Black BoyBlack Boy

Chapters 7-Chapters 7-1010

During the summer before eighth During the summer before eighth grade, Richard works as a water grade, Richard works as a water boy and brick gatherer in the local boy and brick gatherer in the local brickyard.brickyard.

One afternoon the boss’s dog One afternoon the boss’s dog bites Richard, which worries him bites Richard, which worries him because he knows that several because he knows that several other workers have fallen ill after other workers have fallen ill after being bitten by the dog.being bitten by the dog.

Richard meets with the boss, but Richard meets with the boss, but he does not take Richard he does not take Richard seriously, claiming, “A dog bite seriously, claiming, “A dog bite can’t hurt a nigger.” can’t hurt a nigger.”

Fortunately, though the wound Fortunately, though the wound gets inflamed, it heals on its own gets inflamed, it heals on its own in a few days.in a few days.

Richard starts the eighth grade, Richard starts the eighth grade, depressed that his education has depressed that his education has furnished him with no skills to furnished him with no skills to help him earn a living. help him earn a living.

Though he dwells on racism and Though he dwells on racism and can only think of it in terms of can only think of it in terms of the large-scale, universal the large-scale, universal injustice it represents, his injustice it represents, his classmates limit their discussion classmates limit their discussion of racism to individual, personal of racism to individual, personal wrongs they have experienced.wrongs they have experienced.

Richard writes a short story called Richard writes a short story called “The Voodoo of Hell’s Half-Acre” “The Voodoo of Hell’s Half-Acre” and persuades the local black and persuades the local black paper to print it. paper to print it.

His classmates cannot understand His classmates cannot understand why he has written and published a why he has written and published a story simply because he wanted to story simply because he wanted to do so.do so.

Richard’s family is likewise Richard’s family is likewise unreceptive and hostile.unreceptive and hostile.

Granny and Addie equate literary Granny and Addie equate literary fiction with lies, while Ella thinks fiction with lies, while Ella thinks that Richard’s writing will lead that Richard’s writing will lead people to think he has a weak people to think he has a weak mind and thus will not want to mind and thus will not want to hire him. hire him.

The newspaper editor is literally The newspaper editor is literally the only person who encourages the only person who encourages him. him.

Wright muses that if he had Wright muses that if he had known then how many obstacles known then how many obstacles he would eventually have to he would eventually have to overcome to become a writer, he overcome to become a writer, he would have abandoned his would have abandoned his quest.quest.

The following summer, Richard The following summer, Richard looks for a job at the local looks for a job at the local sawmill, but leaves after one of sawmill, but leaves after one of the workers demonstrates the the workers demonstrates the danger of sawmill work by danger of sawmill work by showing Richard his right hand, showing Richard his right hand, which is missing three fingers. which is missing three fingers.

One morning One morning Richard learns that Richard learns that whites have killed whites have killed the brother of one of the brother of one of his black classmates his black classmates because they because they thought he was thought he was consorting with a consorting with a white prostitute in a white prostitute in a local hotel where he local hotel where he worked. worked.

The killing burdens Richard’s The killing burdens Richard’s consciousness even further with consciousness even further with the grim reality and the grim reality and pervasiveness of white pervasiveness of white oppression.oppression.

Richard learns that Uncle Tom thinks Richard learns that Uncle Tom thinks his nephew is such a bad influence on his nephew is such a bad influence on his children that he has instructed his his children that he has instructed his children to avoid Richard around the children to avoid Richard around the house. house.

This realization makes Richard’s This realization makes Richard’s longing for independence stronger than longing for independence stronger than ever.ever.

Richard’s brother, soon visits the Richard’s brother, soon visits the family, and much to Richard’s dismay family, and much to Richard’s dismay his brother quickly adopts the family’s his brother quickly adopts the family’s critical attitude toward him.critical attitude toward him.

Richard is named Richard is named valedictorian of his valedictorian of his class, but he discovers class, but he discovers that the principal will that the principal will not let him give his own not let him give his own speech at the ceremony. speech at the ceremony.

Because white Because white people will be people will be present at the present at the graduation, the graduation, the principal has written principal has written a speech of his own, a speech of his own, which he instructs which he instructs Richard to deliver.Richard to deliver.

