Essay Example on Throughout history humans have relied on the creation of Hierarchies

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Throughout history humans have relied on the creation of hierarchies to establish orderly societies Unfortunately many social structures allow for the mistreatment of those deemed lower class due to their perceived inferiority Such prejudiced notions have plagued the United States for hundreds of years particularly attacking minority groups Richard Wright s autobiographical essay The Ethics of Living Jim Crow elaborates on the injustices faced by African Americans in the early 1900s Through his anecdotal depictions of interracial interactions Wright effectively teaches the reader that the racist attitude proposed by American society must change for it breeds violence involuntary submission and dangerous rebellion Initially Wright references violence when reminiscing about a childhood injury inflicted by a white boy The subtle atmosphere of the story indicates that the clashing of the boys was solely based on the premise of skin color a common reason for children to fight during the time period Violence transpiring on the grounds of race continues as Wright ages he is assaulted by two coworkers who accused him of thinking he is white and he is later on beaten with an empty whiskey bottle for failing to call a white man sir Wright After Wright endures several counts of physical abuse he notes that his Jim Crow education broadened and deepened Wright He had learned through his unorthodox lessons that rape beatings unprovoked arrests unlawful searches and verbal abuse were approved practices of the white man

The vicious accounts relayed by the author further highlight his warning that racism only invites suffering successfully compelling the reader to abstain from intolerant bigotry Submissive behavior portrayed by all black persons expanded upon in the text is taught to Wright as the necessary demeanor for socializing with Caucasians Wright s mother claimed that the white children were absolutely right in clouting him with the broken milk bottle since he was arrogant enough to engage with them Wright The submission continues when a black woman is raped by two white men she leaves the crime scene as though nothing happened yet is almost immediately arrested by a Caucasian police officer on the suspicion that she is intoxicated Another key example of African American submission unfolds when the white night watchman slapped the black maid on her buttock Wright Due to the maid s skin color she is coerced into tolerating his distasteful act shortly after the encounter she tells Wright don t be a fool yuh couldn t help allowing it Wright The disturbing submission exhibited by African Americans displays a sad truth while there are some black individuals that recognize the injustice of their forced obedience Wright implies that the majority of blacks are thankful for a white dominated world Most likely the African American appreciation for the harsh social imbalance stems from the constant reinforcement that Caucasians are superior to blacks and therefore whites should remain exclusively authoritative Wright emphasizes that systematic racism leads to the undermining of all races involved tragically weakening the society as a whole While the vast majority of blacks described in the accounts appear satisfied with his or her unofficial servitude Wright glints rebellion aiming to work his way up through learning from his white co workers Wright 



Though he was unaware at the time Wright later discovers that wanting to learn the trade of a white person is defiant behavior however he continues to act rebelliously Wright enters a new occupation as a hall boy where he is sharply scolded for glancing at a naked prostitute a behavior that would not be criticized if he were Caucasian Furthermore Wright borrows books from a whites only library in combination with learning to lie to steal to dissemble to play that dual role which every Negro must play if he wants to eat and live Wright The defiant nature exuded by Wright demonstrates that he would prefer to jeopardize his life than to accept the submissive role other African Americans adopted Such rebellion underlines the inequalities endured by the black population African American individuals such as Wright must resort to crime to simply survive Ironically Wright s rebellion also sparks hope in the reader His refusal to truly back down and accept the role of a second class citizen speaks to the notion of change Collectively Wright s insubordination reigns as a symbol of faith that the future is worth the risks he takes further influencing the reader to seek equality as well Overall Wright remarks American society as selfish and unjust The atrocities faced by his race will never be excused however Wright offers the lesson of change Opening one's mind to the concept of peace and equality can cease the heinous cycle of systematic racism Though Wright was taught to submit to Caucasians the constant reminder of inequality motivated him to educate others on the importance of fairness By shocking the reader through true accounts Wright stresses the importance of ending prejudiced violence supporting equality of the races and terminating the necessity for hidden rebellion Ultimately Wright s narration heartily encourages the reader to actively participate in the civil treatment of all in order to build a stronger more united nation


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