Black Boy
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20
Themes
All Themes Racism Movement and Dislocation Hunger, Illness, and Suffering Christianity and “Being Saved” Reading and Writing Society and the Individual
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Richard Wright Wright’s mother Wright’s brother Granny Grandpa Aunt Addie Aunt Maggie Uncle Hoskins Uncle Tom Bess Mr. Crane Shorty Harrison Miss Simon Comrade Young
Symbols
All Symbols Books and Novels The “switch”
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Alliteration Allusions Anthropomorphism Dialect Foil Foreshadowing Genre Hyperbole Imagery Irony Metaphors Mood Paradox Pathos Personification Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone Verbal Irony
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Black Boy

by Richard Wright
Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10
  • Chapter 11
  • Chapter 12
  • Chapter 13
  • Chapter 14
  • Chapter 15
  • Chapter 16
  • Chapter 17
  • Chapter 18
  • Chapter 19
  • Chapter 20
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Racism Theme Icon
    Racism
  • Movement and Dislocation Theme Icon
    Movement and Dislocation
  • Hunger, Illness, and Suffering Theme Icon
    Hunger, Illness, and Suffering
  • Christianity and “Being Saved” Theme Icon
    Christianity and “Being Saved”
  • Reading and Writing Theme Icon
    Reading and Writing
  • Society and the Individual Theme Icon
    Society and the Individual
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Richard Wright
  • Wright’s mother
  • Wright’s brother
  • Granny
  • Grandpa
  • Aunt Addie
  • Aunt Maggie
  • Uncle Hoskins
  • Uncle Tom
  • Bess
  • Mr. Crane
  • Shorty
  • Harrison
  • Miss Simon
  • Comrade Young
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Books and Novels Symbol Icon
    Books and Novels
  • The “switch” Symbol Icon
    The “switch”
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Alliteration
  • Allusions
  • Anthropomorphism
  • Dialect
  • Foil
  • Foreshadowing
  • Genre
  • Hyperbole
  • Imagery
  • Irony
  • Metaphors
  • Mood
  • Paradox
  • Pathos
  • Personification
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Verbal Irony
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)

Black Boy Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.


MLA

Schlegel, Chris. "Black Boy." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 18 Jun 2014. Web. 8 Feb 2026.


Chicago

Schlegel, Chris. "Black Boy." LitCharts LLC, June 18, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2026. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/black-boy.

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