Heritage

Wright admits that, as a child, he and his friends were “poor, half-starved, ignorant, victims of racial prejudice.” (61) Wright, his friends, and their race were regarded with disgust from white people. Both white people and black people looked upon Jews with disgust. Wright taunted Jews because it was an acceptable way for him to vent his racial frustrations. Although unsure of why he held such strife, Wright disliked white people. He disliked their constant access to food and their violence against black people. Wright disliked Jews because they had “killed Christ.” Harassing Jews at the local grocery was a way to unleash this hatred upon a race, which, generally, was disliked by both warring parties. Wright had no true reason for his cruelty. Vaguely, without real thought or reason, Wright does it to pass time in a way that won’t inspire his mother to beat him, but, truly, Wright torments Jews to unreel racial anger that usually boils quietly, unexplained and shapeless, inside.