Phantom of words

1. Literal comprehension: Richard Wright is the narrator of this essay. He is a Negro boy who is uneducated and unaware in the beginning. One day, he is reading the editorial of newspaper. There, he finds that a white writer named H.L. Mencken is severely criticized by other whites. The writer wants to know the reason of hatred. For this, he wants to read the books written by Mencken. However, the blacks are not allowed to go to library and they are deprived of the library cards. The boy gets two library cards from a kind and gentle Irish Catholic Mr. Falk who gives the boy the cards of his wife. The writer forges the letter himself and obtains two books by Mencken. When he reads these books, he understands why his own people hate Mencken. He has written about the equality between whites and blacks. The more he reads, the more he becomes aware. The boy often goes to the library obtains books and read critically. Then he understands himself his rights freedom and he understands the mystery of the universe. He makes himself different from other blacks. He understands the misery of the blacks and foolishness of the whites. He improves his English, becomes wise and begins to write for the rights and freedom of the blacks.

2. Interpretation: This essay deals with the value of education. The writer tries to show that education is supremely valuable. It is the basis of life. The narrator is the black boy who is ignorant in the beginning. However, later he becomes scholar, civilized and a famous writer because of education. The essay also tells where there is will, there is way. The black boy has the desire to learn more and more. His thirst of knowledge is fulfilled because of interest. If we have the desire to achieve knowledge, nothing can stop us. This essay also portrays the racial discrimination of South America. There, the blacks are dominated, hated, suppressed and they are deprived of education, rights, freedom, justice and other many opportunities. Thus, the essay tries to show that education, knowledge, awareness etc. make the human beings free, civilized and able to understand the meaning of life.

3. Critical thinking: This essay is moral, realistic and interesting. It advocates the importance of education. It also shows the realistic racial discrimination between whites and blacks in South America. However, a few ideas are questionable. If the black boy is uneducated, how can he read newspaper editorial critically? How can be forging the letter if he is uneducated and if he is dominated? Thus, I cannot totally agree with the writer.

4. Assimilation: I am highly impressed by this essay. Before reading it, I was unaware of the value of education. I thought that I could not improve my English. However, after reading this essay, I have known that if there is will there is way. I have become very much interested to learn and more. I have determined to be a writer like Richard Wright.