Empirical Formula of hydrateEmpirical Formula of Richard Wright's Black Boy autobiography and Langston Hughes' poem "I, Too" have a similar attitude on the same topic. Wright's novel relays his struggle to survive amidst the prejudice of society and his family in the 20th century. Similarily, written at the time when whites and blacks were segregated, Hughes' poem is told from the point of view of an inferior that is determined to one day achieve the life he or she knows they deserve. These two works of literature portray the same attitude of defiance, examining the similar topic of racial discrimination.
The tone of Wright and Hughes in their respective works exudes a defiant attitude against thier limitations. Their defiance is classified by thier tone of voice and thrir refusal to vonform to society's expectations of them. In Black Boy, Richard aspires to be a writer and excels in school in order to achieve his dream. In one case Richard is deemed valedictorian of his eighth grade class. However, he is not allowed to read his own speech and must read one written in order to please whites. Due to Richard's defiant attitude, he reads his own speech on the day of graduation, showing he will not conform or be limited by society's expectations. Moreover, Hughes' poem "I, Too" is a piece that urges action despite limitations. It regards anyone that has felt inferior, or "...the darker brother." Encouraging them to rise up by saying "Tomorrow's,
I'll be at the table" the poem's tone is defiant because the speaker is determined to rise above what is expected. Both these works show the result of defiance and nonconforming; by defying, these authors were able to share their stories with the world and encouraged them to continue writing defying pieces as well.
Furthermore, Wright's Black Boy and Hughes's poem both examine the topic of racial discrimination. In the 1950s, several southern American states were still experiencing the aftermath of segregation and Jim Crow Laws. Wright discusses these discriminations in his autobiography through his life experiences. For example,
