Black Boy Hunger
... by his father and unable to be cared for by his physically ill mother, Wright hungers for the emotional support inherent to a stable family environment. While a string of relatives provides for his needs on some basic levels, he is totally denied any meaningful nurturing or understanding. While his mother does show some love for her son, it is only evident during her sporadic periods of reprieve from illness. Racism leads to another of Wright’s “hungers.” At a young age he becomes aware that blacks hold a much different status in society than whites. He hungers to understand his heritage and place in the world, but his questions go unanswered or are met with a violent response. Only after he is old enough to work does he begin to fully comprehend the inequality he must endure because of his skin color. Wright displays a superior intellect from an early age. He hungers for knowledge, but due to his circumstances, this hunger goes unsatisfied for much of his youth. Despite a sporadic and inadequate formal education, he never stops seeking to fulfill his appetite for knowledge. Motivated by this hunger for knowledge and literature, Wright takes a job selling newspapers to have the opportunity to read the stories printed inside. Wright’s strong will and assertiveness demonstrate a...