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A Reader's Guide to Richard Wright's Black Boy
Credited with developing the protest novel, Richard Wright became the first best-selling African-American writer of the twentieth century. Regarded by many as a masterpiece, his book Black Boy took the literary tradition of the narrative to new heights by providing a first-hand account of living in the South as an African American male during the Jim Crow era. Includes biographical information about the author.
* Reviews *
This book provides a detailed analysis of Black Boy, summarizing it by chapters and exploring relevant areas (e.g., Themes and Concepts, Narrative as Dramatic Device, Wright as Character, Influential Characters, Influences and Interpretation, Reactions and Importance of the Work, and Following Black Boy). Although Black Boy is often classified as an autobiography, Hinds insights help the reader understand why this is actually not so. That is, because some incidents are not true, some are exaggerated, and some are representative of situations common to blacks during Wrights lifetime. Hinds points out that the accuracy of the book is not as important as its message. This guide is more than a source of helpful information to those reading the original book; it provides background in the mores and history of the days of Jim Crow, when both laws and cultural biases denied equality to African Americans. It also provides insights about race relations that are relevant today. Backmatter includes a chronology of Wrights life, chapter notes, a glossary, a list of Wrights major works, a list of recommended books and Internet addresses, and an index. Highly recommended for any interested reader, including teachers, this book is part of the Multicultural Literature series., Children's Literature
RL
Grades
9-10 IL
Grades
9-12+ GRL
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