WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS QUOTE MEANS?(GP2)

“Even today is my complaint rebellious,

My stroke is heavier than my groaning.”

                                                           -JOB

 

I guess this quote means that his opinion is still rebellious today but he will keep fighting until he is heard.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RICHARD WRIGHT

Richard Wright was born in 1908 near Roxie, Mississippi. He is the author of six novels , two collections of novellas and stories, and seven books of nonfiction, as well as numerous influential articles, critical essays, and poems. His first published book was a collection of novellas, Uncle Tom’s Children (1938). Native Son, a protest novel published two years later, it became the first novel by an African-American to be featured as a Main Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Together with Black Boy (1945), the book achieved vast critical acclaim, stirred fierce intellectual debate, and made Wright the first best selling African-American. His writing secured him a place among the most important American writers of the twentieth century.

Richard Wright lived throughout the United States, including Memphis, Chicago, and New York City. He became a French citizen in 1947 and settled in Paris, where he died of a heart attack in 1960. 

PUBLICATION INFO!

Black Boy was first published by the publisher Harper & Brothers

 

 

READ THE BOOK!(tagline)

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you if you don’t leave me alone!”

Granny came running; she stood thunderstruck.

“Addie, what are you doing?”

“He’s got a knife!” she gasped “make ‘im put it down!”

“Richard, put down that knife!” Granny shouted.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS!(GP1)

Richard Wright- he is the narrator and protagonist of the story. he is abused, left with hunger, and always told that he did something bad.

Ella Wright- Richard’s mother, she beats him for no reason sometimes but either way she is the one that was always there for richard and the only person who loved him.

Granny- Richard’s maternal grandmother, she is a strict seventh day adventist. she think richard is sinful and his little tolerance for him and she is always beating him for no reason as well.

Aunt Addie- One of Ella’s sisters. Addie lives at home with Granny in Jackson, Mississippi. She shares her mother’s spite for Richard and tries not to miss any opportunity to beat or humiliate him. She shares Granny’s intense religious nature and teaches at a religious school that Richard briefly attends

Nathan Wright- Richard’s father. Although Nathan is physically intimidating and frequently beats Richard, he abandons the family and proves to be simple, weak, and pathetic.

SUPERSTITIONS!(GP2)

         There are many different superstitions around the world and they are all different in their own unique way. Every culture, religion, home, generation, etc. have their own superstitions. There is really no real explanation of where superstitions originated from but a few example are from the real world are:

• Breaking a mirror  is said to bring bad luck for seven years. This dates back to a time when it was believed that our reflection was a representation of our souls. If we damaged the reflection, we damaged our soul.
• Spilling salt is believed to be bad luck. But you are supposed to be able to reverse the bad luck by throwing salt over your left shoulder. The reason that people throw salt over their left shoulder after spilling it is because it was believed that an evil spirit stood behind you to your left. If you threw it over your left shoulder, it would get in his eyes and hopefully scare him off!
• If you brag about something or speak aloud of some very good news, you are supposed to knock on wood. Knocking on wood is said to ward off the punishment for bragging. People once believed that evil spirits would become jealous if their good fortune was pointed out to them, and would relieve the bragger of that good fortune. Evil spirits were said to be scared away by the noise of knocking on wood three times, and would not hear of the good fortune.
• If a person sneezes you are supposed to bless them. This came about during Roman times when people believed that a sneeze could release your soul to the world. They believed that you were having some sort of internal struggle to hold onto your soul and offering you a blessing was a way of helping out. “God Bless you” became the materialization of that assistance.

   Some examples from the book are:

• If a boy was able to kiss his elbow, he would turn into a girl.
• If your right ear itches, it means someone is saying something good about you.
• If you hear a voice and no human being was near, than either God or the Devil is trying to talk to you.
• If your nose itched, it meant someone was going to visit you.
• If you have a cold and tied a worn , dirty sock around your thoart before going to bed, the cold would be gone the next morning.

Questions???? (GP3)

1.  Why do you think Richard Wright titled his autobiography Black Boy?
2. Why do you think Richard’s family treat him so badly?
3. What was the reason that made richard threaten his aunt addie with death by a knife?
4. What religion is Granny affiliated with?
5. How would you describe Richard’s education?
6. How would you describe Richard’s relationship with his Granny?
7. Why do you think Richard’s dad abandoned them?
8. How would you describe Richard’s relationship with his mother?
9. Who is Richard’s favorite aunt?
10. What political organization does Richard join in Chicago?

Did you know???(GP4)

Did you know that this book, “Black Boy”, is the autobiography of Richard Wright, it is a true story. The book potrays his boyhood in the vicious JIM CROW SOUTH and his struggles with the COMMUNIST PARTY IN CHICAGO. If you have not learned about the AMERICAN COMMUNISM in the 1930’s and 1940’s you will find it difficult to understand some of the stuff in this book. This book talks about the years of the collapse of the stock market, industry stagnation, massive unemployment, and even famine in some parts of the United States.

What’s Your Opinion?(GP5)

• CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

                I think that child abuse is very wrong. There is no reason for it. A child is a special gift from God and you chose to make the choice to have a one. Sometimes things will be hard like if he/she is crying all the time, or won’t listen, or anything like that. You just got to deal with it the best way you can. Like i said there is no reason for child abuse and neglect. You as a parent who does it should end up in jail for the rest of your life.

STATISTICS OF CHILD ABUSE

• An estimated 906,000 children are victims of abuse & neglect every year.
• Children ages 0-3 are the most likely to experience abuse. About 1 in 50 U.S. infants are victims of nonfatal child abuse or neglect in a year, according to the first national study of the problem in that age group done by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention along with The Federal Administration for Children and Families._¹
• 1,500 children die every year from child abuse and neglect. That is just over 4 fatalities every day.
• 79% of the children killed are younger than 4.

   

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS QUOTE MEANS?(GP6)

“His strength shall be hunger-bitten, And destruction shall be ready at his side”

-JOB

What do you think this quote means?

I think this quote means that no matter how “hungry” you are to reach your goal, you will do anything to get it even if it means to hurt someone by going your own way and not listening to them.