Black Boy and Inequality
Donna Hoang
Blog 6
Is inequality a bad thing?
This question was brought up in class during Ashley’s presentation, and I wanted to take this space as an
opportunity to give my answer.
opportunity to give my answer.
It is first important to acknowledge what inequality means in the United States. The term inequality is
often seen in the context of wealth gaps and opportunity gaps, two concepts that are highly influenced by
each other. Robert Putnam, in Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis, writes, “About 95 percent of us
endorse the idea that “everyone in America should have equal opportunity to get ahead”, a broad
consensus that has hardly wavered since opinion surveys began more than a half century ago” (31). The
idea of equal opportunity is an essential appeal of the American Dream and is often used to justify the
wealth gaps seen in society today. This justification also allows some to come to the conclusion that
inequality is not a bad thing since it is a natural consequence of differing levels of individual effort in
society. This creates the popular conclusion that although opportunity gaps are bad, wealth gaps are not.
often seen in the context of wealth gaps and opportunity gaps, two concepts that are highly influenced by
each other. Robert Putnam, in Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis, writes, “About 95 percent of us
endorse the idea that “everyone in America should have equal opportunity to get ahead”, a broad
consensus that has hardly wavered since opinion surveys began more than a half century ago” (31). The
idea of equal opportunity is an essential appeal of the American Dream and is often used to justify the
wealth gaps seen in society today. This justification also allows some to come to the conclusion that
inequality is not a bad thing since it is a natural consequence of differing levels of individual effort in
society. This creates the popular conclusion that although opportunity gaps are bad, wealth gaps are not.
I want to argue that this conclusion is flawed because it fails to recognize that the pressures behind wealth
gaps are opportunity gaps. I love Richard Wright’s book title, Black Boy (American Hunger), because I
think it cleverly captures the clear opportunity gap that exists in this country. The word hunger (which
came up at least fifty times) carries a very literal meaning for most of the chapter. The meaning takes a
slight metaphorical turn when Richard’s curiosity starts to blossom at a young age. His desire to read, to
count, and to learn is very obvious, but his inability to attend school immediately because of his mother’s
lack of ability to buy him the necessary clothes shows that education was not accessible to all. The
circumstances that created hunger in Richard’s life also impacted his ability to satisfy his hunger for
education and opportunity. The way Wright used the phrase “American Hunger” hints at both the idea
of hunger for food and the hunger for opportunity, which comes hand in hand and cannot be separated
from one another.
gaps are opportunity gaps. I love Richard Wright’s book title, Black Boy (American Hunger), because I
think it cleverly captures the clear opportunity gap that exists in this country. The word hunger (which
came up at least fifty times) carries a very literal meaning for most of the chapter. The meaning takes a
slight metaphorical turn when Richard’s curiosity starts to blossom at a young age. His desire to read, to
count, and to learn is very obvious, but his inability to attend school immediately because of his mother’s
lack of ability to buy him the necessary clothes shows that education was not accessible to all. The
circumstances that created hunger in Richard’s life also impacted his ability to satisfy his hunger for
education and opportunity. The way Wright used the phrase “American Hunger” hints at both the idea
of hunger for food and the hunger for opportunity, which comes hand in hand and cannot be separated
from one another.
Although the book was written in 1945, it cannot be denied that the same hunger exists in our society
today, in a form that is not much different from what is described in Richard Wright’s Black Boy.
Therefore, I do believe that inequality is bad. The extent of wealth gap that is seen today us the direct
consequence of rising inequality in opportunity. The American Hunger affects an unfortunate amount of
people and serves as a much more realistic depiction of American life than the pretty picture drawn by
the American Dream. The American Dream serves as a genius rhetoric that allows society to feel
comfortable with the wealth gap because it is a powerful justification of inequality on the basis of key
moral virtues such as fairness. However, it must be recognized that the virtue of fairness never naturally
existed in our society, and it takes very active effort to make equality of opportunity to become a reality.
Bibliography:
Putnam, Robert. D. Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. New York City: Simon & Schuster, 2016.
today, in a form that is not much different from what is described in Richard Wright’s Black Boy.
Therefore, I do believe that inequality is bad. The extent of wealth gap that is seen today us the direct
consequence of rising inequality in opportunity. The American Hunger affects an unfortunate amount of
people and serves as a much more realistic depiction of American life than the pretty picture drawn by
the American Dream. The American Dream serves as a genius rhetoric that allows society to feel
comfortable with the wealth gap because it is a powerful justification of inequality on the basis of key
moral virtues such as fairness. However, it must be recognized that the virtue of fairness never naturally
existed in our society, and it takes very active effort to make equality of opportunity to become a reality.
Bibliography:
Putnam, Robert. D. Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. New York City: Simon & Schuster, 2016.
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