A Critical Perspective: Richard Wright's Native Son
Richard Wright marked the beginning of a new era in black fiction. He was one of
the first American writers of his time to confront his readers with the effects of racism.
Wright had a way of telling his reader about his own life through his writing. He is best
known for his novel, Native Son, which is deeply rooted in his personal life and the times
in which he lived. This paper will discuss this outstanding American writer, his highly
acclaimed novel, Native Son, and how his life influenced his writing.
Richard Nathaniel Wright, was born on September 4, 1908 in Roxie, Mississippi.
His father was a sharecropper and his mother a schoolteacher. In search for better
employment his father moved the family to Memphis, Tennessee. While in Memphis, his
father worked as a night porter in a hotel and his mother worked as a cook for a
Caucasian family. Shortly after their move to Memphis, Wright’s father deserted his
family. His mother then tried to find any work she could find to support her family. Then,
at the age of seven his mother became ill and was unable to financially support her family.
As a result, the family had to move to Jackson, Mississippi to live with relatives. Wright
remained in Jackson until 1925 (Walker, 13).
In 1925, Wright left Jackson and headed as far as his money could take him, and
that was Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis was the exact same city in which his father had
taken his family to find a better life and where he abandoned them. Wright’s first trip to
Memphis ended in disappointment, desertion, and deprivation. While there Wright found
work as a messenger for an optical company. He lived in Memphis for approximately
two years. During that time, he witnessed the deep and violent South which eventually
would permanently scar him for life. Margaret Walker wrote:
I am convinced that the b...