In Richard Wright’s The Library Card, the author vividly describes his quotidian life as an African-American living in the segregated south of the early- to mid- 20th century. Widely considered an autobiographical account, Wright’s short story touches on key details of his everyday life that separated his from the life of many whites. By holding such a unique perspective of the period’s culture, Wright, as the story’s narrator, is able to liberate himself from the confines put in place by the period’s unjust practices against African-Americans. Carefully describing and recanting life experiences where he was degraded or belittled on the account of his skin tone, Wright paints a vivid picture of the social constructs faced preventing any sort
…show more content…
An example of this is Wright seeking to gain knowledge through reading books. Not being able to obtain a simple book from the public library due to his skin color, Wright is forced to work with a white man to covertly check out and read at his pleasure. Simply visiting the library, he cannot go without racial slurs being spewed violently towards him. This experience is one of many Wright has no say in and must live with. Seeking freedom from this hellish lifestyle, Wright proves how strongly he desires to be freed. Quite simply, the author faces constant degradation and feels little to no self-worth at this point. Unfortunately, however, Wright’s background is one all too common in the segregated South, being a virtual way of life for many. In Angela Cooley’s article in Southern Quarterly, "Eating With Negroes": Food And Racial Taboo In The Twentieth-Century South.", the author describes a fictional early twentieth century Alabamian town where segregation is alive and well. Rather paradoxically, the town’s black population does the hard, behind-the-scenes work allowing the community to function harmoniously. In this all-too-common setup of the segregated south, African-Americans receive zero accreditation for their contributions to the greater community’s well-being. Furthermore, Cooley describes within this fictional Alabamian town a café known as the Whistle Stop Café. Here, while blacks have made this restaurant an institution in the community, these very individuals cannot eat in the public dining room due to the color of their skin (Cooley 70-71). This fictional encounter directly relates to the plight of Richard Wright in his life of a lower class. Though the Whistle Stop Café may be fictional, the customs practiced in order to degrade blacks are
An example of this is Wright seeking to gain knowledge through reading books. Not being able to obtain a simple book from the public library due to his skin color, Wright is forced to work with a white man to covertly check out and read at his pleasure. Simply visiting the library, he cannot go without racial slurs being spewed violently towards him. This experience is one of many Wright has no say in and must live with. Seeking freedom from this hellish lifestyle, Wright proves how strongly he desires to be freed. Quite simply, the author faces constant degradation and feels little to no self-worth at this point. Unfortunately, however, Wright’s background is one all too common in the segregated South, being a virtual way of life for many. In Angela Cooley’s article in Southern Quarterly, "Eating With Negroes": Food And Racial Taboo In The Twentieth-Century South.", the author describes a fictional early twentieth century Alabamian town where segregation is alive and well. Rather paradoxically, the town’s black population does the hard, behind-the-scenes work allowing the community to function harmoniously. In this all-too-common setup of the segregated south, African-Americans receive zero accreditation for their contributions to the greater community’s well-being. Furthermore, Cooley describes within this fictional Alabamian town a café known as the Whistle Stop Café. Here, while blacks have made this restaurant an institution in the community, these very individuals cannot eat in the public dining room due to the color of their skin (Cooley 70-71). This fictional encounter directly relates to the plight of Richard Wright in his life of a lower class. Though the Whistle Stop Café may be fictional, the customs practiced in order to degrade blacks are