So... I know nothing about hip-hop or anything like that. Black Boy, I do know, and I think that it almost frustrates me. It's good, very good, and I enjoy reading it immensely (just not the taking notes part). What bugs me a little is the way Richard Wright narrates seems emotionless, detached from the situation. Of all memories, I would think that emotions attached to these memories and events would be strong and clear. It's not like he's refraining from adding emotions into it because he feels this way as an adult after looking back to these events in his life. Richard never really expresses anger towards his mother, or anger/frustration in the way Aunt Addie treats him, or annoyance towards his grandmother. (He does threaten to kill Aunt Adde with a knife, but only because he didn't want to be beaten.) These people are just as they are--jerks--and while I'm sitting at my desk mad at people in his life like Aunt Addie, Richard just goes along with everything. I'm not sure if this is because his job writing this book is to recount his life in facts.
Overall, I love the honesty of everything. There are many times where I cringed, but I like that he's brutally honest, and doesn't hesitate to use the "N-word". He talks of race and other issues like God freely, and that makes me like the book even more.
JY
The raw honesty really does make the book what it is.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, I don't think he really does express his feelings while narrating. But it could be because it's to help tell the story from the outside, like it wasn't about him, and he was standing next to the reader as they watched the story happen. It could have also been to let the emotions of the past speak out more too.
Ok now I'm ranting.
Anyway, good job. :)
If Richard wasn't honest, the book wouldn't be nearly as well written as it is. But as for the emotions, I think his emotions should have been crystal clear to him. As an adult reflecting upon it, I would have thought that he would be able to realize what he was feeling at the time of his experieces.
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