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 * Richard Wright by Josh Mason**

Richard Wright has been one of the most influnetial writers for the African American community. Wright in the nineteenth century began paveing the way for a main stream public to openly read fugative slave narratives and for more African American writers to publish their works. Wright, through his writing explores some of the most controversial issues of his time. Through Wright's courage and expression of the African American voice it allowed other writers to portray the African American in a more positive outlook, not always pitting the African American as the victiem. Richard Wright was born September fourth, 1908 on a plantation in Roxie Mississippi. Ella Wilson Wright, his mother, was a school teacher and Nathan, his father was a tenant farmer. When Richard was only four years old, his family was forced to separate in order to maintain. Richard and his mother had to go and live with his grandmother while Richard's father had to remain on the plantation trying to earn a living. While Richard was living with his grandmother, he set fire to her kitchen curtains. To avoid punishment Wright ran and hid under the house. As the house burned Richard's grandmother was helped out, but when Richard was no where to be found his mother panicked. When Richard's mother finally found him, she beat him severly. This was one of many childhood experiences that damaged Richard, he viewed his harsh punishments from his mother as a form of betrayl. This and other events is what caused mental and emotional damage to Richard and caused Richard to doubt his relationship with his mother. In 1913 Richard and his family reunited when they moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Richard's father acquired a job working a night shift which forced Richard and his brother to be quiet during the day so their father could sleep. Richard grew resentful towards his father because he had to remain quiet virtually always. Then in 1914 when Richard was six years of age, Nathan (his father) sealed his son's negative opinion of him forever when he abandoned his family for another woman. Following their abandonment Wright, his brother, and his mother all moved to Jackson, Mississippi to live with relatives. In Jackson, Wright attended public school and got a personal experience with racism. Richard's childhood was one of constant movement and struggle. But despite his ruff childhood, Richard went on to write several significant works for the American public such as Black Boy (published 1945), Native Son (1940), and The Outsider (1953) Richard Wright was one of the loudest and most controversial voices for African American Literature. Through his writings he explored what life was really like for a young black man growing up in the South. Richard wanted to show the public what effects were forced onto young black men due to racism. Richard also wanted to expose how bad things truly were for African Americans' living in the South during his time. A reoccuring theme of Richard's work was racism and just the basic struggles of living being poor and an African American in the 18th and 19th centuries. The only thing that Richard wanted to change through his writing was the treatment of African Americans during his time. Richard Wright was no doubt a product of his time. Almost all of his works adressed the major issues of his time, the biggest being slavery, civil rights, and the general attitude and treatment of African Americans. Through his literature, Richard Wright helped to expose the ignorence and inequitability of racism. Wright also helped humanity to obtain a better understanding of how things were for African Americans during his time, and what racism could really do to someone.

**__ Annotated Bibliography  __** Bloom, Harold. “Richard Wright”. __Modern Critical Views__. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 1-230. This was a very helpful book for my research. It explored Richard’s life in depth and it also explored the themes that Richard wrote about. As I said, this is the perfect source for an accurate and in depth look on Richard’s life. As far as his writings are concerned, it looks more at the reasoning and emotion behind it, than the analyzation. So, I would recommend this book to others trying to research Wright from the stand point of his life, not so much his writings. Evans, James. “Richard Wright.” __Beacham Group LLC__ (1990). Literary Reference Center. [|http://search.ebscohost.com] This was also a very helpful source for my research. This source took a more analytical view of Wright’s works. This source also explored the themes in which Richard covered in his literature. This source was set up to where several authors and professors analyzed his works. I would recommend this source to others who have to take a broad opinion on Wright’s works, and a more analytical view as well. Hayley, Mitchell. __Readings__ __On Black Boy__. Hayley Mitchell. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press Inc., 2000. 1-183. This source was obviously focused on a specific work of Wright’s. This book took a very in depth look of the autobiography __Black Boy__. It not only analyzed the autobiography but also went into the meaning and reasoning of Wright’s writing. I would recommend this source to those who are taking a specific look at __Black Boy__. As far as just a general look at Richard Wright and his works, I wouldn’t because this source goes into great depth. “Wright, Richard (1908-1960)”. Exploring Novels. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. //Student// //Resource// //Center// //– Gold.// Gale. Fuquay Varina High School/WCPS/. 22 May. 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/srcx This source was the general, standard overview of Richard Wright’s life. It did not go into great detail, just a good and quick summary. One thing that was very helpful one this source was that they provided a very sumptuous list of further readings that were available. I would recommend this source to someone who has to do a quick and general project and exploration of Wright’s life.