The Importance Of Poverty In Richard Wright's Native Son

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A woman led household is a common fixture in my neighborhood, as I have watched my mother become the sole provider for my family after losing my father in 2001. Unfortunately, due to my mother’s hectic schedule, I never developed a relationship with her either. Living in these conditions gave me the motivation I needed to do well in school. However, this wasn’t the case for most of my peers. College wasn’t an option for many of them. Most felt as if they had an obligation to take care of their families, while others turned to a life of drugs and violence. The poverty level of those in urban communities such as mine, causes jobs to be scarce, and drugs too often be the answer, consequently leading to negative behavior. Those who live in areas with high poverty levels, such as Detroit, Chicago, and Baltimore struggle with setting long-term goals, by solely focusing on short-term accomplishments. For instance, in Richard Wright's Novel Native Son the African American protagonist Bigger Thomas struggles with exactly that. Being brought up in Chicago, Illinois, Bigger faces a constant battle of inferiority and poverty, these conditions cause him to develop a “kill or be killed” mindset in order to …show more content…

That gap adds to the hardship of the black reality. The struggle keeps us grounded in a world, which is callous toward black people. The younger brother Joshua is an example of how black people can’t ignore that oppressive environment. He represents the small percentage of those who try to shy away from his society norms. Instead of getting involved with drugs and gang violence he decided to become a contributing member of his community. He struggles to provide for his family while working at the docks. Being raised under such conditions like most youth in Detroit Joshua doesn't strive to explore opportunities outside of his community because he is afraid to take the

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