Desire for Individuality Essay Example

wrote stories that weren't true. Wright mum also criticized his writings. She said, "Son, you ought to be more serious.

You're growing up and you won't be able to get jobs if you let people think you're weak minded. "(Pg 374 Wright) She told him he needed to be serious because she was worried that writing ability would affect his ability to secure a job. Although he was criticized by his family members Wright did not give up on his dream of writing.Wright also faced criticism from the authority and community, which he tried to resist. He questioned why people obeyed authority even though they felt the authority was wrong.

Wright goes on to say Ought one to surrender to authority even if one believed that the authority as wrong? If the answer was yes then I knew that I would always be wrong, because I could never do it. Then how could one live in a world in which one's mind and perceptions meant nothing and authority and tradition meant everything? There were no answers.Wright implies that everyone did what they were told without questioning and this angered him so he made efforts not to be like everyone else. He asked questions that everyone else was afraid to ask like why the white and blacks hated each other very much and why it was considered wrong to ask questions. Wrights family never believed in him and he was never appreciated.

Even his friends did not believe in his writing ability. Although his critics angered him, he did not give up in his efforts to be a sound writer.He dreamed of going up north to

continue his writing. . He fought harder to ensure what people felt or thought about him and his writing ability did not bog him down. Wright created an identity for himself by believing in himself and making an effort not to get discouraged and keep on working to achieve his goal.

This enabled him to work harder and write and ask the questions people were afraid to ask or even talk about. Like Wright, Moody also tried to create her own identity but was also faced with oppositions from family.Every time she asked about issues going on in the community her mother lied to her, or told her not to talk about it. Moody was never told the truth about what happened and was told to keep her mouth shut about racial issues.

When Moody mentioned the issue of the death of Emmett Till to her mother said, "you go on to work before you is late. And don't let on like you know nothing about that boy being killed before Miss Burke them. "(183 Moody) She implies that her mother was very overprotective and always told her to not say anything about what she knew.By doing this, her mum put a limit on what she knew or was allowed to talk about.

Moody questioned why her mum acted scared and why her mum made her pretend she knew nothing. Mrs. Burke was also one of Moody's critics. Moody says I went home shaking like a leaf on a tree.

For the first time out of all her trying, Mrs. Burke had made me feel like rotten garbage. Many times she tried to instill fear

within me and subdue me and had to give up. But when she talked about Emmett Till's murder there was something in her voice that sent chills and fear all over me.

(185 Moody)Moody implies that fear was instilled in her by Mrs. Burke when she was told about Emmett Till's death and that Mrs. Burke was indirectly telling her not to change unless she might end up like Emmett Till. Mrs. Burke criticized Moody because she was scared of change.

She was scared of the blacks being as powerful as the white people and if this happened she may not have anyone do her housework for her. Since Mrs. burke had so much fear in her she criticizes moody to make her feel scared and hereby prevent a change in Moody's behavior. I think Moody felt like Mrs.Burke was preventing her from achieving the goal of being individualistic.

Mrs. Burke was trying to tell her to be like every other black person who obey rules and not challenge the authority. Mrs. Burke tries to instilled fear in moody but this did not prevent moody from achieving her potential of being individualistic in her views. Moody went on to the only positive source she knew her teacher Mrs.

Rice to seek about Racism and the NAACP. She learns about the importance of the NAACP and their fight for equality among blacks and whites and this helped to shape her views on life.In Conclusion, Anne Moody and Richard Wright were two kids growing up with a goal of creating an identity for them selves. Although they both grew up in different decades they both shared a

common goal of individualism. They both wanted to have an individualistic view about life without external influence from family and community. They both tried hard not to be like everyone else but were faced with family opposing their abilities to ask questions and say what they wanted.

Although negativities arose, both writers were able to resist their oppositions and this played a very important role in their achievement of individualism.