Richard Wright was a young black man growing up in the South in the early 1900's. Richard has to over come many obstacles in succeeding in life and one of the biggest was racism. Richard presents himself in many ways in the biography Black Boy, two traits that are mentioned are stubbornness and passiveness. Although they are complete opposites Richard possesses both traits.
             Richard displays his stubbornness in a scene where he was called into the principles office. The principle wanted Richard to recite a speech he had made, but Richard refused. Richard wanted to write his own speech and read it. Due to Richards's insistence and stubbornness he was not applauded for his speech.
             Richard had a job at an optician's office and was promised to be taught the skills need to become an optician. Richard was supposed to learn how to craft lenses and care for the machines he worked with. The other workers in the optician's office resented the fact that a black man was hired so they refused to teach him how to use the machines. One day they trapped him, beat him, and forced him to quit. When Richard was called back to the office he was told to report on what had happened that day. Richard sat in silence fearing that he would get beat again and maybe killed. Due to his passiveness Richard lost his chance to become and optician.
             Stubbornness and passiveness eventually paid off for Richard. He moved into the North and became a notable writer of his time. Richard wrote about the hardships of growing up as a Negro in the south, and the injustice of racism. Richards's works are still prevalent to today's society because racism is still present.
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