In Black Boy, by Richard Wright, Richard's response to cultural conflicts was both positive and negative. Richard learned life skills through these conflicts, such as defending himself. He also gained determination to make a better life for him and his family. Although cultural conflicts helped him to grow in a positive way, they also negatively affected his life. Richard began to withdraw from society because they alienated him. The violence Richard experienced first hand in his life led him to lash out at others in self-defense and anger. There were even many cultural conflicts within Richard's own home. These conflicts in religion, beliefs, and lack of trust destroyed many of Richard's relationships. Richard's responses are essential to the story of Black Boy because they illustrate the theme that a person's response to cultural conflicts can be both positive and negative.
A positive outcome of one of Richard's responses to cultural conflict was when he triumphed over a gang of boys, who Richard was beaten by on his way to the store. They stole his money, but his mother realized he needed to conquer this cultural conflict. She gave Richard a stick, with which he beat the boys. He stated, “That night I won the right to the streets of Memphis” (18). Richard was able to conquer the gang through a positive outcome of the cultural conflict between the gang and himself. Another positive outcome of the cultural conflicts Richard experienced was his determination. One of Richard's employers told him, “'You'll never be a writer,'…'Who on earth put such ideas into your nigger head'” (147)? This racist comment caused Richard to become very determined to be successful. He wanted to do everything which blacks were not expected to even aspire to. Richard also became determined to prove to everyone that he was equal to white people. When Richard's principal asked him to read a pre-written speech, he did not give into peer pressure, but instead, he read his own speech. He told the principal, “'I know only a hell of a little, but my speech is going to reflect that'” (176). Richard became even more determined to not give into society's expectations. Richard did not respond positively to all the cultural conflicts he encountered, however.
Because society shoved him away, Richard sometimes alienated himself. While in the orphanage, Richard stated, “I held myself in, afraid to act to speak until I was sure of my surroundings, feeling most of the time that I was suspended over a void” (29-30). In this situation Richard responded negatively by secluding himself from everyone else. Richard experienced many cultural conflicts that drove him to anger. When he heard of racial violence, he reasoned, “If anybody tried to kill me I would try to kill them first” (49). Richard also responded negatively to cultural conflicts within his own home. Because Richard and his Aunt Addie disagreed on man things, they fought, both verbally and physically. She said, “'I'll get you when you haven't got a knife'” (135). Richard replied in self-defense, stating, “'I'll always keep a knife for you'” (135). The cultural conflicts and differences between Richard and his family drew them apart and caused them to fight. Richard is on example of how people react to cultural conflicts.
One of the major themes in Black Boy is that a person's response to cultural conflicts can be both negative and positive. Richard illustrates this theme well in his life. He grew positively from such experiences, such as learning self-defense, and determination. Later in his life, Richard was able to use these skills he had acquired as a child, through cultural conflicts, to make a better life for himself and his family. Some of the cultural clashes Richard experienced affected him in a negative way. The conflict between the other orphanage children and Richard was so great that he alienated himself. Although Richard learned self-defense from the gang violence, sometimes he went too far. He said he would kill a man if he was even threatened. Regardless of the fact the Richard never did murder anyone, he was still driven to anger and violence. Richard was involved in gang fights, he said, “Our battles were real and bloody” (83). Not only was he violent in gangs, but also in his own home. Cultural conflicts can cause not only positive, but also negative responses.
Just as Richard learned self-defense, and determination, he also learned anger and violence. In Richard's life some cultural conflicts left positive effects, such as “conquering Memphis,” aspiring to be a writer, and reading his own speech. While others caused negative responses, such as the conflict at the orphanage, racial violence, and domestic violence. Just as Richard shows, cultural conflicts can cause a person to react in a positive or negative way.
