Black Boy Analysis

521 Words3 Pages
Black Boy Analysis Essay Throughout the Story Black Boy, Richard Wright uses a wide variety of diction and distinct tones to help the readers get a true understanding of the life he once lived. On pages 315-318 Wright uses insecure and astonished tones to show his reaction to the John Reed Club, and the way he is treated by it’s members. These reactions foreshadow a change in Richard’s attitude towards life and his potential in writing. After Richard’s friend continuously begs him to attend a meeting at the John Reed Club, Richard finally gives in and attends a meeting despite his skeptical and nervous feelings towards the white communists. A very insecure tone is portrayed by Richard’s views of the club and the white communists. when speaking about the member of the club Richard says “ I was cynical and I would rather have heard a white man say that he hated Negroes, which i could have readily believed, than to have heard him say that he respected Negroes, which would have made me doubt him”. This quote shows how Insecure Richard feels about the white communists in the John Reed Club. Based on all of his past negative experiences with white men, he finds it hard to believe that these men could be any differentthan the rest. When Richard first attended the John Reed Club he was greeted very courteously, and with a lot of respect. The men took his aspirations of being a writer seriously. Richard had never been treated in such a way before, therefore he had no reason to believe that these men were being sincere, and not just putting on an act. He says “I was skeptical. I tried to fathom their motives, but I could detect no condescension in them”. The tone astonished also plays a large roll in these few pages. Wright uses this tone to express the feelings he experienced at the meetings. Once Richard realizes that the men in the John Reed Club really have respect
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