Wright and Stealing

Richard Wright is preparing to leave the South for the North. He feels that needs to get out of the South in order for him to succeed to the point that he wants to. He continues to look for jobs so that he can earn money to leave. School has started again, but it is impossible for Wright to go. The biggest job he has was at the hotel that Bob had worked at prior to being killed. Richard would learn that stealing was second nature to most blacks around him. He came to the realization that whites would rather have a black person who steals then one that “knew the worth of their humanity”.

Wright first began to steal when he was promoted to bellboy. He learned that the majority of the money that the bellboys earned came from bootlegging liquor. He fell into this cycle quickly and continued to do so until he quit the hotel. From there he took a job at a movie theater. He joined the stealing there as well. The scheme consisted of reselling tickets. Richard made fifty dollars in his first week. He then stole fruit from the Negro College and a gun from his neighbor, which he pawned off.

I believe Wright was justified in what he did. There was nothing to lose in his life, and he stated that. The white people expected it out of him, not matter how much he was against stealing. Also, Wright is taking the advice from Griggs. Wright living how he is supposed in the South. Wright did he what he needed to get out of the South, and I justify his actions.