Mental Oppression In Richard Wright's Black Boy

System of Oppression
Low self-worth, shame, loneliness, depression, are just some effects of mental oppression. These causes are evident in the autobiography Black Boy, by Richard Wright, and also seen in society today. Mental oppression leads to individuals being isolated, and disjointed from their community.
The effect that mental oppression had on Richard, caused him to become isolated from his family. One can notice isolation when Richard begins to question society, and asks his family questions. However, Richard quickly realizes that his curiosity is not encouraged in his family, even in his own community and says, “I had already begun to sense that my feelings varied too far from those of the people around me for me to blab about what

I felt” (109). Richard even though is a young boy he is aware that no one around him can relate to him. Also, when Richard is contemplating life, he says, “Again and again I vowed that someday I would end this hunger of mine, this apartness, this eternal difference; and I did not suspect that I would never get intimately into their lives, that I was doomed to live with them but not of them, that I had my own strange and separate road, a road which in later years would make them wonder how I had come to tread it” (126). Richard is trying to say is that even though no one is on his side, and even though no one agrees with what he believes in, he must go on a different path. He feels it's the best decision for him, and everyone in his community think the same ideas. But his way of thinking, which is, to stand up to the whites, and fight to move to the north to pursue a dream of writing, will be new, something and that no one else has done.
Although Richard faced mental oppression 50 years ago. Mental oppression still lives today. Mental oppression is mostly evident with homosexuals. Some homosexuals face mental oppression every day, whether at school, or even at home(usually with religious parents) According to the US National Library of Medicine “gay men and lesbians suffer from more mental health problems including substance use disorders, affective disorders, and suicide.” It also states that the isolation leads to stress and other problems. “stress processes, including the experience of prejudice events, expectations of rejection, hiding and concealing, internalized homophobia, and ameliorative coping processes.” Since, so many people are against homosexuals they isolate themselves, because they are either bullied at school or their parents do not accept them. Much like Richard's life, his way of thinking is not accepted.
Mental oppression is still evident today, and the way people are still acting it seems that mental oppression will never go away. One must stop harassing others. Although one might have a contrary belief to yours. Verbal and physical abuse causes mental oppression which can then lead to isolation,mental illness, the use of substances, or even sometimes a tragic loss of life.