Prospects - Emerson

“But the best read naturalist who lends an entire and devout attention to truth, will see that there remains much to learn of his relation to the world, and that it is not to be learned by any addition or subtraction or other comparison of known quantities, but is arrived at by untaught sallies of the spirit, by a continual self-recovery, and by entire humility.”


So in the last chapter, Prospects, Emerson commences with reflections on nature. I really like this part (of the first paragraph) because Emerson pinpoints what makes a great naturalist. He says that “the best read” naturalists is someone who will devout their attention to truth and try to learn as much as they can about the world and that person's relation to it. Emerson also says that learning your relation to world “arrives”. You can’t learn your relationship to the world by your known qualities, but rather its by unassuming nature and humbleness. I think that’s a very honest assessment, and it’s true. Nothing ever comes straight to you, it happens when you least expect it.

Empire State Building in Bedroom

So when I first saw this picture, Camera Obscura Image of the Empire State Building in Bedroom, by Abelardo Morell it sparked my interest and grabbed my attention. I've studied Morell's work in past photography classes and he truly is a talented photographer. What I love most about his work is how he emphasis's the use of lines and there is depth to his photographs.

In my opinion, this photograph it's just really, really interesting to look at. There is an image of the Empire State Building reflected onto a bed. To Morell, this building must have some sort of significance in his life and he is attracted to it. When I look at the photograph, it makes me think of how, when you are dreaming, nothing is ever clear - it's almost upside down - and that's how it is portrayed here.

Realization

What is Wright’s realization at the end of the novel? Do you agree with it?

At the end of the novel, Wright realizes and comes to the understanding that creation, writing, is the only way to make sense of a senseless world. For him, writing is the only way to make sense of meaningless suffering. He feels that he needs to publicize his beliefs because no one is away. Wright decides that he is going to keep on trying to get people to understand that the only way they are united is how they messing up society with race. Wright really has the most hope he has ever had throughout the entire book, and yet, he is the loneliest.

I think it’s a great thing that Wright has hope at the end of book, however I think it’s really sad that writing is the only way for him to make sense of the world. No one was ever there for him and now, for him to get up and think that he can get people to understand is a really difficult task – I’m surprised is he has that much hope really. I think it’s a good way to get on with the rest of his life and not focus on the past.


P.S. Black Boy was a great book and I'm definitely going to re-read it at a slower pace during the summer.

Opposite Poles

Do you agree with Wright’s theory that artists and politicians stand at opposite poles?

I agree with Wright’s theory that artists and politicians stand at opposite poles, especially when it comes to the Communist party. The two really have a completely different way of life and how they approach gathering groups of people. Politicians propagate a system; they group people into categories by certain factors such as class or importance. Most of the time a politician will act on something based on how it could advance their career; they don’t look at how situations could be for the interest of the people. An artist on the other hand, strives for something that would better the people and not do any harm. What they want to do is educate and improve people through art. It's really interesting to look at how the two go about influencing people and goals because they are opposites.

"Perhaps even a kick was better than uncertainty"

Even more so than in Part I, Wright the author – not Wright the person in the text – is speaking to us through these passages in parenthesis. Pick such a passage from this chapter and comment.


“While working in Memphis I had stood aghast as Shorty had offered himself to be kicked by the white man; but now, while working in Chicago, I was learning that perhaps even a kick was better than uncertainty… I had elected, in my fevered search for honorable adjustments to the American scene, not to submit and in doing so I had embraced the daily horror of anxiety, of tension, of eternal disquiet. I could now sympathize with- though I could never bring myself to approve- those tortured blacks who had given up and had gone to their white tormentors and had said: “Kick me, if that’s all there is for me; kick me and let me feel at home, let me have peace”” (Wright, p.265).

This is a very powerful passage Wright put in parenthesis. When he began working in Chicago he rethinks his position on blacks accepting degradation and their willingness towards it. At first when Shorty told a white man to kick him the ass for money, Wright is horrified. However now that he is in the North and is uncertain, he begins to have sympathy for blacks who lower themselves and their standards in order to get by. Wright begins to understand the intuitiveness of the black community and their ability to know what it takes to get by.

A Positive Change for Wright

Is the change Wright sets in motion at the end of Part I a positive or negative change?

I think the change Wright sets at the end of Part I is a positive change. He makes the decision to move to Chicago with his mother, brother, and Aunt Maggie. When he was living in the South, he was heading down a dangerous path. Wright wasn’t listening to what people were telling him to do which was a problem because black people who do this end up lynched. He was trying to stand up to something bigger than himself. Making the decision to move to the North was a good thing because it's so much safer. In the North, Wright goes unnoticed and he among so many other kinds of people. However, I think Richard will find that racism is still prominent and will have problems similar to those in the South.

Moral Dilemma

Write about Wright's moral dilemma regarding stealing and comment whether he is justified in doing what he does.


Wright's has a moral dilemma regarding stealing and I feel that he is justified. He steals because he has this need to better himself and get out. I also feel that Wright is justified because he is doing what he has to do to survive – he has good intentions. If he stayed and worked to get money, it would have taken forever. I think in the chapter, Wright even mentions that it would take him at least 2 years to come up with that kind of money, and in that time, other things would have happened and he very well would have given up. He steals to get out in the quickest way possible.