The principal threatens to keep The principal threatens to keep Richard from graduating if he Richard from graduating if he insists on giving a different insists on giving a different speech. Richard’s family, friends, speech. Richard’s family, friends, and classmates all urge him to and classmates all urge him to avoid trouble and just deliver the avoid trouble and just deliver the principal’s speech, but he principal’s speech, but he adamantly refuses.adamantly refuses.

When the day of graduation When the day of graduation arrives, Richard gives his own arrives, Richard gives his own speech and immediately flees the speech and immediately flees the auditorium, paying no attention to auditorium, paying no attention to the applause, handshakes, & the the applause, handshakes, & the invitations to parties that he invitations to parties that he receives. receives.

He is disgusted with the He is disgusted with the community, the event, and with community, the event, and with the fact that he lived his life for the fact that he lived his life for seventeen years in a baffled state. seventeen years in a baffled state.

Richard takes a job at a clothing Richard takes a job at a clothing store where the white bosses store where the white bosses humiliate the black customers on humiliate the black customers on a daily basis.a daily basis.

Richard sees the shopkeepers Richard sees the shopkeepers beat a black woman who is beat a black woman who is unable to pay the credit unable to pay the credit installments on her clothing installments on her clothing purchase.purchase.

One day, Richard’s bicycle gets a One day, Richard’s bicycle gets a flat tire after he makes a clothing flat tire after he makes a clothing delivery. delivery.

A group of young white men A group of young white men offer to let him ride back to town offer to let him ride back to town on the side of their car. on the side of their car.

When Richard neglects to call When Richard neglects to call one of the white youths “sir,” one of the white youths “sir,” they smash a whiskey bottle in they smash a whiskey bottle in his face, causing him to fall from his face, causing him to fall from the speeding vehicle. the speeding vehicle.

He walks back to town.He walks back to town.

Not long thereafter, when Richard Not long thereafter, when Richard makes a delivery in a white makes a delivery in a white neighborhood, suspicious policemen neighborhood, suspicious policemen force him to the side of the road and force him to the side of the road and aggressively search him at gunpoint. aggressively search him at gunpoint.

They tell Richard to tell his boss not They tell Richard to tell his boss not to send him on delivery runs in white to send him on delivery runs in white neighborhoods after dark. neighborhoods after dark.

Eventually, Richard’s boss fires him Eventually, Richard’s boss fires him because he does not like Richard’s because he does not like Richard’s silent disapproval of the way he runs silent disapproval of the way he runs the store and treats black people.the store and treats black people.

Griggs, a former classmate, Griggs, a former classmate, admonishes Richard for not admonishes Richard for not knowing how to act around white knowing how to act around white people.people.

He tells Richard that his He tells Richard that his reputation as a troublemaker has reputation as a troublemaker has already been spread to many already been spread to many potential white employers. potential white employers.

After repeatedly stressing that After repeatedly stressing that Richard must swallow his pride Richard must swallow his pride and learn to feign humility in and learn to feign humility in order to survive around whites, order to survive around whites, Griggs helps Richard secure a job Griggs helps Richard secure a job with Mr. Crane, a Northerner with Mr. Crane, a Northerner interested in training a black boy interested in training a black boy in the trade of optics and lens-in the trade of optics and lens-making.making.

Richard is elated and eagerly Richard is elated and eagerly reports to Crane’s optical shop. reports to Crane’s optical shop.

However, Richard’s white However, Richard’s white coworkers, Pease and Reynolds, coworkers, Pease and Reynolds, refuse to teach him how to work refuse to teach him how to work the machines, asserting that it is the machines, asserting that it is “white man’s work.” “white man’s work.”

They belittle Richard with crude They belittle Richard with crude questions about his anatomy and questions about his anatomy and constantly attempt to intimidate constantly attempt to intimidate him. him.

One day, Pease says that Reynolds has One day, Pease says that Reynolds has told him that Richard once referred to told him that Richard once referred to him as simply “Pease” rather than the him as simply “Pease” rather than the more respectful “Mr. Pease.” more respectful “Mr. Pease.”

