Jim Crow
“The Ethics of Living Jim Crow: An Autobiographical Sketch” by Richard Wright was a very great story in my opinion. It was a great piece of writing; Richard Wright was a very remarkable author and took his time on this story. This story explains and shows the hardship of African Americans and the things they went through .In this essay I will explain the social, personal significant and moral of this story.
The first lesson he learned about being black was taught to him by his mother. Wright got into a turf war with some white boys who lived on the other side of the railroad tracks. The black boys were fighting with cinder blocks. However, the white boys were fighting with broken bottles. Richard Wright recalls what his mother tells him about the differences between whites and blacks. Wright mother teaches him not to fight the white man and slapped him after he told her what had happen. Wright was hit with a broken milk bottle behind his ear and had him leaking blood. She taught him that blacks belonged in their place and whites had their own, informing him that he did not mix with the whites. He believe his mother would have been on his side and try to put a stop to this, to punish the white boys. From here on out Richard Wright lived in fear of the whites and he would soon learn why his mother wished him to feel this way. Wright never knew that racism existed and that he was in the wrong by playing with the white kids. When Wright grew up, he realizes that African Americans and whites had different levels of human being; Everything Wright mother explains was coming in handy. He notice the difference between the relationships at his first job.
The social concept of this story is that white’s was the superior race during that time. Whites treated African Americans like animals; they did not have the right to do anything. In the book “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow; An Autobiographical Sketch “Richard explain the cruel things African American went through. In this story, he learned how to live through prejudice and discrimination. Blacks did not have an education, so they did not know right from wrong. They were raise to act a certain way. Richard never thought less of himself, he was determine to succeed in this story, he had job after job. He went through hell with these whites. The whites demanded respect from the black and if it was not giving, it was harsh consequences and punishment. Blacks were so use to the violent and the unfairness; they would have done anything to get away from the harsh punishment they would have received for not listening to a white person. White’s discriminatory actions create social pressures and dictate consequences that compel blacks to act in certain ways. While the majority of blacks accept their inferior role, Richard Wright exhibits frustration towards these people's actions and chooses to respond in a more calm collective way.
The personal significant of this story is that Richard Wright grew up to tell his story. The story is well written and has very details. I believe it is important to talk about the past, so history will not repeat itself. Wright showed me that it is important to get an education and never give up on anything. We should never have a superior race because all of us are the same just different skin color. Wright never give up and he was always a step from the whites. Unlike every African American, Wright learned how to read and get an education. I believe he was unstoppable and did not let the whites bring him down. African Americans were not allowed to get an education, borrowing books is a small