The Fight

	Sign In Sign-Up

The Fight

Richard Nathaniel Wright (Sep.4,1908-Nov.28,1960) was an American author,poet, and novelist that was a big influence in the struggles of African Americans and racism of the twentieth century.Born in Mississippi Wright faced many challenges such as having an alcoholic father whom was a sharecropper and a mother who was an elementary school teacher.Richard Wright faced many family issues after his father Nathaniel abandoned the family 1912 Richard being only 4 years old and since Richard faced having to move with several family members and experience racism in arkansas when Wrights uncle was murdered by Whites in 1916.At the age of 15 Richard Wright wrote his first story "The Voodoo of Hells Half Acre" later published in "Southern Register" a local African American newspaper.Wright later lived in Chicago and New York and wrote both fictional and non-fictional books such as "Uncle Toms Children","The man who was almost a man" and "Native Son".His work was a force in the social and intellectual history of the United States in the 20th century and brought deep issues in racism and African American struggle and hate crimes to light.Richard Wright was an example of struggle being an African American excelling author who worked hard and was an excellent student in high school.

In "The Fight" by Richard Wright the narrator is a young boy from Jackson who is starting his first day at a new school and his biggest concern is earning his respect with the other boys at his school.In the story it conveys a message that boys can be territorial and have to fight in order to gain respect from others and be able to be in peace throughout the rest of the school year.In the story the narrator puts on a tough attitude and conceals his uneasiness by acting like he is not afraid or threatened by anybody. When at recess a group of boys approach him and one boy tries to pick on him when interrogating where he's from, then calling him ugly, the narrator shows no weakness and keeps responding back.The narrator believed for him to be respected, fighting was the only way to gain it.So he fights the boy with all he had, and then later wears a ring he plans to use as a weapon so that everyone knows not to mess with him.At the end he feels he achieved what he wanted when everyone in classes with him would start asking him questions and seem interested in knowing more about him.He felt he was then "worth knowing" as he said himself, and no one would later bother him again.

In my opinion I do not agree that fighting is the best approach for a man or boy to get respect and make friends.I do not even find it necessary but this is something that I know is a big issue mostly present for boys, that if he does not show he's tough and has no fear, then he will be bothered and bullied by others at school.I think this also reflected greatly on the issues African Americans faced in the United States during the time Wright was alive which is why he wrote this short story.It shows how African Americans had to hold their ground and show strength in order to gain respect and leave the impression that it was best to stop bothering and discriminating against them.This is an example of the alternative to fight back and how for this boy it seems to work out for him and he feels good about what he did.

If I were to be in this situation of being a new student at a school and being rudely approached by girls trying to bully me, although I don't believe fighting is the best solution, I would not want to back down and let someone talk to me in a humiliating way amongst others, or I wouldn't tolerate being disrespected.It is a difficult position to be in, and would be hard to say you would'nt fight back.All I could say is I'd defend myself as much as I could and if I could avoid fighting I would, but just as the narrator did,I wouldn't want to show any fear or weakness.I believe this has definitely happened to myself and others many times, where you are in a new place and you have to show others that you demand to be respected.When ever I begin at a new school or go somewhere I don't know people I show that I do not need any body by my side to be okay.I try to be independant and serious to show I don't want anyone disrespecting me.

Still although you would probably be tempted to act in the same manner as the narrator did in "The Fight", it would have been alot better to have avoided fighting and not falling into the trap the boys were setting on him, for their own entertainment.I don't think the character was appropiate being that this was his first day of school and already he participated in a fight because he wanted to be the tough guy.He could have caused himself worse problems , not knowing who he was getting himself involved with and him being in a new place he was not from.All along while the school day had begun, the narrator had it in his mind that he would have to just be waiting for the moment he'd be tested that day, evident when he says "My anxiety was still in me; I was wondering how I would get on with the boys".The narrator then finds a ring on his way home,that he fixes into a weapon "I found a cheap ring in the streets, and at once I knew what I was going to do with it. The ring had a red stone held by tiny prongs which I loosened, took the stone out,leaving the sharp tiny prongs jutting up".

In conclusion the narrator had a violent mentality since the moment he knew he would be attending this new school, and he felt it was the only alternative to defend himself and fight to be somebody in that school.When you go to a new place you haven't been before, especially a school where you will be most of your time, it will definitely be a big challenge,but the narrator chose being the tough guy, which might lead to him not being bothered, then again might aggravate those around him and bring him more problems with people who will want to bring him down.