Empathy in the Work of Richard Wright

Richard Wright is known for his unflinching portrayals of the violence of American racism. But violence, however traumatic, was not the only thing to impact the consciousness of the writer. Rather, he was impressed by acts of empathy as much as by those of cruelty. An enduringly powerful aspect of Wright’s work is, in fact, his own substantial capacity for empathy–his ability not only to recognize it, but to feel it, to portray it, and to evoke it for his audience. This essay discusses empathy in Wright’s best known novel, 'Native Son'.