"Big Black Good Man" is a short story by Richard Wright, published in the collection "Eight Men" in 1961. The story tells the tale of Olaf Jenson, a big, black, and good-hearted man who works as a night watchman at a hotel. Olaf is a kind and compassionate man, always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.
One night, Olaf is approached by a young woman named Mrs. Hink, who is in a state of panic. She claims that she has seen a "big black man" lurking outside her hotel room and is terrified that he might come back to harm her. Olaf, despite his initial skepticism, decides to investigate the matter and finds that there is indeed a man outside Mrs. Hink's room. However, rather than being a threat, the man turns out to be a lost and confused traveler who has simply gotten turned around in the hotel. Olaf calmly explains the situation to Mrs. Hink and helps the man find his way to his own room.
In the end, Olaf's kindness and compassion are rewarded when Mrs. Hink thanks him profusely for his help and offers him a generous tip. Olaf, however, refuses the money, stating that he is simply doing his job and that helping others is its own reward.
"Big Black Good Man" is a poignant and powerful story that highlights the theme of racial prejudice and discrimination. Throughout the story, Olaf is depicted as a kind and compassionate man, but he is also subjected to the prejudices of others simply because of the color of his skin. Mrs. Hink, for example, is initially terrified of Olaf simply because he is a big, black man, and it is only through Olaf's actions that she comes to see him as a good and trustworthy person.
This story is a poignant reminder of the dangers of preconceived notions and the importance of treating others with kindness and compassion, regardless of their appearance or background. It is a powerful reminder that we should not let our prejudices and biases get in the way of seeing the good in others and treating them with respect and understanding.
Big Black Good Man Characters
Wright also renders his stories sometimes in biblical terms. In fact, Jenson justifies his belief by dawning upon his experiences as a sailor, which exposed him to many different cultures and peoples. In the 1930's Wright's social vision lent his stories an air of conviction, a momentum all their own; in the 1950's Wright's quieter catholicity, his wider intellectuality, perhaps removed his stories from this kind of cumulative dread tension, the sense of urgency, that made his earlier works so immediately gripping. His novella "The Man Who Lived Underground" was included in Cross-Section 1944 , an anthology edited by Edwin Seaver and later collected in Wright's Eight Men, 1960. Download Richard Wright Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle African-American writer Richard Wright 1908—1960 was celebrated during the early 1940s for his searing autobiography Black Boy and fiction Native Son.
Big Black Good Man By Richard Wright
When he sees Jim for the first, his life turns upside-down and his inner fears overwhelm him. Jenson tells the man that he is a good man, too, adding, "a big black good man. French in 1958, three years before. The man answers that he and Lena have been writing and that he is going to her house. Learning Outcomes: At the completion of. According to his father, richard was a good boy and was observed by neighbors to be a softspoken lonely child.
Big Black Good Man by Richard Wright Essay Example
His autobiography, Black Boy, was published in 1945 and became, along with Native Son, his best-known work. But the story asks readers to consider whether traditional gauges of morality, such as sexual behavior, are really accurate measures of a man's goodness. I ask this of myself while walking the dog, in the shower, and looking in the mirror. Finally, the man commands Jenson to stand up. They arrive then accidentally at their insights, and as a result of having discovered themselves outside the rules of conventional social behavior recognize that they are free to shape and are therefore responsible for their own lives.
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During this time in the United States prejudice had become a big issue. The year 1940 brought him fame and financial success: the Book-of-the Month Club chose Native Son as its March selection, and an enlarged edition of Uncle Tom's Children was published. In contrast to his generous actions, Jim's verbal communication is somewhat ambiguous, giving little clue to his feelings and intentions. Black Boy Boyle : V14. Lena is a big, strong, blonde, and Olaf thinks that if any woman can handle Jim, it is Lena.
