The Importance of Language in Richard Wright’s Novel, Black Boy :: Wright Black Boy Essays

The Importance of Language in Richard Wrights Novel, Black BoyWords argon powerful things. They can be used to construct or destruct. In the novel Black Boy, Richard Wright discovers this fact after reading inspirational works written by a man named Mencken. It is at this point in his life where he understands the magnificence of words. Wright qualifies the idea that speech communication is an important key to identity and social betrothal using figures of speech and warrants.A rhetorical technique used by Wright is this passage is that of metaphors. For example, when describing Menckens effectiveness he uses phrases such(prenominal) as he was using words as a weapon. This simile conveys to the reader secure how powerful the new experience was for Wright. Richard wondered if he would ever be equal to(p) to make water something so significant. Although the idea seemed frightening at first, Wright was able to conflict using his words in the end. In addition, to extend the metap hor of words being weapons, the language on the page is so full of churn up that Wright imagines Mencken had slashed it with his draw up. This image gives convincing evidence that Mencken was extremely irate with his society. His sword is the pen and his words are the blow. Those who are witness to this duel are those who are effected by its cuts. Readers begin to realize just how important language is to identity and beliefs. Richard Wright utilizes evidence to create an ethos appeal for his readers. For instance, he doubts his literary survival of the fittest once he reads the title of the book given to him Prejudices. In his individualized experience those that had spoken this word were not entirely right, according to him. He toys with the idea that this man (Mencken) is mistaken he, himself, looked to have been mistaken. Wright made an unjustified end about this writer judging by the single word on the cover of a book. If one word could bring up such emotion from this boy, imagine what a whole slew of these words would create in their wake. Mencken was not accepted by his race due, impart, to his beliefs.