Richard-Wright

RichardWright（1908-1960）Americanauthorofnovels,shortstories,poems,andnon-fiction.Muchofhisliteratureconcernsracialthemes,especiallyrelatedtotheplightofAfricanAmericansduringthelate19thtomid-20thcenturies,whosuffereddiscriminationandviolenceintheSouthandtheNorth.LiterarycriticsbelievehisworkhelpedchangeracerelationsintheUnitedStatesinthemid-20thcentury.RichardNathanielWright•EachofhisgrandfathershadtakenpartintheUSCivilWarandgainedfreedomthroughservice.•Richard'sfatherleftthefamilywhenhewassixyearsold,andhedidnotseehimfor25years.•Attheageof15,whileineighthgrade,Wrightpublishedhisfirststory,TheVoodooofHell'sHalf-Acre,inthelocalBlacknewspaperSouthernRegister.•WrightandhisfamilymovedtoChicagoin1927.AftersecuringemploymentasaUnitedStatespostalclerk,duringhistimeoff,hereadotherwritersandstudiedtheirstyles.WhenhewasfiredfromthepostofficeduringtheGreatDepression,Wrightwasforcedtogoonreliefin1931.In1932,hebeganattendingmeetingsoftheJohnReedClub.AstheclubwasdominatedbytheCommunistParty,Wrightestablishedarelationshipwithseveralpartymembers.Especiallyinterestedintheliterarycontactsmadeatthemeetings,WrightformallyjoinedtheCommunistPartyinlate1933.Publications•CollectionsRichardWright:EarlyWorks(ArnoldRampersad,ed.)(LibraryofAmerica,1989),•RichardWright:LaterWorks(ArnoldRampersad,ed.)(LibraryofAmerica,1991).•DramaNativeSon:TheBiographyofaYoungAmericanwithPaulGreen(NewYork:Harper,1941)•FictionUncleTom'sChildren(NewYork:Harper,1938)(tales)•TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan(NewYork:Harper,1939)(shorttale)•NativeSon(NewYork:Harper,1940)(novel)•TheManWhoLivedUnderground(1942)(shorttale)•TheOutsider(NewYork:Harper,1953)(novel)•SavageHoliday(NewYork:Avon,1954)(novel)•TheLongDream(GardenCity,NewYork:Doubleday,1958)(novel)•EightMen(ClevelandandNewYork:World,1961)(tales)•LawdToday(NewYork:Walker,1963)(novel)•RiteofPassage(NewYork:HarperCollins,1994)(shorttale)•AFather'sLaw(London:HarperPerennial,2008)(unfinishednovel)NativeSon•Plotsummary：Book1.Fear•BiggerThomasawakensinadark,smallroomtothesoundofthealarmclock.HelivesinoneroomwithhisbrotherBuddy,hissisterVera,andtheirmother.Thatevening,BiggerhastoseeMr.Daltonforanewjob.Bigger'sfamilydependsonhim.Biggerwalkstothepoolroomandmeetshisfriend,Gus.Biggertellshimthateverytimehethinksaboutwhites,hefeelssomethingterriblewillhappentohim.Whenhefinallygetsthejob,BiggerdoesnotknowhowtobehaveinDalton'slargeandluxurioushouse.Mr.Daltonandhisblindwifeusestrangewords.TheytrytobekindtoBigger,buttheyactuallymakehimveryuncomfortable.•Thatnight,hedrivestheirdoughterMaryaroundandmeetsherCommunistboyfriendJan.Throughouttheevening,JanandMarytalktoBigger,obligehimtotakethemtothedinerwherehisfriendsare,invitehimtositattheirtable,andtellhimtocallthembytheirfirstnames.Biggerdoesnotknowhowtorespondtotheirrequestsandbecomesveryfrustrated.MaryissodrunkthatBiggerhastocarryhertoherbedroomwhentheyarrivehome.JustthenMrs.Daltonenters.Biggerknowssheisblindbutis.HesilencesMarybypressingapillowintoherface.HerealizesthatMaryhassuffocated.BiggerstartsthinkingitwillbebetterifMarydisappears,hedecidesindesperationtoburnherbodyinthehouse'sfurnace.Book2:Flight•Mr.Daltonhascalledaprivatedetective,Mr.Britten,whothrowsuspiciononJan.Journalistssoonarriveatthehouse,takestheshovelandpushesBiggeraside,findstheremainsofMary'sbonesandanearringinthefurnace,andBiggerflees.BiggergoesdirectlytoBessieandtellsherthewholestory.Bessierealizesthatwhitepeoplewillthinkherapedthegirlbeforekillingher.BiggerrapesBessieandfallsasleep.Inthemorning,hedecideshehastokillherinhersleep.Book3:Fate•Duringhisfirstfewdaysinprison,Biggerdoesnoteat,drink,ortalktoanyone.ThenJancomestovisithim.HesaysBiggerhastaughthimalotaboutblack-whiterelationshipsandoffershimthehelpofaCommunistlawyernamedBorisMax.InthelonghoursMaxandBiggerspendhourstalking,Biggerstartsunderstandinghisrelationshipswithhisfamilyandwiththeworld.Heacknowledgeshisfury,hisneedforafuture,andhiswishforameaningfullife.Hereconsidershisattitudesaboutwhitepeople,whethertheyareaggressivelikeBritten,oracceptinglikeJan.•Biggerisfoundguiltyinfrontofthecourtandsentencedtodeathformurder.However,attheendofthenovel,heappearstocometotermswithhisfate.Characters•BiggerThomas•Biggercommitstwoghastlycrimesandisputontrialforhislife.Heisconvictedandsentencedtotheelectricchair.HisactsgivethenovelactionbuttherealplotinvolvesBigger'sreactionstohisenvironmentandhiscrime.•Throughitall,Biggerstrugglestodiscusshisfeelings,buthecanneitherfindthewordstofullyexpresshimselfnordoeshehavethetimetosaythem.•Bigger—typicaloftheoutsiderarchetype—•Debatableasthefinalsceneis,inwhichforthefirsttimeBiggercallsawhitemanbyhisfirstname,Biggerisneveranythingbutafailedhuman.Herepresentsablackmanconsciousofasystemofracialoppressionthatleaveshimnoopportunitytoexistbutthroughcrime.•JanErlone:JanisamemberoftheCommunistPartyaswellastheboyfriendoftheveryrichMaryDalton.BiggerattemptstoframehimforthemurderofMary.EventhoughBiggerattemptstoframehim,Janusesthistotrytoprovethatblackpeoplearen'tmastersoftheirowndestinies,butrather,aproductofanoppressivewhitesociety.Janha