| Racism as a problem among individuals is a familiar topic in literature. Black Boy, explores racism not only as an odious belief held by odious people but also as an insidious problem knit into the very fabric of society as a whole. Black Boy represents the culmination of Wright's passionate desire to observe and reflect upon the racist world around him. Throughout the work, we see Richard observe the deleterious effects of racism not only as it affects relations between whites and blacks, but also relations among blacks themselves. Wright entitles his work Black Boy primarily for the emphasis on the word “black”: this is a story of childhood, but at every moment we are acutely aware of the color of Wright's skin. In America, he is not merely growing up; he is growing up black. Indeed, it is virtually impossible for Richard to grow up without the label of “black boy” constantly being applied to him. |