The Fight

In the story, ‘The Fight’ by Richard Wright, a young boy immediately engages himself in a fight when confronted in the schoolyard, believing it is his way of being accepted in his new school.

The narrator feels the need to be accepted, thinking fighting is his only way to prove himself to his peers. He is confident and prideful throughout his endeavor and feels accomplished at the end. Throughout the story, the narrator continues to mention how important acceptance within school is but doesn’t mention anything about his academic achievement, for example: ”If I failed now, I would have failed at school for the first trial came not in books but in how one’s fellows took one, what value they placed upon one’s willingness to fight.”

I believe he would’ve been the bigger and better person if he would've brushed the boys’ schoolyard antics off. In his traditional school setting amongst boys though, the way he reacted is what is considered to be correct and got him the outcome he wanted. I, personally, do not agree with how the narrator reacted to the situation he was put in. I would’ve walked away and not cared what they thought about my reaction to their childish ways. The type of friends I would want to be accepted by would respect me for that decision anyway.

I have, in fact, been put in similar situations. In the event that I had said anything at all, I've verbally diffused the situation. I know from my friends’ experiences though, that others aren’t always as fortunate. Its to my understanding that it’s a pride issue that ties in with the desire to be accepted, especially in school where most people spend the majority of their time. In the figurative descriptions of the narrator’s encounter as well as figurative language like, “Knowing that if I did not win or make a good showing, I would have to fight a new boy each day, I fought tigerishly, trying to leave a scar, seeking to draw blood as proof that I was not a coward, that I could take care of myself.”, you can feel the narrator’s innocent reason for his actions. Although the narrator’s reaction was not ultimately appropriate, it was for his desired outcome.

In conclusion, the new kid in school proved himself amongst his peers and in his mind, satisfied his belief in “passing school” not through academic achievement but by social acceptance.

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© Arielle Pena 2010