Richard knows he is in a trap: if he Richard knows he is in a trap: if he admits to this charge, Pease will punish admits to this charge, Pease will punish him for disrespect, but if he denies the him for disrespect, but if he denies the charge, Reynolds will punish Richard charge, Reynolds will punish Richard for implying that he is a liar. for implying that he is a liar.

Richard knows that the men are trying Richard knows that the men are trying to drive him out of the shop, so he to drive him out of the shop, so he quits.quits.

Richard feels totally demoralized. Richard feels totally demoralized. The sympathetic Crane calls The sympathetic Crane calls

Richard into his office and asks Richard into his office and asks him what happened, but Richard him what happened, but Richard refuses to tell, out of fear that refuses to tell, out of fear that Reynolds and Pease will gather a Reynolds and Pease will gather a mob and kill him.mob and kill him.

Crane then pays Richard more Crane then pays Richard more than he has earned for the week, than he has earned for the week, apologizes for being unable to do apologizes for being unable to do more, and tells Richard he more, and tells Richard he approves of Richard’s plan to approves of Richard’s plan to move to the North.move to the North.

Crane says he understands that Crane says he understands that blacks lead a hard life in the South, blacks lead a hard life in the South, and believes that a move to the and believes that a move to the North is perhaps Richard’s best North is perhaps Richard’s best hope.hope.

Richard feels terribly violated and Richard feels terribly violated and ashamed. ashamed.

He thanks Crane hastily and leaves, He thanks Crane hastily and leaves, in his own words, as “a blind man.”in his own words, as “a blind man.”

Richard drifts from job to job, so Richard drifts from job to job, so exhausted and dispirited by the exhausted and dispirited by the constant threat of racism that he constant threat of racism that he frequently makes mistakes that frequently makes mistakes that get him fired.get him fired.

When the summer ends and many When the summer ends and many of the other boys return to school, of the other boys return to school, jobs become plentiful.jobs become plentiful.

Richard takes a job at the same Richard takes a job at the same hotel where his classmate’s hotel where his classmate’s brother had worked until he was brother had worked until he was murdered for consorting with a murdered for consorting with a white prostitute.white prostitute.

At the hotel, Richard mops At the hotel, Richard mops hallways with a group of young hallways with a group of young black men, including one who black men, including one who amuses Richard because he amuses Richard because he takes pride in having gonorrhea, takes pride in having gonorrhea, which he claims is a mark of which he claims is a mark of manhood. manhood.

One day, a white security guard One day, a white security guard fondles one of the black maids, fondles one of the black maids, and Richard’s obvious and Richard’s obvious displeasure leads the guard to displeasure leads the guard to threaten him with a gun.threaten him with a gun.

Richard hesitates to engage in Richard hesitates to engage in the thievery rampant among the the thievery rampant among the hotel workers because he does hotel workers because he does not consider it worth the risk of not consider it worth the risk of being caught. being caught.

He acknowledges, however, that He acknowledges, however, that racism encourages such theft, as racism encourages such theft, as whites would rather have a whites would rather have a dishonest, uneducated black dishonest, uneducated black worker than an honest, educated worker than an honest, educated one.one.

Eventually, Richard changes his Eventually, Richard changes his mind and decides to steal so that mind and decides to steal so that he can raise money to move he can raise money to move North, reasoning that living North, reasoning that living honestly would merely prolong honestly would merely prolong his stay in the South. his stay in the South.

He leaves his job at the hotel and He leaves his job at the hotel and takes one at a movie theater, takes one at a movie theater, where he helps his coworkers where he helps his coworkers steal two hundred dollars by steal two hundred dollars by reselling tickets. reselling tickets.

Burning to leave the South, he Burning to leave the South, he steals a gun from a neighbor and steals a gun from a neighbor and pawns it for money. pawns it for money.

He then resells some fruit He then resells some fruit preserves that he has stolen from preserves that he has stolen from a nearby black college. a nearby black college.

With this money, Richard goes to With this money, Richard goes to Memphis. Memphis.

His stealing pains him, and he His stealing pains him, and he vows never to do it again.vows never to do it again.