d his rebellious ways because following the expectations of whites was a way to ensure survival of the community. A rebellious act of one black not only put his or her life in danger, but also his or her family and the entire black community. Richards need to conform to the rules of the white society for survival and his need to rebel in order to achieve his humanity and individuality was a tension that infested him daily.In a quest for a sense of belonging and success in life as well as a need for survival and money from a steady job, Richard attempts to conform to the social rules of those around him and the expectations of how he must behave like a second-class citizen. To feel like a part of the community and to please his family in hopes of improving his home life, Richard begins to attend a Protestant church. He consents to become a member of the church and is baptized, but he does so to please his mother and because his need for association and acceptance with a group is immense. After the church service that night, Richard reflects, I had not felt anything except a sullen anger and a crushing sense of shame. Yet I was somehow glad that I had got it over with; no barriers now stood between me and the community (Wright 170). In addition to these expectations from his family and the black community he associated with, Richard finds that he must conform to behaving like a second-class citizen in order to survive in the workplace. Richard goes through a series of jobs; holding each for a short time and leaving for reasons relating to his unwillingness to behave like a second-class citizen. While out of work, Richard discusses the subject of how blacks must act toward white people with an old classmate, Grigg. He tells Richard that he needs act like a black person to get ahead in society and in the job force. This meant getting out of a white persons path, being polite, and acting in no way higher, better, or even equal to ...
