Richard WrightRichard Wright

1908-19601908-1960

BiographyBiography

Born on a plantation near Natchez, Born on a plantation near Natchez, Mississippi, on September 4, 1908. Mississippi, on September 4, 1908. Son of a sharecropper who deserted his Son of a sharecropper who deserted his family when Wright was 5.family when Wright was 5.His mother became ill, and the family His mother became ill, and the family moved to Jackson, Mississippi with his moved to Jackson, Mississippi with his grandmother.grandmother.– Grandmother tried to stop Wright from writing.Grandmother tried to stop Wright from writing.

His grandmother attempted to crush his His grandmother attempted to crush his imagination.imagination.

BiographyBiography

Wright and his brother lived in an Wright and his brother lived in an orphanage for a short time because of orphanage for a short time because of family problems.family problems.He would recall his childhood as a “time of He would recall his childhood as a “time of hunger.”hunger.”– For food, but also for affection, understanding, For food, but also for affection, understanding,

and education.and education.

Although a very good student, Wright Although a very good student, Wright never graduated from high school.never graduated from high school.

BiographyBiography

Wright’s jobs in the South were marked by Wright’s jobs in the South were marked by harassment by whites and by his own disdain for harassment by whites and by his own disdain for what segregation and racism had done to distort what segregation and racism had done to distort the humanity of his fellow blacks, as he saw it.the humanity of his fellow blacks, as he saw it.

The harsh conditions of the South pushed The harsh conditions of the South pushed Wright to his first exposure with Wright to his first exposure with Urban Urban NaturalismNaturalism..– Wright said he “could not read enough of them.”Wright said he “could not read enough of them.”

Urban NaturalismUrban Naturalism

The term The term naturalismnaturalism describes a type of describes a type of literature that attempts to apply scientific literature that attempts to apply scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings. its study of human beings. – Unlike realism, which focuses on literary Unlike realism, which focuses on literary

technique, naturalism implies a philosophical technique, naturalism implies a philosophical position: position:

For naturalistic writers, since human beings are, in For naturalistic writers, since human beings are, in Emile Zola's phrase, "human beasts," characters Emile Zola's phrase, "human beasts," characters can be studied through their relationships to their can be studied through their relationships to their surroundings. surroundings.

Urban NaturalismUrban Naturalism

Key themes of Urban Naturalism:Key themes of Urban Naturalism:– Survival, determinism, violence, and taboo. Survival, determinism, violence, and taboo. – The "brute within" each individual, The "brute within" each individual,

composed of strong and often warring emotions: composed of strong and often warring emotions: – passions, such as lust, greed, or the desire for dominance or passions, such as lust, greed, or the desire for dominance or

pleasure; pleasure; – and the fight for survival in an amoral, indifferent universe. and the fight for survival in an amoral, indifferent universe.

The conflict in naturalistic novels is often "man against The conflict in naturalistic novels is often "man against nature" or "man against himself" nature" or "man against himself"

– Characters struggle to retain a "veneer of civilization" despite Characters struggle to retain a "veneer of civilization" despite external pressures that threaten to release the "brute within.“external pressures that threaten to release the "brute within.“

– ExampleExample: Bigger Thomas: Bigger Thomas

– The forces of heredity and environment as they affect, The forces of heredity and environment as they affect, and afflict, individual lives. and afflict, individual lives.

BiographyBiography

In 1927, Wright fled the South for Chicago.In 1927, Wright fled the South for Chicago.In Chicago, Wright seemed headed for a career In Chicago, Wright seemed headed for a career in the post office but was also determined to in the post office but was also determined to become a writer.become a writer.Wright found a circle of friends with similar views Wright found a circle of friends with similar views in 1933 when he joined the John Reed Club.in 1933 when he joined the John Reed Club.– It was a nationwide organization founded by the It was a nationwide organization founded by the

communist party to attract writers and artists. communist party to attract writers and artists.

Between 1933 and 1940 (the first major stage of Between 1933 and 1940 (the first major stage of his literary career), communism was clearly the his literary career), communism was clearly the major intellectual and political force of Wright’s major intellectual and political force of Wright’s life.life.

BiographyBiography

In 1938 four of his stories were collected as In 1938 four of his stories were collected as Uncle Tom’s ChildrenUncle Tom’s Children. . He then received a Guggenheim Fellowship, He then received a Guggenheim Fellowship, which allowed him to complete his first novel, which allowed him to complete his first novel, Native SonNative Son (1940). (1940). In 1939, he married Dhimah Rose Meadman, a In 1939, he married Dhimah Rose Meadman, a white dancer, but the two separated shortly white dancer, but the two separated shortly thereafter. thereafter. In 1941, he married Ellen Poplar, a white In 1941, he married Ellen Poplar, a white member of the Communist Party, and they had member of the Communist Party, and they had two daughters, Julia in 1942 and Rachel in 1949. two daughters, Julia in 1942 and Rachel in 1949.

