I really enjoyed this reading, as much as you can enjoy a reading that depicts the sad realities of racism and the Jim Crow laws in the South. The tone throughout this story is casual, as though Richard Wright has already accepted the Jim Crow laws and what they mean for his life and is now just reporting the facts. He has removed his emotion and feelings from the writing. The first thing that Wright does is describe the land, to let us know that the South was not just racist is its actions but also in the way towns were set up. Wright associated anything green with white people because the only green that could be found was where the white people lived. Blacks, on the other hand, had cinders in their yards. Blacks and whites were also separated by railroad tracks, with the blacks being located behind the tracks. Using the word "behind" implies that the whites were in front of the tracks, emphasizing the superiority of whites. I think one of the most surprising and disturbing events that Wright described was when he talked about fighting. "Broken bottles were dangerous; the left you cut, bleeding, and helpless." (pg 549) Whites fought in a way that blacks could not. I think this fully describes racism; whites treated blacks horribly and behaved any way they wanted but blacks could not retaliate or behave the same way towards whites. This was the basic definition for the Jim Crow laws. Learning the Jim Crow laws meant that blacks had to accept the way they were treated and we see Wright realizing this more at the same time that he grows more distant from his writing. This education took time because the Jim Crow laws were dictated by whites and changed to fit any situation or action that a white person felt necessary. In the incident were Richard was accused of not saying "Mr." in front of Pease's name, Morrie and Pease trapped Richard between the two benches with his back to the wall. This was a perfect symbol for how blacks were trapped by white rules and how they were supposed to interact with whites. Blacks were always unsure of how to act and they were always outnumbered by whites. Richard "stood hesitating, trying to frame a neutral reply." (pg 551) We see Richard's final acceptance when his education is just about when every time there is mention of a black person being abused or beaten by a white, they are referred to as 'lucky." "Huh! Is tha' all they did t' her," (pg 552) no one is surprised by the extent of whites cruelty towards the black community.
I felt that this was the most shocking piece we have read because it did not just look at racism and the abuse of blacks. Richard Wright explained how the only way to live in the South as a black was to fully accept the horrible way you were treated and often go so far as to believe that you deserved it. Wright's way of writing facts and lacking emotion makes the piece even more powerful.
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I think that this accepting of the Jim Crow laws is a major part of the problem. I understand that Wright was writing to try to make a change for the better in society, but I do not think that it is a good approach. If you accept something, then you are more likely to accept that it is not going to change. I understand that it was probably the easiest way to deal with the situation at the time, but it just does not seem to be a good way to make a change. This is something that his mother tried to teach him. I got that this piece was kind of like a warning to other black people. It kind of looks as though it is there "survival guide." It seems as though if you are just trying to survive then you are not going to make a change. You made a really good point when you said that the only way to live as a black in the south was to go along with the rules, and even go as far as believing that you deserved to be treated this way.
I thought it was interesting that you explained this story was not as shocking as others we have read. I agree with you and I think Wright did this intentionally. I believe a shocking and disturbing explanation of these situations may have taken away from the point that he wanted to get across. The casual way that this was written contributes to the way that the black community reacted when he told them of the events that he had encountered. They did not seem to think it was a big deal and the reader was supposed to think of it the same way. While the events were troubling it was obviously so common at this point in time that it did not even phase most of the people that had dealt with it before. Everyone had adapted to this way of life. While the black people were free, they still were very restricted and ultimately still under control of the white people. Wright did a great job making the reader feel that this was a common event. The events were described in a way that made the reader feel that what was occurring was a sense of normalcy and not something to be shocked about.
I thought that The Ethics of Living Jim Crow was a lot like the Frederick Douglass reading. Douglass and Wright both wanted things that society wouldn't allow them to have, and I thought it was sad that not only were they not allowed to learn any trades, but they weren't even allowed to enjoy the simple things in life like green grass. I agree with you, learning the Jim Crow law meant that blacks had to accept the way they were treated, and Wright definately learned this.
Wright really did hit his point because of the lack of emotion and the sense that there was nothing he could do to change it. But we all that this simply isn't true. There were many people who were against slavery and voiced their opinions. They fought to get Jim Crow laws taken away, and fought for equal rights in the civil rights movement. If all African Americans took the approach of Wright, they would be no where today.
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