Invisible Boy Figurative Language

Both Black Boy by Richard Wright and Invisible boy by Ralph Ellison consists of two African Americans who show their determination to survive through the Jim Crow era in very similar yet different ways. Throughout Black Boy, hunger is frequently referred to, literally and metaphorically. Richard’s hunger requires him to receive a well-paying job, which is difficult considering the era he lives in and his race, in order to pay for food; however, as he is trying to accomplish this, he has a desire to fill his other hunger of changing the way society works. Ralph in his book is referred to an invisible man because of his race and more quiet personality. Richard would be a better fit for the position of speaking to a mixed ideological group of people to sway doubters with his more relentless …show more content…
Richard and Ralph differ in various ways especially in terms of personality, which becomes most visible when it is time to present their speeches. Richard’s perseverance is shown when he says, “But the people are coming to hear the students, and I won’t make a speech that you’ve written” (174, Wright). While Richard knows that this speech will be presented in front of many white people including the superintendent and more importantly, that his graduation depends on this, he still believes that his speech should be written by him to display his knowledge. Also, the principle threatening him and telling him, “What can you alone think of saying to them? You have no experience…”, which is ironic because Richard is the valedictorian of his class. The irony helps emphasize