BiographyBiography

After moving to Paris in 1946, Wright became friends After moving to Paris in 1946, Wright became friends with Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus while going with Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus while going through an Existentialist phase best depicted by his through an Existentialist phase best depicted by his second novel, second novel, The OutsidersThe Outsiders (1953). (1953). In his last years, he was plagued by illness (aerobic In his last years, he was plagued by illness (aerobic dysentary) and financial hardship. dysentary) and financial hardship. Throughout this period he wrote approximately 4,000 Throughout this period he wrote approximately 4,000 English Haikus (some of which were recently published English Haikus (some of which were recently published for the first time) and another novel, for the first time) and another novel, The Long DreamThe Long Dream, in , in 1958. 1958. After his death on November 28, 1960, another of his After his death on November 28, 1960, another of his collections of short stories, collections of short stories, Eight MenEight Men, was published., was published.His most famous work is still his autobiographical work, His most famous work is still his autobiographical work, Black BoyBlack Boy (1945). (1945).

Themes and Goals of Themes and Goals of Native SonNative Son

Major goal of Wright’s writing: Major goal of Wright’s writing: – The exposure of the starkest realities of The exposure of the starkest realities of

American life where race was concerned.American life where race was concerned.

Themes:Themes:– The effects of racism on the individualThe effects of racism on the individual– CommunismCommunism– NaturalismNaturalism– Justice Justice – The comforts of ReligionThe comforts of Religion

Native SonNative Son

This was meant to be America’s guide in This was meant to be America’s guide in confronting the danger of facing the profound confronting the danger of facing the profound consequences of more than two centuries of the consequences of more than two centuries of the enslavement and segregation of blacks in North enslavement and segregation of blacks in North America.America.Slavery and neo-slavery had led not simply to Slavery and neo-slavery had led not simply to the development of a psychology of timidity, the development of a psychology of timidity, passivity, and even cowardice among African passivity, and even cowardice among African American masses.American masses. Wright suggests that it also gives rise to Wright suggests that it also gives rise to characters like Bigger Thomas.characters like Bigger Thomas.

Bigger ThomasBigger Thomas

– These characters are estranged from both These characters are estranged from both black and white culture through their hatred of black and white culture through their hatred of both cultures, which gives rise to acts of both cultures, which gives rise to acts of violence.violence.

– These acts of violence were most often aimed These acts of violence were most often aimed at other African Americans, but Wright warned at other African Americans, but Wright warned that one day it would be aimed at whites.that one day it would be aimed at whites.

Intellectual ForcesIntellectual Forces

Other than naturalism, two other intellectual Other than naturalism, two other intellectual forces came together to shape forces came together to shape Native Son;Native Son; communism and existentialism.communism and existentialism.

CommunismCommunism::– the political and economic doctrine that aims to the political and economic doctrine that aims to

replace private property and a profit-based economy replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production and the natural least the major means of production and the natural resources of a society. resources of a society.

ExistentialismExistentialism

Existentialism:Existentialism:– The Existentialist conceptions of freedom and The Existentialist conceptions of freedom and

value arise from their view of the individual. value arise from their view of the individual. Since we are all ultimately alone, isolated Since we are all ultimately alone, isolated islands of subjectivity in an objective world, islands of subjectivity in an objective world, we have absolute freedom over our internal we have absolute freedom over our internal nature, and the source of our value can only nature, and the source of our value can only be internal. be internal.

– Main principle: Main principle: Existence precedes Essence.Existence precedes Essence.

ExistentialismExistentialism

To review the essential beliefs of French To review the essential beliefs of French existentialists, consider the following ideas:existentialists, consider the following ideas:1.1. Existentialists believe in free will.Existentialists believe in free will.2.2. Existentialists do not recognize any human or Existentialists do not recognize any human or

immortal authority.immortal authority.– Denied God’s existence in a cruel world, full of suffering.Denied God’s existence in a cruel world, full of suffering.– No Faith because no hope.No Faith because no hope.

3.3. Existentialists believe that they are responsible for Existentialists believe that they are responsible for all the consequences of their actions.all the consequences of their actions.

4.4. Existentialists do not believe in an afterlife.Existentialists do not believe in an afterlife.5.5. Sartre stated that we "are condemned to be free." Sartre stated that we "are condemned to be free." 6.6. Camus stated that "life is absurd."Camus stated that "life is absurd."