. White girl. White girl” (269). Marjorie is surrounded by a culture where “white girl” is an insult because it makes her different. In a larger sense, the expectations of what it means to be “black” contribute to cultural rifts within the black community and a sense that there is a “correct” way to be

In Richard Wright’s Native Son, alienation, the state of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should belong or be involved in, is a major theme presented in the novel. The protagonist, Bigger Thomas, faces alienation repeatedly from society due to his identity as a young African American boy living in Chicago. Because of his skin color, in different places, he felt inferior to everyone around him and felt like he had no purpose in his life because of society’s expectations: African Americans ending up in a jail cell for the rest of their lives, making them feel worthless. As a result, he went looking for that power without knowing it. When he killed both Mary and Bessie, he felt that power rush to him. However, Bigger does end up in jail because of his wrong doings. Even though justice was served for the killings of Mary Dalton and Bessie, he did not deserve such a harsh sentence just because he is a darker skin tone compared to the Whites.

starts school, which he begins at a later age than other boys because his mother

When analyzing Bigger Thomas, Richard Wright’s protagonist in the novel Native Son, one must take into consideration the development of his characterization. Being a poor twenty-year-old Black man in the south side of Chicago living with his family in a cramped one- bedroom apartment in the 1930’s, the odds of him prospering in life were not in his favor. Filled with oppression, violence, and tragedy, Bigger Thomas’ life was doomed from the moment he was born. Through the novel, Bigger divulges his own dreams to provide for his family and to be anything but a “nobody.” Although Bigger struggled to fight through obstacles to pursue his dreams for the future, his chase for a better life came to an abrupt